Visualizing Oral Infection Dynamics of Beauveria bassiana in the Gut of Tribolium castaneum.

ABSTRACT: The ability of entomopathogenic fungi, such as Beauveria bassiana, to infect insects by penetrating their cuticle is well documented. However, some insects have evolved mechanisms to combat fungal infections. The red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum), a major pest causing significant economic losses in stored product environments globally, embeds antifungal compounds within its cuticle as a protective barrier. Previous reports have addressed the contributions of non-cuticular infection routes, noting an increase in mortality in beetles fed with conidia. In this study, we further explore the progression and dynamics of oral exposure in the gut of T. castaneum after feeding with an encapsulated B. bassiana conidia formulation. First, we characterized the formulat

SUBMITTER: Preisegger L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11856336 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature