Molecular characterization of FMRFamide-like peptides in Meloidogyne graminicola and analysis of their knockdown effect on nematode infectivity

The rice root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne graminicola, seriously impairs the growth and yield of rice which is an important staple food worldwide. The disruption of neuropeptide signalling leading to attenuation in nematode behaviour and thereby perturbed infection, offers an attractive alternative to control nematodes. In this direction, the present study was aimed at mining of putative FMRFamide-like peptides (FLPs) from the transcriptomic dataset of M. graminicola followed by characterization of those FLPs via sequencing of PCR products, qRT-PCR and Southern hybridization analysis. We have characterized nine flp genes (flp-1, flp-3, flp-6, flp-7, flp-11, flp-12, flp-14, flp-16 and flp-18) and a partial neuropeptide receptor gene (flp-18 GPCR) from M. graminicola in the present study. In addition, in situ localization revealed the expression of flp-1 and flp-7 in neurons posterior to the circumpharyngeal nerve ring of M. graminicola. In vitro silencing of nine flp genes and flp-18 GPCR in M. graminicola J2 and their subsequent infection in rice and wheat roots demonstrated the reduced penetration ability of FLP silenced worms which underscores the potential of the FLPergic system as a broad-spectrum target to manage the root-knot nematode problem in rice-wheat cropping system. •Characterization of hitherto unexplored FLPergic complements of rice root-knot nematode, M. graminicola.•Characterization of a novel FLP-18 receptor in M. graminicola.•In vivo reverse genetics-based functional validation of M. graminicola FLPs in rice and wheat.