Engineered fungus containing a caterpillar gene kills insects rapidly by disrupting their ecto- and endo-microbiomes.

ABSTRACT: Similar to the physiological importance of gut microbiomes, recent works have shown that insect ectomicrobiotas can mediate defensive colonization resistance against fungal parasites that infect via cuticle penetration. Here we show that engineering the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium robertsii with a potent antibacterial moricin gene from silkworms substantially enhances the ability of the fungus to kill mosquitos, locusts, and two Drosophila species. Further use of Drosophila melanogaster as an infection model, quantitative microbiome analysis reveals that engineered strains designed to suppress insect cuticular bacteria additionally disrupt gut microbiomes. An overgrowth of harmful bacteria such as the opportunistic pathogens of Providencia species is detected that can accelerate in

SUBMITTER: Hong S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11306560 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature