Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology

A nematode-trapping fungus orchestrates polarity cues, septins, and NOX signaling for trap formation

Reprogramming cell morphogenesis in response to environmental cues is fundamental to microbial adaptation and survival. The nematode-trapping fungus (NTF) Arthrobotrys oligospora exemplifies this plasticity by developing adhesive traps to capture nematodes. However, mechanisms un...

A multifunctional PKS-NRPS megasynthetase in nematodes produces divergent signaling molecules that control different developmental arrests

To maximize their reproductive success, nematodes not only must arrest their development in response to adverse growth conditions but also must quickly recover if conditions improve. However, the molecular signals that coordinate these transitions remain poorly understood. Here,...

An evolutionarily conserved N-terminal domain of RRF-3 governs GTSF-1 binding in nematodes

Abstract GTSF1 is an essential activating cofactor for PIWI proteins in many metazoans. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans , however, GTSF-1 does not bind PIWI, but is associated with the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase RRF-3, supporting endo-siRNA (26G-RNA) biogenesis. Here, we...