Surface Carbohydrates of Plant Parasitic Nematodes

Anguina tritici, Aphelenchus avenae, Bursaphelenchus lignicolus, Longidorus elongatus, L. macrosoma, Meloidogyne incognita, Pratylenchus penetrans, Tylenchorhynchus claytoni and Radopholus similis were screened with rhodamine conjugated lectins from Arachis hypogaea (PNA), Canavalia ensiformis (Con A), Limax flavus (LFA), Triticum vulgare (WGA) and Ulex europaeus (UEA-I). Following blocking experiments with appropriate complementary sugars, N-acetylglucosamine residues were found on the head, amphids or amphidial exudates of A. tritici, R. similis and T. claytoni. D-glucose and or D-mannose residues were found in the same regions of B. lignicolus, M. incognita and P. penetrans as well as galactose residues on M. incognita. N-acetylglucosamine was localised at pore openings of L. elongatus, L. macrosoma and R. similis and was found distributed over the entire body of A. tritici. Both Longidorus species also labelled for galactose residues at the sides of the anterior end. All lectins were rapidly taken into the body of A. avenae and appeared as non-specific labelling in lipid droplets.