ATTACHMENT OF PASTEURIA-PENETRANS ENDOSPORES TO THE SURFACE OF MELOIDOGYNE-JAVANICA 2ND-STAGE JUVENILES

Pasteuria penetrans spore adhesion to Meloidogyne javanica second-stag e juveniles (J2) was examined following several different pretreatment s of the latter. The detergents sodium dodecyl sulfate and Triton X-10 0, the carbohydrates fucose and alpha-methyl-D-mannoside, and the lect ins concanavalin A and wheat germ agglutinin reduced spore attachment. Spores exposed to M. javanica surface coat (SC) extract exhibited dec reased adherence to the J2 surface. Second-stage juveniles that had be en treated with antibodies recognizing a 250-kDa antigen of J2 SC extr act had fewer spores attached to their surfaces, as compared to nontre ated 52, except in the head region. This inhibition pattern was simila r to that of antibody-labelling on M. javanica J2 as observed by elect ron microscopy. It is suggested that several SC components, such as ca rbohydrate residues, carbohydrate-recognition domains, and a 250-kDa a ntigen, are involved in P. penetrans spore attachment to the surface o f M. javanica.