Parasitic nematodes: dietary habits and their implications

Parasitic nematodes rely on host tissues for energy and nutrition, yet there remains a lack of detailed knowledge regarding their specific nutrient preferences.Recent advances have provided critical insights into their nutritional needs and metabolic dependencies, such as the intriguing discovery of cross-kingdom compartmentalization in vitamin B5 biosynthesis within certain parasitic nematodes.Leveraging these newfound insights into their nutritional vulnerabilities provides a promising avenue for developing effective management and control strategies, addressing the substantial challenges posed by these nematodes to both agriculture and public health. Nematodes, a diverse group of roundworms, exhibit a wide range of dietary habits, including parasitism of animals and plants. These parasites cause substantial economic losses in agriculture and pose significant health challenges to humans and animals. This review explores the unique adaptations of parasitic nematodes, emphasizing their nutritional requirements and metabolic dependencies. Recent research has identified cross-kingdom compartmentalization of vitamin B5 biosynthesis in some parasitic nematodes, shedding light on coevolutionary dynamics and potential targets for control strategies. Several open questions remain regarding the complexity of nematode nutrition, host manipulation, evolutionary adaptations, and the influence of environmental factors on their metabolic processes. Understanding these aspects offers promising avenues for targeted interventions to manage and control these economically and medically important parasites. Nematodes, a diverse group of roundworms, exhibit a wide range of dietary habits, including parasitism of animals and plants. These parasites cause substantial economic losses in agriculture and pose significant health challenges to humans and animals. This review explores the unique adaptations of parasitic nematodes, emphasizing their nutritional requirements and metabolic dependencies. Recent research has identified cross-kingdom compartmentalization of vitamin B5 biosynthesis in some parasitic nematodes, shedding light on coevolutionary dynamics and potential targets for control strategies. Several open questions remain regarding the complexity of nematode nutrition, host manipulation, evolutionary adaptations, and the influence of environmental factors on their metabolic processes. Understanding these aspects offers promising avenues for targeted interventions to man