The novel nematicide wact-86 interacts with aldicarb to kill nematodes

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2017 Apr 5;11(4):e0005502. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005502. eCollection 2017 Apr.

Abstract

Parasitic nematodes negatively impact human and animal health worldwide. The market withdrawal of nematicidal agents due to unfavourable toxicities has limited the available treatment options. In principle, co-administering nematicides at lower doses along with molecules that potentiate their activity could mitigate adverse toxicities without compromising efficacy. Here, we screened for new small molecules that interact with aldicarb, which is a highly effective treatment for plant-parasitic nematodes whose toxicity hampers its utility. From our collection of 638 worm-bioactive compounds, we identified 20 molecules that interact positively with aldicarb to either kill or arrest the growth of the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We investigated the mechanism of interaction between aldicarb and one of these novel nematicides called wact-86. We found that the carboxylesterase enzyme GES-1 hydrolyzes wact-86, and that the interaction is manifested by aldicarb's inhibition of wact-86's metabolism by GES-1. This work demonstrates the utility of C. elegans as a platform to search for new molecules that can positively interact with industrial nematicides, and provides proof-of-concept for prospective discovery efforts.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aldicarb / pharmacology*
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antinematodal Agents / chemistry
  • Antinematodal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Benzamides / pharmacology*
  • Benzofurans / pharmacology*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / drug effects*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics*
  • Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / genetics*
  • Mutation
  • Nematoda / drug effects*
  • Sequence Alignment

Substances

  • Antinematodal Agents
  • Benzamides
  • Benzofurans
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
  • wact-86 compound
  • Aldicarb
  • Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases
  • ges-1 protein, C elegans