几种虫生真菌附着胞的荧光显微及扫描电镜观察

本研究通过对细脚拟青霉、蝉拟青霉、玫烟色拟青霉、金龟子绿僵菌和莱氏野村菌在疏水表面产生附着胞的荧光显微镜观察和扫描电镜观察,明确五种虫生真菌均可产生附着胞,细脚拟青霉和金龟子绿僵菌产生单附着胞和复合附着胞两种形态,均呈椭圆至长椭圆形,如遇到不适合浸染的部位,则重新产生芽管向前延伸直至找到适合入侵的部位。蝉拟青霉分生孢子多在顶端发芽成人字形,末端形成椭圆形附着胞,该拟青霉再生附着胞能力强。金龟子绿僵菌和莱氏野村菌附着胞表面有较厚的粘液层,而三种拟青霉附着胞表面均未见有粘液层。     

绿僵菌侵染小菜蛾体表过程的显微观察

采用扫描电镜研究了小菜蛾Plutella xylostella体表结构对绿僵菌入侵行为的影响及绿僵菌的侵染过程。结果表明: 绿僵菌孢子在小菜蛾体表萌发后可形成附着胞,寄主体表结构影响形成附着胞的快慢、多少及穿透体壁时芽管长度, 在平缓结构区和刺状结构区比嵴状结构区更易形成附着胞,且芽管较短。在所有结构区,LF68菌株穿透芽管均短于LD65菌株的芽管。接种后7 h,分生孢子在小菜蛾体表开始萌发,LF68与LD65菌株分别于接种后10 h和13 h出现侵染构造穿透体壁。     

几种虫生真菌附着胞的荧光显微及扫描电镜观察

本研究通过对细脚拟青霉、蝉拟青霉、玫烟色拟青霉、金龟子绿僵菌和莱氏野村菌在疏水表面产生附着胞的荧光显微镜和扫描电镜电镜观察,明确五种虫生真菌均可产生附着胞,细脚拟青霉和金龟子绿僵菌产生单附着胞和复合附着胞两种形态,均呈椭圆至长椭圆形,如遇到不合适侵染的部位,则重新产生芽管向前延伸直至找到适合入侵的部位,蝉拟青霉分生孢子多在顶端恨芽成人字形,末端椭圆形附着胞,该拟青霉再生附着胞能力强。金龟子绿僵菌     

假单胞菌M18调控基因ppbR的克隆及功能研究

假单胞菌 (Pseudomonas sp.) M18 是促进植物生长的根际细菌, 能产生吩嗪-1-羧酸 (PCA) 和藤黄绿菌素 (Plt) 两种不同的抗生素。根据生物信息学分析, 铜绿假单胞菌PA2572基因编码蛋白可能是一个双元调控系统的应答调节子。本研究从假单胞菌M18基因组中扩增出PA2572同源基因片段ppbR, 利用体外定点插入突变和同源重组技术构建了M18 的ppbR突变株M18P。研究结果表明, 突变株M18P在泳动能力和群集运动能力上有显著的下降。突变株合成PCA 的能力比野生型有显著的下降, 在发酵液中PCA积累量仅为野生型的50%。在KMB培养基中, 突变株Plt的积累量和野生型没有显著的差异。     

假单胞菌M18调控基因ppbR的克隆及功能研究

假单胞菌(Pseudomonas sp.)M18是促进植物生长的根际细菌,能产生吩嗪-1-羧酸(PCA)和藤黄绿菌素(Plt)两种不同的抗生素.根据生物信息学分析,铜绿假单胞菌PA2572基因编码蛋白可能是一个双元调控系统的应答调节子.本研究从假单胞菌M18基因组中扩增出PA2572同源基因片段ppbR,利用体外定点插入突变和同源重组技术构建了M18的ppbR突变株M18P.研究结果表明,突变株M18P在泳动能力和群集运动能力上有显著的下降.突变株合成PCA的能力比野生型有显著的下降,在发酵液中PCA积累量仅为野生型的50%.在KMB培养基中,突变株Plt的积累量和野生型没有显著的差异.     

精胺合成酶MrSPS参与调控罗伯茨绿僵菌的生长发育、抗逆和致病力

本研究以罗伯茨绿僵菌Metarhizium robertsii为研究对象,针对鉴定出的精胺合成酶基因(MAA_02088, Mrsps),利用农杆菌介导的同源重组方法获得Mrsps敲除株ΔMrsps。与野生型相比,ΔMrsps营养生长和产孢能力下降,对氯化钠和紫外照射耐受性增强。大蜡螟幼虫毒力分析表明,浸渍和注射两种情况下ΔMrsps致病力降低,半致死时间(LT₅₀：6.71和4.75 d)比野生型(LT₅₀：5.17和4.19 d)显著增加。Mrsps敲除后不影响附着胞形成率和蝉翅穿透能力,但会显著下调昆虫血腔定殖相关基因的表达量。这些结果说明精胺合成酶MrSPS参与调控罗伯茨绿僵菌的生长发育、外界胁迫应答和致病力。     

鱼腥蓝细菌PCC 7120游离DnaA的增加降低异形胞频率

研究在模式生物鱼腥蓝细菌Anabaena sp. PCC 7120中, 以DnaA为研究对象, 探究蓝细菌细胞周期中复制起始和异形胞分化之间的关系。结果显示: 在有氮环境中, DnaA蛋白缺失或过表达并不影响细胞增殖和异形胞的分化。在缺氮环境下, DnaA缺失突变株Malr2009的异形胞分化频率(8.57%)与野生型(8.64%)间无显著差别, 且该菌株增殖速率与野生型相比也无显著差异, DnaA蛋白缺失没有影响蓝细菌突变株(Malr2009)的异形胞分化频率和增殖速率。但DnaA蛋白过表达菌株Oalr2009的异形胞分化频率降低了20%, 其在第12天A₇₅₀约为1.2, 细胞增殖速率快于野生型(第12天时A₇₅₀约为0.9), 增殖速率提高了30%。综上结果表明在鱼腥蓝细菌PCC 7120中, 虽然DnaA不是细胞生长过程所必需的, 但在缺氮条件下, 游离DnaA增加会抑制异形胞分化频率。     

rpoS基因缺失突变对荧光假单胞菌胁迫耐受性、群体感应及腐败活性的影响

【目的】微生物活动是引起食品腐败的主要原因,研究食品腐败菌的腐败作用调控机制对于保证食品的质量和安全具有重要意义。荧光假单胞菌是一种代表性的食品腐败菌,本文旨在研究RNA聚合酶的选择性sigma因子Rpo S在荧光假单胞菌致腐败过程中的作用。【方法】运用同源重组的方法构建荧光假单胞菌冷藏鱼分离株的rpo S基因缺失突变株,比较野生型和突变株暴露于不同胁迫条件下的存活率;通过液相色谱-串联质谱(LC-MS/MS)分析野生型和突变株产生高丝氨酸内酯类(AHLs)群体感应信号分子的种类和含量;检测野生型和突变株接种于灭菌三文鱼汁后4°C贮存过程中的菌落总数和挥发性盐基氮的生成量。【结果】成功构建了荧光假单胞菌rpo S基因缺失突变株。rpo S基因的缺失导致荧光假单胞菌对10 mmol/L H2O2和15%乙醇的耐受性显著降低,对150μg/m L结晶紫和175 mmol/L醋酸的耐受性有一定程度增强,不影响其对47°C和20%Na Cl的耐受性。荧光假单胞菌在rpo S基因缺失突变后长链信号分子C_(10)-HSL、C_(12)-HSL和C_(14)-HSL的含量增加。在灭菌三文鱼汁中的腐败活性检测表明rpo S基因缺失可导致荧光假单胞菌挥发性盐基氮的生成量显著降低。【结论】荧光假单胞菌的Rpo S不仅调节细菌对多种胁迫条件的耐受性,还影响AHL群体感应和腐败活性。     

suhB基因对绿针假单胞菌HT66生防能力的影响

【背景】绿针假单胞菌(Pseudomonas chlororaphis) HT66是一株兼具生防安全性和吩嗪-1-甲酰胺(Phenazine-1-Carboxamide,PCN)高产的植物根际促生菌,在生物防治、生态农业及可持续发展农业领域具有广阔的应用前景。非编码RNA (ncRNA) SuhB参与了细胞中多个过程的代谢调控。【目的】探究suhB基因对绿针假单胞菌HT66生防能力的影响。【方法】以同源重组的方法无痕敲除suhB基因构建突变菌株HT66ΔsuhB,利用质粒回补suhB基因构建突变菌株HT66ΔsuhB-pBBR-suhB,研究suhB基因对菌株生长状态、生物膜形成、群集运动及PCN合成的影响。【结果】缺失suhB基因后,菌株HT66生长缓慢,平台期滞后12 h,而且生物量减少为野生型的61.6%;在KMB培养基中单位细胞PCN产量最高达109.5mg/g,为野生株的2.1倍;生物膜形成量明显增加,为野生型的1.8倍;在运动性检测平板上,野生株的运动半径为21 mm,而suhB突变株的运动半径缩减至9.7 mm,群集运动能力明显下降。suhB基因回补突变株上述生物学功能同野生株相似。在突变株HT66ΔsuhB中,pME6015-phzI-lacZ融合质粒表达的LacZ酶活与野生型差异不显著;pME6015-phzR-lacZ融合质粒表达的LacZ酶活显著上升,为野生型的3.1倍;pME6522-phzAp-lacZ融合质粒表达的LacZ酶活为野生型的1.8倍。【结论】绿针假单胞菌HT66中suhB基因参与了菌株生长、生物膜形成、群集运动及PCN合成等多个过程的调控。本研究为该菌株的代谢改造与生防应用提供了理论基础。     

红火蚁病原真菌AUGM47早期发育超微结构研究

在前期筛选已获得对红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren高效致病真菌罗伯茨绿僵菌Metarhizium robertsii AUGM47的基础上,为进一步明确病原真菌对寄主昆虫的侵染机制。本试验在室内条件下,以红火蚁工蚁为侵染对象,利用荧光显微镜和透射电镜观察了罗伯茨绿僵菌AUGM47侵染单元分生孢子在体表附着萌发、穿透和体内增殖的早期发育过程。结果表明,菌株AUGM47分生孢子在红火蚁体表可萌发并形成附着胞侵入,接种后12 h观察到萌发,在36 h内普遍出现穿透结构穿透体壁。接种后48 h为菌体在血腔内的增殖阶段。菌丝体在穿透表皮和体腔内增殖过程中伴随着机械压力和酶的活动。接种后96 h,观察到自噬现象,菌体通过自噬降解并回收细胞器,为从体内穿出的晚期发育过程提供物质基础。本研究对罗伯茨绿僵菌AUGM47分生孢子在红火蚁体外至体内的发育进程研究证实了菌株的高致病性,为红火蚁生防真菌菌种改良和后续开发利用奠定理论基础。     

Magnaporthe grisea cutinase2 mediates appressorium differentiation and host penetration and is required for full virulence

The rice blast fungus Magnaporthe grisea infects its host by forming a specialized infection structure, the appressorium, on the plant leaf. The enormous turgor pressure generated within the appressorium drives the emerging penetration peg forcefully through the plant cuticle. Hitherto, the involvement of cutinase(s) in this process has remained unproven. We identified a specific M. grisea cutinase, CUT2, whose expression is dramatically upregulated during appressorium maturation and penetration. The cut2 mutant has reduced extracellular cutin-degrading and Ser esterase activity, when grown on cutin as the sole carbon source, compared with the wild-type strain. The cut2 mutant strain is severely less pathogenic than the wild type or complemented cut2/CUT2 strain on rice (Oryza sativa) and barley (Hordeum vulgare). It displays reduced conidiation and anomalous germling morphology, forming multiple elongated germ tubes and aberrant appressoria on inductive surfaces. We show that Cut2 mediates the formation of the penetration peg but does not play a role in spore or appressorium adhesion, or in appressorial turgor generation. Morphological and pathogenicity defects in the cut2 mutant are fully restored with exogenous application of synthetic cutin monomers, cAMP, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, and diacylglycerol (DAG). We propose that Cut2 is an upstream activator of cAMP/protein kinase A and DAG/protein kinase C signaling pathways that direct appressorium formation and infectious growth in M. grisea. Cut2 is therefore required for surface sensing leading to correct germling differentiation, penetration, and full virulence in this model fungus.     

The MrCYP52 cytochrome P450 monoxygenase gene of Metarhizium robertsii is important for utilizing insect epicuticular hydrocarbons

Fungal pathogens of plants and insects infect their hosts by direct penetration of the cuticle. Plant and insect cuticles are covered by a hydrocarbon-rich waxy outer layer that represents the first barrier against infection. However, the fungal genes that underlie insect waxy layer degradation have received little attention. Here we characterize the single cytochrome P450 monoxygenase family 52 (MrCYP52) gene of the insect pathogen Metarhizium robertsii, and demonstrate that it encodes an enzyme required for efficient utilization of host hydrocarbons. Expressing a green florescent protein gene under control of the MrCYP52 promoter confirmed that MrCYP52 is up regulated on insect cuticle as well as by artificial media containing decane (C10), extracted cuticle hydrocarbons, and to a lesser extent long chain alkanes. Disrupting MrCYP52 resulted in reduced growth on epicuticular hydrocarbons and delayed developmental processes on insect cuticle, including germination and production of appressoria (infection structures). Extraction of alkanes from cuticle prevented induction of MrCYP52 and reduced growth. Insect bioassays against caterpillars (Galleria mellonella) confirmed that disruption of MrCYP52 significantly reduces virulence. However, MrCYP52 was dispensable for normal germination and appressorial formation in vitro when the fungus was supplied with nitrogenous nutrients. We conclude therefore that MrCYP52 mediates degradation of epicuticular hydrocarbons and these are an important nutrient source, but not a source of chemical signals that trigger infection processes.     

Primary and secondary metabolism regulates lipolysis in appressoria of Colletotrichum orbiculare

The conidia of Colletotrichum orbiculare, the causal agent of cucumber anthracnose, develop appressoria that are pigmented with melanin for host plant infection. Premature appressoria contain abundant lipid droplets (LDs), but these disappear during appressorial maturation, indicating lipolysis inside the appressorial cells. The lipolysis and melanization in appressoria require the peroxin PEX6, suggesting the importance of peroxisomal metabolism in these processes. To investigate the relationships between appressorial lipolysis and fungal metabolic pathways, C. orbiculare knockout mutants of MFE1, which encodes a peroxisomal multifunctional enzyme, were generated in this study, and the phenotype of the mfe1 mutants was investigated. In contrast to the wild-type strain, which forms melanized appressoria, the mfe1 mutants formed colorless nonmelanized appressoria with abundant LDs, similar to those of pex6 mutants. This indicates that fatty acid β-oxidation in peroxisomes is critical for the appressorial melanization and lipolysis of C. orbiculare. Soraphen A, a specific inhibitor of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, inhibited appressorial lipolysis and melanization, producing phenocopies of the mfe1 mutants. This suggests that the conversion of acetyl-CoA, derived from fatty acid β-oxidation, to malonyl-CoA is required for the activation of lipolysis in appressoria. Surprisingly, we found that genetically blocking PKS1-dependent polyketide synthesis, an initial step in melanin biosynthesis, also impaired appressorial lipolysis. In contrast, genetically or pharmacologically blocking the steps in melanin synthesis downstream from PKS1 did not abolish appressorial lipolysis. These findings indicate that melanin biosynthesis, as well as fatty acid β-oxidation, is involved in the regulation of lipolysis inside fungal infection structures.     

Independent genetic mechanisms mediate turgor generation and penetration peg formation during plant infection in the rice blast fungus

The first barrier to infection encountered by foliar pathogens is the host cuticle. To traverse this obstacle, many fungi produce specialized infection cells called appressoria. MST12 is essential for appressorium-mediated penetration and infectious growth by the rice pathogen Magnaporthe grisea. In this study, we have characterized in detail the penetration defects of an mst12 deletion mutant. Appressoria formed by the mst12 mutant developed normal turgor pressure and ultrastructure but failed to form penetration pegs either on cellophane membranes or on plant epidermal cells. Deletion and site-directed mutagenesis analyses indicated that both the homeodomain and zinc finger domains, but not the middle region, of MST12 are essential for appressorial penetration and plant infection. The mst12 mutant appeared to be defective in microtubule reorganization associated with penetration peg formation. In mature appressoria, the mutant lacked vertical microtubules observed in the wild type. The mst12 mutant also failed to elicit localized host defence responses, including papilla formation and autofluorescence. Our data indicate that generation of appressorium turgor pressure and formation of the penetration peg are two independent processes. MST12 may play important roles in regulating penetration peg formation and directing the physical forces exerted by the appressorium turgor in mature appressoria.     

Concurrence of losing a chromosome and the ability to produce destruxins in a mutant of Metarhizium anisopliae

In a previous study, a spontaneous subtilisin pr1A and pr1B gene-deficient mutant of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae strain V275 has been identified [Wang, C.-S. et al. (2002) FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 213, 251-255]. The insecticidal metabolites of this mutant were studied further. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis indicated that the mutant isolate lost the ability to produce cyclic peptide toxins, destruxins, both in vitro and in vivo. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed that the mutant concurrently lost a 1.05 Mb (approximately) chromosome, demonstrating for the first time that a conditionally dispensable (CD) chromosome exists in the insect pathogenic fungus, M. anisopliae. Concurrence of losing the ability to produce destruxins and a CD chromosome in the mutant suggests that the toxin synthetase genes of M. anisopliae are located on this CD chromosome, as similarly described for plant pathogenic fungi. Semi-quantitative api ZYM analysis showed more biochemical disparities between the mutant and the wild-type strain.     

Conservative production of galactosaminogalactan in Metarhizium is responsible for appressorium mucilage production and topical infection of insect hosts

The exopolysaccharide galactosaminogalactan (GAG) has been well characterized in Aspergilli, especially the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. It has been found that a five-gene cluster is responsible for GAG biosynthesis in Aspergilli to mediate fungal adherence, biofilm formation, immunosuppression or induction of host immune defences. Herein, we report the presence of the conserved GAG biosynthetic gene cluster in the insect pathogenic fungus Metarhizium robertsii to mediate either similar or unique biological functions. Deletion of the gene cluster disabled fungal ability to produce GAG on germ tubes, mycelia and appressoria. Relative to the wild type strain, null mutant was impaired in topical infection but not injection of insect hosts. We found that GAG production by Metarhizium is partially acetylated and could mediate fungal adherence to hydrophobic insect cuticles, biofilm formation, and penetration of insect cuticles. In particular, it was first confirmed that this exopolymer is responsible for the formation of appressorium mucilage, the essential extracellular matrix formed along with the infection structure differentiation to mediate cell attachment and expression of cuticle degrading enzymes. In contrast to its production during A. fumigatus invasive growth, GAG is not produced on the Metarhizium cells harvested from insect hemocoels; however, the polymer can glue germ tubes into aggregates to form mycelium pellets in liquid culture. The results of this study unravel the biosynthesis and unique function of GAG in a fungal system apart from the aspergilli species.