Dataset Information

Season-long infection of diverse hosts by the entomopathogenic fungus Batkoa major.

ABSTRACT: Populations of the entomopathogenic fungus Batkoa major were analyzed using sequences of four genomic regions and evaluated in relation to their genetic diversity, insect hosts and collection site. This entomophthoralean pathogen killed numerous insect species from 23 families and five orders in two remote locations during 2019. The host list of this biotrophic pathogen contains flies, true bugs, butterflies and moths, beetles, and barkflies. Among the infected bugs (Order Hemiptera), the spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is a new invasive planthopper pest of various woody plants that was introduced to the USA from Eastern Asia. A high degree of clonality occurred in the studied populations and high gene flow was revealed using four molecular loci for the analysis of population structure. We did not detect any segregation in the population regarding host affiliation (by family or order), or collection site. This is the first description of population structure of a biotrophic fungus-generalist in the entomopathogenic Order Entomophthorales. This analysis aimed to better understand the potential populations of entomopathogen-generalists infecting emerging invasive hosts in new ecosystems.

SUBMITTER: Gryganskyi AP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9070890 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Season-long infection of diverse hosts by the entomopathogenic fungus Batkoa major.

Gryganskyi Andrii P AP Golan Jacob J Hajek Ann E AE

PloS one 20220505 5

Populations of the entomopathogenic fungus Batkoa major were analyzed using sequences of four genomic regions and evaluated in relation to their genetic diversity, insect hosts and collection site. This entomophthoralean pathogen killed numerous insect species from 23 families and five orders in two remote locations during 2019. The host list of this biotrophic pathogen contains flies, true bugs, butterflies and moths, beetles, and barkflies. Among the infected bugs (Order Hemiptera), the spotte ...[more]

PMID: 35511895

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Project description:APSES-type transcription factors (TFs) have analogous and diverse functions in the regulation of fungal morphogenesis processes. However, little is known about these functions in microsclerotium formation. In this study, we characterized two orthologous APSES genes (MrStuA and MrXbp) in the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium rileyi Deletion of either MrStuA or MrXbp impaired dimorphic transition, conidiation, fungal virulence, and microsclerotium formation. Compared with the wild-type strain, ΔMrStuA and ΔMrXbp mutants were hypersensitive to thermal and oxidative stress. Furthermore, transcriptome sequencing analysis revealed that MrStuA and MrXbp independently regulate their own distinctive subsets of signaling pathways during dimorphic transition and microsclerotium formation, but they also show an overlapping regulation of genes during these two distinct morphogenesis processes. These results provide a global insight into vital roles of MrStuA and MrXbp in M. rileyi and aid in dissection of the interacting regulatory mechanisms of dimorphism transition and microsclerotium development.IMPORTANCE Transcription factors (TFs) are core components of the signaling pathway and play an important role in transcriptional regulation of gene expression during fungal morphogenesis processes. A prevailing theory suggests an interplay between different TFs regulating microsclerotial differentiation; however, the persisting issue remains that these interplay mechanisms are not clear. Here, we analyzed two members of the APSES-type TFs in Metarhizium rileyi using a gene deletion strategy and transcriptome analysis. Mutants were significantly impaired in microsclerotium formation and dimorphic transition. Transcriptome analysis provided evidence for interacting regulatory mechanisms by the two TFs in microsclerotium formation and dimorphic transition. Furthermore, we investigated their overlapping roles in mediating the expression of genes required for different fungal morphogenesis processes. Characterization of TFs in this study will aid in dissecting the interplay between regulatory mechanisms in fungal morphogenesis processes.

Dataset Information

Season-long infection of diverse hosts by the entomopathogenic fungus Batkoa major.

Publications

Season-long infection of diverse hosts by the entomopathogenic fungus Batkoa major.

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