{"database":"biostudies-literature","file_versions":[],"scores":null,"additional":{"submitter":["Li Z"],"funding":["National Natural Science Foundation of China","National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China)"],"pagination":["580"],"full_dataset_link":["https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11099121"],"repository":["biostudies-literature"],"omics_type":["Unknown"],"volume":["7(1)"],"pubmed_abstract":["Beneficial fungi are well known for their contribution to insects' adaptation to diverse habitats. However, where insect-associated fungi reside and the underlying mechanisms of insect-fungi interaction are not well understood. Here, we show a pellet-like structure on the legs of mealybugs, a group of economically important insect pests. This at-leg pellet, formed by mealybugs feeding on tomato but not by those on cotton, potato, or eggplant, originates jointly from host secretions and mealybug waxy filaments. A fungal strain, Penicillium citrinum, is present in the pellets and it colonizes honeydew. P. citrinum can inhibit mealybug fungal pathogens and is highly competitive in honeydew. Compounds within the pellets also have inhibitory activity against mealybug pathogens. Further bioassay"],"journal":["Communications biology"],"pubmed_title":["An at-leg pellet and associated Penicillium sp. provide multiple protections to mealybugs."],"pmcid":["PMC11099121"],"funding_grant_id":["32102189","32072489"],"pubmed_authors":["Yang X","Zheng Y","Li Z","Tan Y","Tong H","Jiang M","Ni M"],"additional_accession":[]},"is_claimable":false,"name":"An at-leg pellet and associated Penicillium sp. provide multiple protections to mealybugs.","description":"Beneficial fungi are well known for their contribution to insects' adaptation to diverse habitats. However, where insect-associated fungi reside and the underlying mechanisms of insect-fungi interaction are not well understood. Here, we show a pellet-like structure on the legs of mealybugs, a group of economically important insect pests. This at-leg pellet, formed by mealybugs feeding on tomato but not by those on cotton, potato, or eggplant, originates jointly from host secretions and mealybug waxy filaments. A fungal strain, Penicillium citrinum, is present in the pellets and it colonizes honeydew. P. citrinum can inhibit mealybug fungal pathogens and is highly competitive in honeydew. Compounds within the pellets also have inhibitory activity against mealybug pathogens. Further bioassay","dates":{"release":"2024-01-01T00:00:00Z","publication":"2024 May","modification":"2026-06-03T04:59:46.546Z","creation":"2026-05-28T03:06:38.076Z"},"accession":"S-EPMC11099121","cross_references":{"pubmed":["38755282"],"doi":["10.1038/s42003-024-06287-2"]}}