The cytoskeleton in nematode feeding sites.

Sedentary edoparasitic nematodes induce specialised feeding cells in plant roots. Giant cells induced by root knot nematodes and syncytia generated by cyst nematodes in plant roots are large multinucleated cells containing a dense cytoplasm. To examine the plant cytoskeleton during feeding cell development, transcriptional activity of actin and tubulin genes and organization of the actin filaments and of the microtubules were analyzed in situ. Immunolocalizations of actins and tubulins and in vivo observation of green fluorescent protein decorated actin filaments and microtubules in nematode infected root cells revealed that major rearrangements of the cytoskeleton occur during the formation of nematode induced feeding cells.