法兰德生物科技研究所和根特大学的科学家在新型抗线虫作物培育方面迈进了一步。他们的研究表明，线虫能够操控植物激素的运输，以迫使植物产生可供其食用的物质。植物激素在植物生命周期中对多种生长和行为过程具有调控作用，其中包括细胞分裂和伸长、韧皮部和木质部分化以及根毛生长。
在感染过程中，线虫向植物维管束细胞的某一部位注入多种蛋白。这些蛋白导致该细胞与周围细胞融合，并进一步产生可供线虫食用的物质。植物激素在感染部位积累，当食用部位需要进一步生长时，相邻细胞中植物激素的浓度便会增加。
Wim Grunewald及其同事的研究表明线虫能破坏某些植物PIN蛋白的表达。而PIN蛋白能促进细胞间的生长素传递。利用该项发现可能会开发出阻止线虫感染的各种方法，比如抵消线虫对植物激素传输的这种控制作用。目前一般采用甲基溴来杀灭线虫，而这种杀虫剂对环境具有严重的负面影响，因此在美国被禁止使用。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推荐原始出处：
PLoS Pathog 5(1): e1000266. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1000266
Parasitic Nematodes Modulate PIN-Mediated Auxin Transport to Facilitate Infection
Wim Grunewald1,2*, Bernard Cannoot2, Ji?í Friml1, Godelieve Gheysen2
1 Department of Plant Systems Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium, 2 Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
Abstract
Plant-parasitic nematodes are destructive plant pathogens that cause significant yield losses. They induce highly specialized feeding sites (NFS) in infected plant roots from which they withdraw nutrients. In order to establish these NFS, it is thought that the nematodes manipulate the molecular and physiological pathways of their hosts. Evidence is accumulating that the plant signalling molecule auxin is involved in the initiation and development of the feeding sites of sedentary plant-parasitic nematodes. Intercellular transport of auxin is essential for various aspects of plant growth and development. Here, we analysed the spatial and temporal expression of PIN auxin transporters during the early events of NFS establishment using promoter-GUS/GFP fusion lines. Additionally, single and double pin mutants were used in infection studies to analyse the role of the different PIN proteins during cyst nematode infection. Based on our results, we postulate a model in which PIN1-mediated auxin transport is needed to deliver auxin to the initial syncytial cell, whereas PIN3 and PIN4 distribute the accumulated auxin laterally and are involved in the radial expansion of the NFS. Our data demonstrate that cyst nematodes are able to hijack the auxin distribution network in order to facilitate the infection process.
