Figure 1.

The interactions between nematodes and their fungal and bacterial pathogens. When sensing the nematodes, the nematophagous fungi can develop various trapping devices to capture nematodes, or directly infect the nematodes using adhesive spores. The bacteria infect nematodes in different manners: mimic the food (‘Trojan-horse'-like mechanism), using pore-forming toxins, or with the help of nematode-trapping fungi. On the other hand, nematodes can develop elaborate defence strategies against microbial infections. SMP, secondary metabolic products; UPR, unfolded protein response; AMP, anti-microbial peptides. (Online version in colour.)