Hillel T. Schwartz

A nematode-trapping fungus orchestrates polarity cues, septins, and NOX signaling for trap formation

This study identifies molecular mechanisms coordinating cell polarity, septins, and NOX signaling in nematode-trapping fungi for trap formation.

Nutrient and prey-sensing signaling pathways converge on the sphingolipid methyltransferase SMT1 to regulate trap formation in a predatory fungus

This study identifies SMT1 as a key gene regulated by Cre1 and Ste12 that integrates nutrient and prey signals to control trap formation in the predatory fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora.

Ammonium Transporters Govern Nutrient Sensing and Trap Induction in the Nematode-Trapping Fungi Arthrobotrys oligospora

This study identifies ammonium transporters in Arthrobotrys oligospora that regulate trap induction under nitrogen limitation, without affecting trap morphology or function.

Evolution of parasitism-related traits in nematodes

This study investigates the evolution of parasitism-related traits in nematodes, finding that entomopathogenic nematodes have lost hatchling survival traits and can develop without symbiotic bacteria.

Genomes of the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema hermaphroditum and its associated bacteria

The paper presents the genome of Steinernema hermaphroditum and its associated bacteria, revealing gene clusters and a potential second bacterial circle in entomopathogenic nematodes.

Molecular identification of a peroxidase gene controlling body size in the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema hermaphroditum

The paper identifies a peroxidase gene controlling body size in Steinernema hermaphroditum using whole-genome re-sequencing and CRISPR-Cas9 validation.

The entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema hermaphroditum is a self-fertilizing hermaphrodite and a genetically tractable system for the study of parasitic and mutualistic symbiosis

The paper identifies Steinernema hermaphroditum CS34 as a self-fertilizing hermaphrodite with genetic tractability for studying symbiosis and parasitism.

Improving the annotation of the Heterorhabditis bacteriophora genome

The paper reanalyzes the H. bacteriophora genome to determine if its unique features are biological or methodological, finding that methodological issues likely caused the initial annotation's uniqueness.

Evolutionary analysis implicates RNA polymerase II pausing and chromatin structure in nematode piRNA biogenesis

The paper investigates piRNA biogenesis in nematodes, showing that piRNA upstream motifs are derived from snRNA promoter elements and that piRNA production depends on RNA polymerase II pausing and chromatin structure.