Small peptide-mediated self-recognition prevents cannibalism in predatory nematodes

Self-recognition is observed abundantly throughout the natural world, regulating diverse biological processes. Although ubiquitous, often little is known of the associated molecular machinery, and so far, organismal self-recognition has never been described in nematodes. We investigated the predator...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2019-04, Vol.364 (6435), p.86-89
Main Authors: Lightfoot, James W, Wilecki, Martin, Rödelsperger, Christian, Moreno, Eduardo, Susoy, Vladislav, Witte, Hanh, Sommer, Ralf J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amino acids
Biological activity
Cannibalism
CRISPR
Fitness
Molecular machines
Nematodes
Peptides
Predation
Predators
Prey
Pristionchus
Progeny
Recognition
Self-recognition
Species
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Summary:Self-recognition is observed abundantly throughout the natural world, regulating diverse biological processes. Although ubiquitous, often little is known of the associated molecular machinery, and so far, organismal self-recognition has never been described in nematodes. We investigated the predatory nematode and, through interactions with its prey, revealed a self-recognition mechanism acting on the nematode surface, capable of distinguishing self-progeny from closely related strains. We identified the small peptide SELF-1, which is composed of an invariant domain and a hypervariable C terminus, as a key component of self-recognition. Modifications to the hypervariable region, including single-amino acid substitutions, are sufficient to eliminate self-recognition. Thus, the self-recognition system enables this nematode to avoid cannibalism while promoting the killing of competing nematodes.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.aav9856