Intrinsic apoptosis in nematodes: Evolutionary plasticity and biotechnological opportunities

Abstract

Intrinsic apoptosis is a form of programmed cell death that underpins development, tissue homeostasis and stress responses across Metazoa. In roundworms (nematodes), the pathway was first genetically defined in the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans , yet how it has diversified and operates across the phylum Nematoda, encompassing parasites of humans and animals spanning clades I–V, remains incompletely resolved. Here, we synthesise comparative genomic, structural and functional evidence to establish a framework for intrinsic apoptosis in nematodes. Although the core CED-9–CED-4–CED-3 module is broadly retained, regulatory wiring and developmental deployment remain largely uncharact..