to eat your own

By comparing genomes of lab nematodes and another nematode species, scientists discovered that there is a gene that allows nematodes to recognize their kin. By recognizing their kin, these nematodes don't eat them but eat every other nematode that isn't. This gene is called SELF-1. However, when this gene was modified by CRISPR, the nematodes did not recognize their kin and therefore ate them. Upon further research, they found out that a part of this gene varies a bit in each individual nematode to differentiate even closely related nematodes. 

This is just one step in the direction of helping us understand self-recognition in other species.Unfortunately, there's still much more research that needs to be done with nematodes before moving onto other species. This could potentially be very fascinating stuff if it can be applied to studying other species.

Deciphering plant immunity against parasites

Nematodes are known to have a parasitic relationship with important agricultural crops such as wheat, soybeans, and bananas.  The nematodes bore into the plants and withdraw water and nutrients from them.  This process damages the plant and can cause root and shoot structural damage, as well as leave the plant susceptible for further infection from other pathogens.  The plants however, may be able to prevent this without the use of pesticides.  The plant thale cress was found to have a specific gene, NILR1, that can help the plant sense the presence of a nematode and therefore turn on immune responses to protect itself.  This gene was shown to be conserved among numerous crop plants, and although other genes have been shown to provide resistance to nematodes, this one does so on a much larger scale.  This gene is thought to be turned on by a specific molecule possessed by the nematodes, although this exact molecule has yet to be identified.  The discovery of this gene opens up many possibilities for sustainable farming, including specific breeding to pass the gene along to other plants.  This could be vital in the future because nematodes have been known to decrease certain crop yields be over ten percent.  

Article

Further Research

Men only think about "one thing", but is it really their fault?

        Don't worry boys; this study is not specifically about you. Male nematodes have a newly found pair of neurons in their brain.  Female worms do not have these neurons, which gives male worms extra brain cells. These neurons, "MCMs", enable male nematodes to have a higher recollection of sex and to desire it more.  MCMs stand for mystery cells of the male. Being sex-driven is not entirely in the control of male nematodes. In this experiment male worms possessing these "mystery cells of the male" and hermaphrodite worms were deprived of food and mating. After being conditioned to associate high salt concentration with sex and low concentration with food, the nematodes were set forth to pick one environment or the other. When finally given the free will to move into one of the new spaces, the male worms chose the environment with more salt. The male worms could have chosen to move towards food but they preferred being able to mate. Male nematodes desired sex more than their own survival (being able to eat after being starved). The hermaphrodite worms chose the lower concentration of salt associated with food. Another study was done with male nematodes that lacked the "mystery cells of the male". These males chose the food over mating. The MCMs must control the male nematodes' constant desire for sex.
      The difference in behavior is what has scientists and many others intrigued. Even a small worm can help us to comprehend the way humans behave. More studies like this one can add insight about gender identification, and sexuality in humans. Other studies are also being done to help us understand the behavior and genetic connections behind human sexual orientation. With each study, we are getting closer to breaking ground on why males and females behave so differently. I think this discovery is very interesting.  I did not expect the reason male nematodes to have extra brain cells. It might be far-stretched, but maybe there could be a similar explanation for human sexuality.
For the full article, visit here!