A Beauveria phylogeny inferred from nuclear ITS and EF1-alpha sequences: evidence for cryptic diversification and links to Cordyceps teleomorphs

Beauveria is a globally distributed genus of soil-borne entomopathogenic hyphomycetes of interest as a model system for the study of entomopathogenesis and the biological control of pest insects. Species recognition in Beauveria is difficult due to a lack of taxonomically informative morphology. This has impeded assessment of species diversity in this genus and investigation of their natural history. A gene-genealogical approach was used to investigate molecular phylogenetic diversity of Beauveria and several presumptively related Cordyceps species. Analyses were based on nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and elongation factor 1-alpha (EF1-alpha) sequences for 86 exemplar isolates from diverse geographic origins, habitats and insect hosts. Phylogenetic trees were inferred using maximum parsimony and Bayesian likelihood methods. Six well supported clades within Beauveria, provisionally designated A-F, were resolved in the EF1-alpha and combined gene phylogenies. Beauveria bassiana, a ubiquitous species that is characterized morphologically by globose to subglobose conidia, was determined to be non-monophyletic and consists of two unrelated lineages, clades A and C. Clade A is globally distributed and includes the Asian teleomorph Cordyceps staphylinidaecola and its probable synonym C. bassiana. All isolates contained in Clade C are anamorphic and originate from Europe and North America. Clade B includes isolates of B. brongniartii, a Eurasian species complex characterized by ellipsoidal conidia. Clade D includes B. caledonica and B. vermiconia, which produce cylindrical and comma-shaped conidia, respectively. Clade E, from Asia, includes Beauveria anamorphs and a Cordyceps teleomorph that both produce ellipsoidal conidia. Clade F, the basal branch in the Beauveria phylogeny includes the South American species B. amorpha, which produces cylindrical conidia. Lineage diversity detected within clades A, B and C suggests that prevailing morphological species concepts underestimate species diversity within these groups. Continental endemism of lineages in B. bassiana s.l. (clades A and C) indicates that isolation by distance has been an important factor in the evolutionary diversification of these clades. Permutation tests indicate that host association is essentially random in both B. bassiana s.l. clades A and C, supporting past assumptions that this species is not host specific. In contrast, isolates in clades B and D occurred primarily on coleopteran hosts, although sampling in these clades was insufficient to assess host affliation at lower taxonomic ranks. The phylogenetic placement of Cordyceps staphylinidaecola/bassiana, and C. scarabaeicola within Beauveria corroborates prior reports of these anamorph-teleomorph connections. These results establish a phylogenetic framework for further taxonomic, phylogenetic and comparative biological investigations of Beauveria and their corresponding Cordyceps teleomorphs.     

Community composition, host range and genetic structure of the fungal entomopathogen Beauveria in adjoining agricultural and seminatural habitats

Although intensively investigated for biological control of insect pests, little is known about the ecology of the fungal entomopathogenic genus Beauveria in natural or agricultural habitats. In this study, we used molecular phylogenetic and genotypic information to infer species diversity, reproductive potential and genetic structure of Beauveria occurring within a single arable field and bordering hedgerow in Denmark. Isolates were sampled from cultivated field and hedgerow soils, from insects harbouring latent fungal infections, and from the phylloplanes of three plant species common in the hedgerow flora. A nuclear phylogeny of this local Beauveria assemblage resolved seven phylogenetic species, including (i) five phylogenetic species within Beauveria bassiana sensu stricto ; (ii) Clade C, a taxonomically uncharacterized species that is morphologically indistinguishable but phylogenetically distant from B. bassiana s.s. ; and (iii) Beauveria brongniartii. All seven species were present throughout the hedgerow habitat, including as infections in insects. Significantly, only B . bassiana s.s. phylogenetic species Eu_1 was isolated from tilled soils. Mating type polymerase chain reaction assays demonstrated that all five B. bassiana s.s. phylogenetic species possess bipolar outcrossing mating systems. Of these, only the Eu_1 population contained two mating types; however, a 31:2 skew in MAT1:MAT2 mating types suggests a low frequency of sexual reproduction in this population. The four remaining B. bassiana s.s. phylogenetic species were fixed for single mating types and these populations are evidently clonal. Multilocus microsatellite genotyping revealed polymorphism in all five phylogenetic species of B. bassiana s.s. ; however, all show evidence of clonal genetic structure.     

Phylogeny of mitosporic entomopathogenic fungi: is the genus Paecilomyces polyphyletic?

We analyzed sequences of the divergent domain at the 5' end of the large subunit rRNA gene from the mitosporic entomopathogenic fungi Paecilomyces sp., Paecilomyces fumosoroseus, Paecilomyces farinosus, Paecilomyces lilacinus, Verticillium lecanii, Verticillium psalliotae, Beauveria bassiana, Aschersonia sp., Aschersonia placenta, ascomycetous Cordyceps sp., and Cordyceps militaris. Phylogenetic analysis showed P. fumosorseus as the best characterized out of the analyzed species with the B. bassiana clade as its sister group. Two of the P. farinosus isolates were invariably placed within the Verticillium cluster, which also contained C. militaris. The only analyzed P. lilacinus isolate appeared on the root of the hyphomycetous fungi and was characterized as the most distinct from all the hyphomycetous fungi tested. Polyphyly of the genus Paecilomyces was well supported by the Kishino-Hasegawa test. In all trees based on the small subunit rRNA gene sequences obtained from the GenBank, V. lecanii, V. psalliotae, P. fumosoroseus, P. tenuipes and B. bassiana form, together with that of C. militaris, the best supported cluster in the tree. The rest of Cordyceps spp. constitute a distinct clade. Phylogenetic relationships derived from both tested DNA regions show polyphyly of the genus Paecilomyces and close relationships among entomopathogenic species of the genera Verticillium, Paecilomyces, and Beauveria.     

The placement of South African strains of Beauveria in a phylogeny inferred from rDNA ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 sequences

This study aimed to confirm the identity of three strains of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana from South African soils and to investigate their phylogenetic relationship with non-indigenous strains from other geographic regions. Sequences of the rDNA ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of 23 strains were compared with the Genbank reference sequences of 20 other cosmopolitan strains. Fitch parsimony and neighbor-joining analyses of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 regions resolved the strains into two distinct clades and matched them to four species groups/lineages: Beauveria bassiana, B. cf. bassiana (pseudobassiana), B. brongniartii and B. caledonica. Two of the South African strains initially identified as B. bassiana grouped with B. caledonica, whereas the third strain was confirmed as B. bassiana. Because of the paucity of Genbank references for B. caledonica, we have designated the two South African B. caledonica strains as B. sp. aff. caledonica. Other reassignments included two strains from Norway, originally classified as B. bassiana, being grouped with B. brongniartii, and three of the B. brongniartii reference taxa from Brazil which were clearly placed in the B. bassiana clade. The study provides a first report of the presence of the B. caledonica lineage in Africa and confirms current Beauveria phylogenies inferred from molecular data.     

Diversity of Beauveria spp. isolates from pollen beetles Meligethes aeneus in Switzerland

Pollen beetles Meligethes aeneus were collected in oilseed rape fields at different sites in Switzerland in spring 2004-2005 and 32 isolates of the fungal genus Beauveria occurring as latent infections in the beetles were obtained and molecularly characterized. Three major clades, Beauveria bassiana sensu stricto (Clade A: n=13), Beauveriabrongniartii (Clade B: n=1) and Beauveria Clade C (n=18) were identified among the isolates based on sequences of the ITS region and the 5' end of EF1-α. B. bassiana s.s. was further separated in the two clades, Eu_1 (n=10) and Eu_4 (n=3). The intergenic region Bloc provided best resolution of the individual clades B. bassiana s.s. Eu_1, Eu_4 and B. brongniartii. No specific clade of Beauveria appeared to be associated with adult M. aeneus populations. However, data suggested high relative abundance of Beauveria Clade C among the fungal entomopathogens infecting M. aeneus. Characterization of the isolates by simple sequence repeats (SSR) revealed further genotypic diversity within the clades except B. bassiana s.s. Eu_4 which appeared to be clonal. However, the individual SSR markers were differentially amplifiable from isolates of the different clades. It is therefore important to identify the underlying phylogenetic affinity of Beauveria isolates to interpret results based on SSR markers. The data suggest that not all available SSR markers are suitable for reliable characterization of diversity within Beauveria Clade C.     

琅琊山虫生真菌物种多样性和季节变化

在皖东琅琊山自然保护区设置的20个样方中共采集672份虫生真菌标本,分属于4科8属20种.优势种依次为球孢白僵菌、粉拟青霉、环链拟青霉、布氏白僵菌和玫烟色拟青霉,其中球孢白僵菌占绝对优势,相对多度高达73.8%.选用物种多度、Shannon-Wiener指数H′和Pielou均匀度E对琅琊山虫生真菌物种多样性和季节分布进行研究发现,虫生真菌数量丰富但物种多样性指数较低;夏季虫生真菌菌株最为丰富,均匀度相对较低,随着气温及降雨量的下降,菌株数量急剧下降,均匀度相对较高;不同季节白僵菌属的数量波动大,但拟青霉属波动较小.     

几种虫生真菌对斜纹夜蛾的致病性

用布氏白僵菌、球孢白僵菌、玫烟色拟青霉、绿僵菌和莱氏野村菌5种真菌的固体培养物,对斜纹夜蛾2、3龄幼虫进行了毒力测定.结果表明：布氏白僵菌和莱氏野村菌两种菌株对斜纹夜蛾幼虫有明显的致病效果,对2龄幼虫的致死中时(LT₅₀)分别为2.95 d和4.10 d,累计校正死亡率分别为100%和95.2%;对3龄幼虫的致病力低于2龄,致死中时(LT₅₀)分别为19.67 d和19.63 d,累计校正死亡率分别为56.6%和52.2%.玫烟色拟青霉、球孢白僵菌两菌株也有一定的致病力,对2龄幼虫的致死中时(LT₅₀)分别为4.89 d 和6.34 d,累计校正死亡率分别为85.7%和71.4%.     

两种虫草无性型的微循环产孢确证

从贵阳地区采得两种虫草,古厄虫草Cordycepsgunnii（Bark．）Berk．和布氏虫草CordycepsbrongniartiiShimazu。经诱发它们子囊孢子的微循环产孢再次确证了古尼虫草的无性型是古尼拟青霉PaecilomycesgunniiLiang,布氏虫草的无性型是布氏白僵菌Beauveriabrongniartii（Sacc．）Peteh。     

Phylogenetic and structural analyses of the mating-type loci in Clavicipitaceae

Entomopathogens and other econutritional fungi belonging to Clavicipitaceae were phylogenetically analyzed on the basis of the 18S rRNA gene and mating-type genes (MAT1-1-1 and MAT1-2-1). The phylogenies of the mating-type genes yielded better resolutions than that of 18S rRNA gene. Entomopathogens (Cordyceps bassiana, Cordyceps brongniartii, Cordyceps militaris, Cordyceps sinclairii, Cordyceps takaomontana, Isaria cateniannulata, Isaria farinosa, Isaria fumosorosea, Isaria javanica, Lecanicillium muscarium and Torrubiella flava) were considered as a phylogenetically defined group, and were closely related to mycopathogens (Lecanicillium psalliotae and Verticillium fungicola). They located at more descendant positions in the mating-type trees than other fungi, and lacked the mating-type gene MAT1-1-3. The deletion of MAT1-1-3 was supposed to have occurred once in Clavicipitaceae, and a good indication for the evolution of Clavicipitaceae. Other entomopathogens (Cordyceps cylindrica, Cordyceps subsessilis, Metarhizium anisopliae and Nomuraea rileyi) and pathogens of plants, nematodes and slime molds, were relatively related to each other, and possessed MAT1-1-3, but were supposed to be heterogeneous. Root-associated fungi did not form any clade with other species.     

分子时代的白僵菌研究

白僵菌属是全球分布的最常见的虫生真菌。自上世纪90年代以来,有关白僵菌的研究进入分子时代,各方面的研究都有快速甚至是突破性的进展。作为复合种的球孢白僵菌和布氏白僵菌已被分割,而且还有其他新种被陆续命名,有多种有性型被发现;在查明一些致病基因及其作用机制后,通过转基因改良菌株工作取得突破性进展;分子生态学的研究解决了与白僵菌在农林生态系中的流行有关的一些难题。文中就白僵菌的分类学与系统演化、生物学、分子致病机制与基因工程,以及生态学与流行病学等方面的研究进展进行了综述。     

虫草属分子系统学研究现状

近年来的分子系统学研究结果表明 ,麦角菌目 (Clavicipitales)与肉座菌目 (Hypocreales)以及虫草属[Cordyceps(Fr.)Link]与麦角菌科 (Clavicipitaceae)内的有关种属关系密切 ,但虫草属为一多系群 ,其中只有新虫草亚属的种类形成单系群。虫草属种类的进化与寄主有一定的关系 ,有关研究显示它们在亲缘关系相差很大的寄主之间多次转移。多个独立的ITS序列研究表明 ,阔孢虫草 (CordycepscrassisporaM .Zangetal.)、甘肃虫草(CordycepsgansuensisK .Y .Zhangetal.)、多轴虫草 (CordycepsmultiaxialisM .Zang&Kinjo)、尼泊尔虫草 (CordycepsnepalensisM .Zang&Kinjo)与冬虫夏草 [Cordycepssinensis(Berk.)Sacc.]为同一物种 ;RAPD和ITS序列分析还显示不同地理分布的冬虫夏草存在明显的遗传分化。分子生物学方法在确定有性型与无性型的关系上已经为多种虫草菌提供了有力的证据。本文主要对虫草属分子系统学研究现状进行了综述 ,同时就分子生物学研究中的取样问题、一些分子方法的适用范围以及有性型与无性型的关系等问题进行了讨论。     

Allelic variation of a Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) minisatellite is independent of host range and geographic origin.

The minisatellite locus, BbMin1, was isolated from a partial Beauveria bassiana genomic library that consisted of poly(GA) flanked inserts. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the BbMin1 repeat demonstrated allele size variation among 95 B. bassiana isolates. Amplification was also observed from single isolates of Beauveria amorpha, Beauveria brongniartii, and Beauveria caledonica. Eight alleles were identified at the haploid locus, where repeat number fluctuated between one and fourteen. AMOVA and theta (Fst) indicated that fixation of repeat number has not occurred within pathogenic ecotypes or geographically isolated samples of B. bassiana. Selective neutrality of allele size, the rate of BbMin1 mutation, and the age of the species may contribute to host and geographic independence of the marker. Presence of alleles with a large number of repeat units may be attributed to the rare occurrence of somatic recombination or DNA replication error. The molecular genetic marker was useful for the identification of genetic types of B. bassiana and related species.     

Pathogens of bark beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) and other beetles in Bulgaria

The presence and diversity of beetle pathogens associated with different tree species in Bulgaria was investigated. In total, 818 specimens belonging to 22 beetle species were examined. Pathogens occurred in 9 host species. The infections were found in the gut (virus, nematodes, protozoans, microsporidia) and haemolymph (nematodes) of the infected insects. The following pathogen species: ItEPV, Beauveria bassiana, B. brongniartii, Isaria farinosa, Gregarina typographi, Gregarina spp., Chytridiopsis typographi, Chytridiopsis sp., and nematodes were revealed. Insects with mycoses were mummified and filled up with fungal structures, formed pseudosclerotium. Most pathogens were established in bark beetles (Scolytinae). For the first time, the fungus B. bassiana was reported in Tomicus piniperda, Orthotomicus longicollis, O. erosus, X. spinole, Taphrorychus villifrons and Phylobius sp. in Bulgaria. We also present the first records of gregarines in O. longicollis, Acanthocinus aedilis, Rhagium inquisitor, Pyrochroa coccinea, and of the microsporidium Chytridiopsis sp. in O. longicollis.     

Antigenic relationships among pathogenic Beauveria bassiana with Engyodontium album (=B. alba) and non-pathogenic species of the genus Beauveria

Exoantigenic extracts of 15 isolates belonging to hyalohyphomycosis-causing Beauveria bassiana (1), and Engyodontium album (1), as well as other species of the genus Beauveria (one isolate each of B. brogniartii, B. densa, B. stephanoderis, B. velata, B. vermiconia and six isolates of unknown Beauveria species) were studied. Aqueous-merthiolated extracts derived from 10-day-old Sabouraud's dextrose agar slant cultures (25 °C) were concentrated (25X), and reacted against rabbit anti-B. bassiana serum in the presence of partially purified homologous antigen (20X) prepared from 5-week-old shaken cultures (30 °C), using a microimmunodiffusion procedure. Beauveria bassiana reference antigen and antiserum reacted to produce four bands of identity. With the exception of E. album, which was negative, extracts of the isolates of B. brogniartii, B. densa, B. stephanoderis, B. velata, B. vermiconia and the unknown Beauveria species all produced 2-4 lines of identity against the homologous anti-B. bassiana serum. These results suggested that all the species of the genus Beauveria tested were antigenically related to B. bassiana. Engyodontium album demonstrated antigenic distinctness, however, from B. bassiana and thus supported the validity of this taxon. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

粗放经营茶园土壤昆虫病原真菌种群多样性及时间生态位

本文系统调查了粗放经营状态下黄山毛峰茶园根际土壤昆虫病原真菌的种群多样性及其时间生态位水平.于2012年8月至2013年6月,在安徽省黄山市汤口镇选择粗放经营茶园采集土壤样品140份,经稀释平板法分离共获得昆虫病原真菌1041株.结果表明： 昆虫病原真菌种群多样性较为丰富,经鉴定分为6属13种.其中,淡紫紫孢菌、球孢白僵菌和金龟子绿僵菌为优势种群,其菌株数分别为309、255和101株,占总数的29.7%、24.5%和9.7%.茶园土壤中淡紫紫孢菌的时间生态位宽度最大,球孢白僵菌最小.昆虫病原真菌之间以球孢白僵菌和布氏白僵菌的时间生态位重叠值最大,为1.965;而爪哇棒束孢和球孢白僵菌的时间生态位重叠值最小,仅为0.374.     

白僵菌生物防治林中虫生真菌群落结构分析

对白僵菌生物防治林中虫生真菌群落的结构研究表明,长期接种式释放白僵菌的马尾松林中虫生真菌共有属7种.球孢白僵菌的数量占绝对优势,为总数的63.22%;拟青霉次之,占25.86%;绿僵菌占9.20%;轮枝孢仅占1.72%.从寄主昆虫的多样性来看,球孢白僵菌和环链拟青霉的Brillouin多样性指数分别为3.56和2.315,均匀度分别为0.81和0.865;粉拟青霉和蜡蚧轮枝孢的多样性指数分别为1.71和0.862,均匀度为0.963和1.000而黄绿绿僵菌、金龟子绿僵菌和玫烟色拟青霉多样性和均匀度指标均较低.不同季节中被白僵菌侵染的寄主昆虫多样性指数呈现出春秋高、夏季低的趋势,反映了白僵菌种群的季节性变化.     

梵净山自然保护区的一些虫生真菌

本文报道了采自梵净山自然保护区的蛹虫草(Cordyceps militaris),下垂虫草(Co-rdyceps nutans),金龟子虫草(Cordyceps scarabaeicola),蝉拟青霉(Paecilomyces cicadae),撑拟青霉(Paecilomyces suffultus),爪哇拟青霉(Paecilomyces javanicus)和暗绿拟青霉(Paecilomyces atrovirens)等14种昆虫病原真菌。其中撑拟青霉为国内首次报道的新记录种,暗绿拟青霉为一新种。此新种能以(1)在查氏琼脂上菌落暗绿、生长缓慢;(2)瓶梗基部球顶长颈瓶形;和(3)柱形分生孢子聚集成迭瓦状长链与已知种相区别。     

安徽的虫草及其相关真菌I.

报道疣孢虫草Cordyceps phymatospora为新种;球孢虫草C. bassiana 及其无性型Beauveria bassiana, 长座虫草C. longissima 及其无性型 Hirsutella longissima, 台湾虫草C. formosana 及其无性型 Hirsutella sp., 拟细虫草C. gracilioides和丝虫草C. filiformis 等19种虫草及其部分相关真菌。模式标本保存在安徽农业大学虫生菌研究中心(RCEFAAU)。     

New teleomorph combinations in the entomopathogenic genus Metacordyceps

The genus Metacordyceps contains arthropod pathogens in Clavicipitaceae (Hypocreales) that formerly were classified in Cordyceps sensu Kobayasi et Mains. Of the current arthropod pathogenic genera of Hypocreales, the genus Metacordyceps remains one of the most poorly understood and contains a number of teleomorphic morphologies convergent with species of Cordyceps s.s. (Cordycipitaceae) and Ophiocordyceps (Ophiocordycipitaceae). Of note, the anamorph genera Metarhizium and Pochonia were found to be associated only with Metacordyceps and demonstrated to be phylogenetically informative for the clade. Several species of Cordyceps considered to have uncertain placements (incertae sedis) in the current taxonomic framework of clavicipitoid fungi were collected during field expeditions mostly in eastern Asia. Species reclassified here in Metacordyceps include Cordyceps atrovirens Kobayasi & Shimizu, Cordyceps indigotica Kobayasi & Shimizu, Cordyceps khaoyaiensis Hywel-Jones, Cordyceps kusanagiensis Kobayasi & Shimizu, Cordyceps martialis Speg., Ophiocordyceps owariensis Kobayasi, Cordyceps pseudoatrovirens Kobayasi & Shimizu and Ophicordyceps owariensis f. viridescens (Uchiy. & Udagawa) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung, Hywel-Jones & Spatafora. Incorporation of these species in a multigene phylogenetic framework of the major clades of clavicipitoid fungi more than doubled the number of species in Metacordyceps and allowed for refinement of morphological concepts for the genus consistent with the phylogenetic structure. Based on these findings we then discuss evolution of this genus, subgeneric relationships, anamorph connections, and suggest additional species that should be confirmed for possible inclusion in Metacordyceps.     

Fungal Biocontrol of Acari

Mites and ticks are susceptible to pathogenic fungi, and there are opportunities to exploit these micro-organisms for biological control. We have collated records of 58 species of fungi infecting at least 73 species of Acari, either naturally or in experiments. Fungal pathogens have been reported to kill representatives of all three orders of the Actinotrichida (the Astigmata, Oribatida and Prostigmata) and the Ixodida and Mesostigmata in the Anactinotrichida. Most reports concern infections in the Prostigmata, particularly in the families Tetranychidae and Eriophyidae. Two species of Acari-specific pathogens - Hirsutella thompsonii and Neozygites floridana - are important natural regulators of pestiferous eriophyoid and tetranychid mites respectively. Research has been done to understand the factors leading to epizootics of these fungi and to conserve and enhance natural pest control. Hirsutella thompsonii was also developed as the commercial product Mycar for the control of eriophyoid mites on citrus, but was withdrawn from sale in the 1980s, despite some promising effects in the field. Beauveria bassiana , Metarhizium anisopliae, Paecilomyces farinosus, Paecilomyces fumosoroseus and Verticillium lecanii infect ixodid ticks in nature, and B. bassiana and M. anisopliae are being studied as biological control agents of cattle ticks in Africa and South America. Beauveria bassiana also has potential as a mycopesticide of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae . There is scope to develop fungal biocontrol agents against a range of acarine pests, both as stand-alone treatments and for use in integrated pest management. Further research is required to clarify the taxonomic status of fungal pathogens of Acari, to study their ecosystem function, and to develop efficient mass production systems for species of Hirsutella and Neozygites .