Developmental switching in the parasitic nematode Strongyloides stercoralis is controlled by the ASF and ASI amphidial neurons

Parasitic nematodes of the genus Strongyloides are remarkable for their ability to switch between alternative free-living developmental pathways in response to changing internal environmental conditions. After exiting the host, soil-dwelling larval stages may develop either to infectivity via 2 microbiverous stages (homogonic development) or to free-living adulthood via 4 microbiverous larval stages (heterogonic development). The progeny of these adults then give rise to the infective stage. In the latter case, free-living existence is extended in time and the number of infective larvae is greatly amplified. Anterior chemosensory neurons (amphidial neurons) are thought to respond to environmental cues and via signal transduction pathways control the direction of larval development. We now demonstrate by laser microbeam ablation that 2 classes of amphidial neurons (ASF and ASI), acting together, control the direction of free-living larval development. Larvae in which the neurons were killed developed to infectivity via the homogonic route rather than to adulthood via the otherwise predominant heterogenic route. These neurons are probable homologues of neurons ADF (=ASF) and ASI in Caenorhabditis elegans, suggesting the control of development at the cellular level is conserved among divergent taxa of nematodes. These observations also have important implications for the evolution of nematode parasitism and the design of new prophylactic measures against parasitic nematodes of medical and veterinary medical importance.