Abstract
A developmental expression profile of the Meloidodgyne javanica esophageal gland gene chorismate mutase-1 (Mj-cm-1) could suggest when in the lifecycle of the nematode the Mj-cm-1 product is functional. This study used real-time quantitative RT-PCR to examine the variation in Mj-cm-1 transcript levels over six timepoints in the nematode lifecycle: egg, infective second-stage juveniles (Inf-J2), 2-day post-inoculation (pi), 7-day pi, 14-day pi, and adult. The Mj-cm-1 mRNA levels peaked at 2-day pi, about 100-fold above levels expressed at the egg and Inf-J2 stages. Some expression of Mj-cm-1 remained during the 7-day pi, 14-day pi, and adult stages. High transcript levels of the beta-actin control gene M. javanica Beta-actin-1 (Mj-ba-1) demonstrated the presence of cDNA at all timepoints. The peak in Mj-cm-1 transcript expression at 2-day pi as well as the previously shown esophageal gland localization of Mj-cm-1 mRNA suggest that the product of this gene may be involved early in the establishment of parasitism.