@article {88, title = {Nematode succession during composting and the potential of the nematode community as an indicator of compost maturity}, journal = {PedobiologiaPedobiologia}, volume = {53}, number = {3}, year = {2010}, note = {Steel, Hanne de la Pena, Eduardo Fonderie, Pamela Willekens, Koen Borgonie, Gaetan Bert, Wim}, pages = {181-190}, abstract = {One of the key issues in compost research is to assess when the compost has reached a mature stage. The maturity status of the compost determines the quality of the final soil amendment product. The nematode community occurring in a Controlled Microbial Composting (CMC) process was analyzed with the objective of assessing whether the species composition could be used as a bio-indicator of the compost maturity status. The results obtained here describe the major shifts in species composition that occur during the composting process. Compared to terrestrial ecosystems, nematode succession in compost differs mainly in the absence of K-strategists and numerical importance of diplogastrids. At the beginning of the composting process (thermophilic phase), immediately after the heat peak, the nematode population is primarily built by bacterial feeding enrichment opportunists (cp-1) (Rhabditidae, Panagrolaimidae, Diplogastridae) followed by the bacterial-feeding general opportunists (cp-2) (Cephalobidae) and the fungal-feeding general opportunists (Aphelenchoididae). Thereafter, during the cooling and maturation stage, the bacterial-feeding-predator opportunistic nematodes (Mononchoides sp.) became dominant. Finally, at the most mature stage, the fungal-feeding Anguinidae (mainly Ditylenchus filimus) were most present. Both, the Maturity Index (MI) and the fungivorous/bacterivorous ratio (f/b ratio), increase as the compost becomes more mature (ranging, respectively, from 1 to 1.86 and from 0 to 11.90). Based on these results, both indices are suggested as potential suitable tools to assess compost maturity. (C) 2009 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.}, isbn = {0031-4056}, author = {Steel, H. and de la Pena, E. and Fonderie, P. and Willekens, K. and Borgonie, G. and Bert, W.} } @article {97, title = {A Wolbachia-like endosymbiotic bacterium in the plant-parasitc nematode Rhadopholus similis}, journal = {Journal of NematologyJournal of Nematology}, volume = {42}, number = {3}, year = {2010}, note = {Haegeman Annelies, B. Vanholme Jacob, J. Vandekerckhove, T. T. M. Claeys, M. Borgonie, G. Gheysen, G.}, month = {Sep}, pages = {245-245}, isbn = {0022-300X}, author = {Haegeman, and Annelies, B. V. and Jacob, J. and Vandekerckhove, T. T. M. and Claeys, M. and Borgonie, G. and Gheysen, G.} } @article {100, title = {Potential of Macrostomum lignano to recover from gamma-ray irradiation}, journal = {Cell and Tissue ResearchCell and Tissue Research}, volume = {339}, number = {3}, year = {2010}, note = {De Mulder, Katrien Kuales, Georg Pfister, Daniela Egger, Bernhard Seppi, Thomas Eichberger, Paul Borgonie, Gaetan Ladurner, Peter}, month = {Mar}, pages = {527-542}, abstract = {Stem cells are the only proliferating cells in flatworms and can be eliminated by irradiation with no damage to differentiated cells. We investigated the effect of fractionated irradiation schemes on Macrostomum lignano, namely, on survival, gene expression, morphology and regeneration. Proliferating cells were almost undetectable during the first week post-treatment. Cell proliferation and gene expression were restored within 1 month in a dose-dependent manner following exposure to up to 150 Gy irradiation. During recovery, stem cells did not cross the midline but were restricted within lateral compartments. An accumulated dose of 210 Gy resulted in a lethal phenotype. Our findings demonstrate that M. lignano represents a suitable model system for elucidating the effect of irradiation on the stem cell system in flatworms and for improving our understanding of the recovery potential of severely damaged stem-cell systems.}, isbn = {0302-766X}, author = {De Mulder, K. and Kuales, G. and Pfister, D. and Egger, B. and Seppi, T. and Eichberger, P. and Borgonie, G. and Ladurner, P.} } @article {102, title = {Refuge From Predation, the Benefit of Living in an Extreme Acidic Environment?}, journal = {Biological BulletinBiological Bulletin}, volume = {219}, number = {3}, year = {2010}, note = {Borgonie, Gaetan Dierick, Manuel Houthoofd, Wouter Willems, Maxime Jacobs, Patric Bert, Wim}, month = {Dec}, pages = {268-276}, abstract = {Organisms living in extreme habitats require costly adaptations to cope with these conditions. Among the suggested potential benefits that trade off these costs is refuge from predation. To study these interactions in extreme environments, samples were taken in the cave Cueva de Villa Luz, Tabasco, Mexico, where more than 32 subterranean springs, some H,S rich, rise from the floor. Hydrogen sulfide gas plus oxygen is absorbed by freshwater, and oxidation forms concentrated sulfuric acid. Snottites, whitish hollow mucous tubes, hang from the ceiling of the cave. Fluid drops from these snottites were recorded as having pH values of 0-3. We report the discovery of a new species of nematode that thrives in the highly acidic environment of the snottite. Micro CT scan of snottites reveals a complex interaction between the acidic snottite, nematodes, and abundant nematode-eating mites. The nematode adaptation to low pH probably protects them against mite predation, for which nematodes are most likely the most important source of carbon in this sulfur-driven ecosystem.}, isbn = {0006-3185}, author = {Borgonie, G. and Dierick, M. and Houthoofd, W. and Willems, M. and Jacobs, P. and Bert, W.} } @article {103, title = {Morphological, morphometrical and molecular characterisation of Filenchus fungivorus n. sp., a fungivorous nematode from Japan in a most likely polyphyletic genus (Nematoda: Tylenchina)}, journal = {NematologyNematology}, volume = {12}, year = {2010}, note = {Bert, Wim Okada, Hiroaki Tavernier, Ines Borgonie, Gaetan Houthoofd, WouterPart 2}, pages = {235-246}, abstract = {Filenchus fungivorus n. sp., isolated from autumn bellflower (Gentiana scrabra Bunge) in Japan and maintained on a fungus culture, is described based on LM, SEM and molecular data. The new species is characterised by combination of the following features: two lateral lines, short body (284-331 mu m), short stylet (7.0-8.7 mu m), amphid aperture associated with characteristic depression, short ovary, undifferentiated spermatheca, post-vulval sac shorter than corresponding body diam. and short (59-80 mu m) nonfiliform, almost straight tail and absence of males. According to a principal component analysis, a small tail/ vulva-anus (1.3-1.8) and V{\textquoteright} ratio have the highest morphometrical power to separate F. fungivorus n. sp. from the remaining analysed Filenchus spp. (with the exception of F. misellus). Molecular analyses based on SSU rDNA placed F. fungivorus n. sp. within a clade that contained Filenchus sp. (heathland, Belgium), F. (Ottolenchus) discrepans, Malenchus andrassyi and F. misellus. However, the position of this clade could not be resolved within the Tylenchomorpha. Although the phylogenetic analyses, confirmed by Shimodaira-Hasegawa tests, significantly rejected the monophyly of Filenchus (P < 0.001), F. fungivorus n. sp. is placed within Filenchus in anticipation of a review of the Tylenchidae.}, isbn = {1388-5545}, author = {Bert, W. and Okada, H. and Tavernier, I. and Borgonie, G. and Houthoofd, W.} }