Influence of soil microorganisms on the trapping of nematodes by nematophagous fungi

Abstract

The influence of 29 species of soil organisms (21 bacteria and 8 fungi) on nematode capture by 3 species of nematophagous fungi was investigated. Only the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was found to bind to lectin-containing traps of Arthrobotrys conoides and Monacrosporium rutgeriensis and prevent nematode capture. None of the organisms studied bound to the traps of Monacrosporium eudermatum. The trap lectin of Arthrobotrys conoides, being specific for glucose – mannose, apparently binds to the mannan component of the yeast cell wall. At this time, it is not clear why the yeast binds to traps of Monacrosporium rutgeriensis since the trap lectin is highly specific for 2-deoxyglucose, a saccharide that does not appear to occur in nature.