Episode 10, Ecology
Self or Snack? Peptide-Mediated Kin Recognition in Pristionchus pacificus
Self or Snack? Peptide-Mediated Kin Recognition in Pristionchus pacificus
Show notes
How do predatory nematodes avoid cannibalising their own offspring? In this episode, we explore a remarkable study that uncovers a peptide-based self-recognition system in Pristionchus pacificus. This system hinges on a single hypervariable peptide, SELF-1, which allows individuals to distinguish between kin and non-kin—preventing self-killing but enabling predation on rivals.
We discuss:
The discovery and characterisation of the self-1 gene
How a single amino acid change can disrupt recognition
The role of hypervariable C-terminal sequences in defining identity
CRISPR-Cas9 experiments to map and manipulate self-recognition
Why this system may represent a new form of species- and strain-specific recognition in the animal kingdom
📖 Based on the research article:
“Small peptide–mediated self-recognition prevents cannibalism in predatory nematodes”
James W. Lightfoot, Martin Wilecki, Christian Rödelsperger, et al.
Published in Science (2019).
🔗 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aav9856
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