The MAP kinase Bbslt2 controls growth, conidiation, cell wall integrity, and virulence in the insect pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana

Entomopathogenic fungi, such as Beauveria bassiana, are key environmental pathogens of insects that have been exploited for biological control of insect pests. Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases play crucial roles in regulating fungal development, growth, and pathogenicity, mediating responses to the environment. Bbslt2, encoding for an Slt2 family MAPK, was isolated and characterized from B. bassiana. Gene disruption of Bbslt2 affected growth, caused a significant reduction in conidial production and viability, and increased sensitivity to Congo Red and fungal cell wall degrading enzymes. ΔBbslt2 mutants were altered in cell wall structure and composition, which included temperature dependent chitin accumulation, reductions in conidial and hyphal hydrophobicity, and alterations in cell surface carbohydrate epitopes. The ΔBbslt2 strain also showed hypersensitivity to heat shock and altered trehalose accumulation, which could only be partially attributed to changes in the expression of trehalase (ntl1). Insect bioassays revealed decreased virulence in the ΔBbslt2 strain using both topical and intrahemoceol injection assays. These results indicate that Bbslt2 plays an important role in conidiation, viability, cell wall integrity and virulence in B. bassiana. Our findings are discussed within the context of the two previous MAP kinases characterized from B. bassiana.     

CYP52X1, representing new cytochrome P450 subfamily, displays fatty acid hydroxylase activity and contributes to virulence and growth on insect cuticular substrates in entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana

Infection of insects by the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana proceeds via attachment and penetration of the host cuticle. The outermost epicuticular layer or waxy layer of the insect represents a structure rich in lipids including abundant amounts of hydrocarbons and fatty acids. A member of a novel cytochrome P450 subfamily, CYP52X1, implicated in fatty acid assimilation by B. bassiana was characterized. B. bassiana targeted gene knockouts lacking Bbcyp52x1 displayed reduced virulence when topically applied to Galleria mellonella, but no reduction in virulence was noted when the insect cuticle was bypassed using an intrahemoceol injection assay. No significant growth defects were noted in the mutant as compared with the wild-type parent on any lipids substrates tested including alkanes and fatty acids. Insect epicuticle germination assays, however, showed reduced germination of ΔBbcyp52x1 conidia on grasshopper wings as compared with the wild-type parent. Complementation of the gene-knock with the full-length gene restored virulence and insect epicuticle germination to wild-type levels. Heterologous expression of CYP52X1 in yeast was used to characterize the substrate specificity of the enzyme. CYP52X1 displayed the highest activity against midrange fatty acids (C12:0 and C14:0) and epoxy stearic acid, 4-8-fold lower activity against C16:0, C18:1, and C18:2, and little to no activity against C9:0 and C18:0. Analyses of the products of the C12:0 and C18:1 reactions confirmed NADPH-dependent regioselective addition of a terminal hydroxyl to the substrates (ω-hydroxylase). These data implicate CYP52X1 as contributing to the penetration of the host cuticle via facilitating the assimilation of insect epicuticle lipids.     

Identification of the genes affecting the regulation of riboflavin synthesis in the flavinogenic yeast Pichia guilliermondii using insertion mutagenesis

Pichia guilliermondii is a representative of a group of so-called flavinogenic yeast species that overproduce riboflavin (vitamin B(2)) in response to iron limitation. Using insertion mutagenesis, we isolated P. guilliermondii mutants overproducing riboflavin. Analysis of nucleotide sequence of recombination sites revealed that insertion cassettes integrated into the genome disrupting P. guilliermondii genes similar to the VMA1 gene of Ashbya gossypii and Saccharomyces cerevisiae and FES1 and FRA1 genes of S. cerevisiae. The constructed P. guilliermondiiΔvma1-17 mutant possessed five- to sevenfold elevated riboflavin production and twofold decreased iron cell content as compared with the parental strain. Pichia guilliermondiiΔfra1-45 mutant accumulated 1.8-2.2-fold more iron in the cells and produced five- to sevenfold more riboflavin as compared with the parental strain. Both Δvma1-17 and Δfes1-77 knockout strains could not grow at 37 °C in contrast to the wild-type strain and the Δfra1-45 mutant. Increased riboflavin production by the wild-type strain was observed at 37 °C. Although the Δfes1-77 mutant did not overproduce riboflavin, it showed partial complementation when crossed with previously isolated P. guilliermondii riboflavin-overproducing mutant rib80-22. Complementation analysis revealed that Δvma1-17 and Δfra1-45 mutants are distinct from previously reported riboflavin-producing mutants hit1-1, rib80-22 and rib81-31 of this yeast.     

Two hydrophobins are involved in fungal spore coat rodlet layer assembly and each play distinct roles in surface interactions, development and pathogenesis in the entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana

The entomogenous filamentous fungus, Beauveria bassiana expresses two hydrophobin genes, hyd1 and hyd2, hypothesized to be involved in cell surface hydrophobicity, adhesion, virulence, and to constitute the protective spore coat structure known as the rodlet layer. Targeted gene inactivation of hyd1 resulted in seemingly 'bald' conidia that contained significantly altered surface fascicles or bundles. These cells displayed decreased spore hydrophobicity, loss of water mediated dispersal, changes in surface carbohydrate epitopes and β-1,3-glucan distribution, lowered virulence in insect bioassays, but no effect on adhesion. In contrast, Δhyd2 mutants retained distorted surface bundles, but truncated/incomplete rodlets could be seen within the bundles. Δhyd2 conidia displayed both decreased cell surface hydrophobicity and adhesion, but the mutant was unaffected in virulence. The double Δhyd1Δhyd2 mutant was distinct from the single mutants, lacking both bundles and rodlets, and displaying additively decreased cell surface hydrophobicity, reduced cell attachment and lowered virulence than the Δhyd1 mutant. Epitope tagged constructs of the proteins were used to examine the expression and distribution of the proteins and to demonstrate the continued presence of Hyd2 in the Δhyd1 strain and vice versa. The implications of our results with respect to fascicle and rodlet assembly on the spore surface are discussed.     

BbRho5对球孢白僵菌生长速率的作用研究

为阐明BbRho5对球孢白僵菌生防潜能的作用,构建了Bbrho5单基因敲除菌株ΔBbrho5,以野生型菌株WT作为对照,在不同培养基上测定菌落生长速率,并测定了菌株对多菌灵胁迫耐受性及对大蜡螟幼虫体壁侵染能力。进一步获取和分析了ΔBbrho5和WT细胞内基因转录组数据。结果表明,BbRho5蛋白功能缺陷显著抑制球孢白僵菌菌丝生长速率,同时微弱影响其多菌灵胁迫抗逆性及生防能力。相较于WT,ΔBbrho5中具有770个差异表达基因(DEGs),其中上调基因395个,下调基因375个。GO分析显示,ΔBbrho5 VS WT中DEGs主要富集于氧化还原酶活力(oxidoreductase activity)和单加氧酶活力(monooxygenase activity)功能。KEGG通路富集结果显示,DEGs主要富集于氮代谢及多种氨基酸代谢通路。在氮代谢通路中富集到7个功能基因,其中有5个上调,2个下调,说明敲除菌株可能采用增强氮源利用及谷氨酸合成以应对Bbrho5缺陷引起的生长迟缓。以上研究结果揭示了球孢白僵菌中小GTP酶BbRho5对球孢白僵菌生长速率具有重要影响,且氮代谢和氨基酸代谢可能为其重要的响应代谢通路。     

BbRho5对球孢白僵菌生长速率的作用研究

为阐明BbRho5对球孢白僵菌生防潜能的作用,构建了Bbrho5单基因敲除菌株ΔBbrho5,以野生型菌株WT作为对照,在不同培养基上测定菌落生长速率,并测定了菌株对多菌灵胁迫耐受性及对大蜡螟幼虫体壁侵染能力。进一步获取和分析了ΔBbrho5和WT细胞内基因转录组数据。结果表明,BbRho5蛋白功能缺陷显著抑制球孢白僵菌菌丝生长速率,同时微弱影响其多菌灵胁迫抗逆性及生防能力。相较于WT,ΔBbrho5中具有770个差异表达基因(DEGs),其中上调基因395个,下调基因375个。GO分析显示,ΔBbrho5 VS WT中DEGs主要富集于氧化还原酶活力(oxidoreductase activity)和单加氧酶活力(monooxygenase activity)功能。KEGG通路富集结果显示,DEGs主要富集于氮代谢及多种氨基酸代谢通路。在氮代谢通路中富集到7个功能基因,其中有5个上调,2个下调,说明敲除菌株可能采用增强氮源利用及谷氨酸合成以应对Bbrho5缺陷引起的生长迟缓。以上研究结果揭示了球孢白僵菌中小GTP酶BbRho5对球孢白僵菌生长速率具有重要影响,且氮代谢和氨基酸代谢可能为其重要的响应代谢通路。     

A virulence-related lectin traffics into eisosome and contributes to functionality of cytomembrane and cell-wall in the insect-pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana

Lectins are characterized of the carbohydrate-binding ability and play comprehensive roles in fungal physiology (e.g., defense response, development and host–pathogen interaction). Beauveria bassiana, a filamentous entomopathogenic fungus, has a lectin-like protein containing a Fruit Body_domain (BbLec1). BbLec1 could bind to chitobiose and chitin in fungal cell wall. BbLec1 proteins interacted with each other to form multimers, and translocated into eisosomes. Further, the interdependence between BbLec1 and the eisosome protein PliA was essential for stabilizing the eisosome architecture. To test the BbLec1 roles in B. bassiana, we constructed the gene disruption and complementation mutants. Notably, the BbLec1 loss resulted in the impaired cell wall in mycelia and conidia as well as conidial formation capacity. In addition, disruption of BbLec1 led to the reduced cytomembrane integrity and the enhanced sensitivity to osmotic stress. Finally, ΔBbLec1 mutant strain displayed the weakened virulence when compared with the wild-type strain. Taken together, BbLec1 traffics into eisosome and links the functionality of eisosome to development and virulence of B. bassiana.     

Primary roles of two dehydrogenases in the mannitol metabolism and multi-stress tolerance of entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana

Knockout and complement mutants of mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase (MPD) and mannitol dehydrogenase (MTD) were constructed to probe the roles of both enzymes in the mannitol metabolism and multi-stress tolerances of entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. Compared with wild-type and complement mutants, ΔBbMPD lost 99.5% MPD activity for reducing fructose-6-phosphate to mannitol-1-phosphate while ΔBbMTD lost 78.9% MTD activity for oxidizing mannitol to fructose. Consequently, mannitol contents in mycelia and conidia decreased 68% and 83% for ΔBbMPD, and 16% and 38% for ΔBbMTD, accompanied by greatly enhanced trehalose accumulations due to 81-87% decrease in their neutral trehalase expression. Mannitol as mere carbon source in a nitrate-based minimal medium suppressed the colony growth of ΔBbMTD instead of ΔBbMPD, and delayed more conidial germination of ΔBbMTD than ΔBbMPD. Based on median lethal responses, conidial tolerances to H(2) O(2) oxidation, UV-B irradiation and heat stress at 45°C decreased 38%, 39% and 22% in ΔBbMPD, and 18%, 16% and 11% in ΔBbMTD respectively. Moreover, ΔBbMPD and ΔBbMTD lost 14% and 7% of their virulence against Spodoptera litura larvae respectively. Our findings highlight the primary roles of MPD and MTD in mannitol metabolism and their significant contributions to multi-stress tolerances and virulence influential on the biocontrol potential of B.bassiana.     

Development of a novel bioassay for estimation of median lethal concentrations (LC50) and doses (LD50) of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana, against western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis

To conduct laboratory experiments aimed at quantifying secondary acquisition of fungal conidia by western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), an efficient assay technique using Beauveria bassiana as the model fungus was developed. Various application protocols were tested and it was determined that the percent mortality did not vary among protocols. Peak mortality of second-instar nymphs, under constant exposure to conidia, occurred 5 days post-inoculation. Second-instar thrips that were exposed to conidia within 24 h of the molt to second instar were more susceptible to Beauveria bassiana than thrips exposed after times greater than 24 h post-molt. Conidia efficacy, which was monitored at 24 h intervals, did not differ significantly within 72 h. A test of the final bioassay system was conducted in a series of assays aimed at determining the LD50 of B. bassiana technical powder against second-instar western flower thrips. It was determined that B. bassiana (strain GHA) is highly effective at very low doses (LD50 of 33-66 conidia/insect).     

Response of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Pb01 to stressor agents and cell wall osmoregulators

In its attempt to survive, the fungal cell can change the cell wall composition and/or structure in response to environmental stress. The molecules involved in these compensatory mechanisms are a possible target for the development of effective antifungal agents. In the thermodimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Pb01, the main polymers that compose the cell wall are chitin and glucans. These polymers form a primary barrier that is responsible for the structural integrity and formation of the cell wall. In this study the behaviour of P. brasiliensis was evaluated under incubation with cell wall stressor agents such as Calcofluor White (CFW), Congo Red (CR), Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate (SDS), NaCl, KCl, and Sorbitol. Use of concentrations at which the fungus is visually sensitive to those agents helped to explain some of the adaptive mechanisms used by P. brasiliensis in response to cell wall stress. Our results show that 1,3-β-D-glucan synthase (PbFKS1), glucosamine-6-phosphate synthase (PbGFA1) and β-1,3-glucanosyltransferase (PbGEL3)as well as 1,3-β-D-glucan and N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) residues in the cell wall are involved in compensatory mechanisms against cell wall damage.     

Structures of Colletochlorin C,Colletorin A and Colletorin C from Colletotrichum nicotianae

Stress-induced cell-lytic activity was found in tobacco BY-2 cells treated with various stresses. Among 14 stresses, an elicitor fraction isolated from Alternaria alternata showed the highest inducing activity. Cell-lytic activity increased for 72 h even in the control sample, treated with distilled water, and several isozymes of β-1,3-glucanases and chitinases were found to be involved in it. In contrast, cell-lytic activity in BY-2 cells treated with a fungal elicitor reached a higher level after 60 h. The principal enzymes specifically involved in this stress-induced portion are speculated to be basic β-1,3-glucanases. A class I β-1,3-glucanase gene (glu1) was found to be the specific gene for the stress-induced cell-lytic activity. Its expression became observable at 24 h, and the intensity reached a maximum at about 60–72 h. The glu1 was thus assigned as a late gene. Its role in the stress response is discussed in conjunction with earlier genes such as chitinases.     

Characterization of Campylobacter jejuni RacRS reveals roles in the heat shock response, motility, and maintenance of cell length homogeneity

Campylobacter jejuni commensally colonizes the cecum of birds. The RacR (reduced ability to colonize) response regulator was previously shown to be important in avian colonization. To explore the means by which RacR and its cognate sensor kinase RacS may modulate C. jejuni physiology and colonization, ΔracR and ΔracS mutations were constructed in the invasive, virulent strain 81-176, and extensive phenotypic analyses were undertaken. Both the ΔracR and ΔracS mutants exhibited a ~100-fold defect in chick colonization despite no (ΔracS) or minimal (ΔracR) growth defects at 42 °C, the avian body temperature. Each mutant was defective for colony formation at 44°C and in the presence of 0.8% NaCl, both of which are stresses associated with the heat shock response. Promoter-reporter and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analyses revealed that RacR activates racRS and represses dnaJ. Although disregulation of several other heat shock genes was not observed at 38°C, the ΔracR and ΔracS mutants exhibited diminished upregulation of these genes upon a rapid temperature upshift. Furthermore, the ΔracR and ΔracS mutants displayed increased length heterogeneity during exponential growth, with a high proportion of filamented bacteria. Filamented bacteria had reduced swimming speed and were defective for invasion of Caco-2 epithelial cells. Soft-agar studies also revealed that the loss of racR or racS resulted in whole-population motility defects in viscous medium. These findings reveal new roles for RacRS in C. jejuni physiology, each of which is likely important during colonization of the avian host.     

Mycolytic effect of fluorescent Pseudomonas in biocontrolling of fungal phytopathogenic Curvularia lunata,Fusarium oxysporum,Alternaria padwickii and Rhizoctonia solani

About 50 bacterial strains, each of Pseudomonas fluorescens, from different rhizospheric soil of different plants were screened for antagonistic activity against Curvularia lunata, Fusarium oxysporum, Alternaria padwickii, Rhizoctonia solani causing black kernel, kernel spotting, root rots, stackburn and sheath blight diseases of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Out of the 50 isolates, 15 isolates were found to be effective in lysing the cell wall of the above-mentioned putative pathogens tested in vitro. These Pseudomonas isolates produced mycolytic enzymes, viz. β-1,3-glucanases, β-1,4-glucanases and lipases. P. fluorescens PAK1 and PAK12 among the strains were more effective for the production of these enzymes while PAK12 produce good level of β-1,3-glucanases, β-1,4-glucanases and lipases against tested fungal pathogens. These findings demonstrate a mechanism of antagonism by P. fluorescens against different fungal plant pathogens.     

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.     

Extracellular hydrolases of strain <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus</Emphasis> sp. 739 and their involvement in the lysis of micromycete cell walls

The mycolytic bacterial strain Bacillus sp. 739 produces extracellular enzymes which degrade in vitro the cell walls of a number of phytopathogenic and saprophytic fungi. When Bacillus sp. 739 was cultivated with Bipolaris sorokiniana, a cereal root-rot pathogen, the fungus degradation process correlated with the levels of the β-1,3-glucanase and protease activity. The comparative characteristic of Bacillus sp. 739 enzymatic preparations showed that efficient hydrolysis of the fungus cell walls was the result of the action of the complex of enzymes produced by the strain when grown on chitin-containing media. Among the enzymes of this complex, chitinases and β-1,3-glucanases hydrolyzed most actively the disintegrated cell walls of B. sorokiniana. However, only β-1,3-glucanases were able to degrade the cell walls of native fungal mycelium in the absence of other hydrolases, which is indicative of their key role in the mycolytic activity of Bacillus sp. 739.     

Catalytic properties of the Gas family β-(1,3)-glucanosyltransferases active in fungal cell-wall biogenesis as determined by a novel fluorescent assay

BGTs [β-(1,3)-glucanosyltransglycosylases; EC 2.4.1.-] of the GH72 (family 72 of glycosylhydrolases) are GPI (glycosylphosphatidylinositol)-anchored proteins that play an important role in the biogenesis of fungal cell walls. They randomly cleave glycosidic linkages in β-(1,3)-glucan chains and ligate the polysaccharide portions containing newly formed reducing ends to C(3)(OH) at non-reducing ends of other β-(1,3)-glucan molecules. We have developed a sensitive fluorescence-based method for the assay of transglycosylating activity of GH72 enzymes. In the new assay, laminarin [β-(1,3)-glucan] is used as the glucanosyl donor and LamOS (laminarioligosaccharides) fluorescently labelled with SR (sulforhodamine) serve as the acceptors. The new fluorescent assay was employed for partial biochemical characterization of the heterologously expressed Gas family proteins from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. All the Gas enzymes specifically used laminarin as the glucanosyl donor and a SR-LamOS of DP (degree of polymerization) ≥5 as the acceptors. Gas proteins expressed in distinct stages of the yeast life cycle showed differences in their pH optima. Gas1p and Gas5p, which are expressed during vegetative growth, had the highest activity at pH 4.5 and 3.5 respectively, whereas the sporulation-specific Gas2p and Gas4p were most active between pH 5 and 6. The novel fluorescent assay provides a suitable tool for the screening of potential glucanosyltransferases or their inhibitors.     

Characterization of a newly discovered Beauveria bassiana isolate to Franklimiella occidentalis Perganda, a non-native invasive species in China

In this study, a new virulent Beauveria bassiana isolate (B. bassiana-CYT5) had been identified as a new member of the species B. bassiana. The B. bassiana-CYT5 isolate was compared with four other virulent B. bassiana isolates and found to be highly infectious and virulent against the Franklimiella occidentalis Perganda. The B. bassiana-CYT5 could approximately 93.08% mortality of F. occidentalis 6 days post inoculation in the concentration of 1×10(8) conidia/mL. The phylogenetic tree based on ITS and partial sequence of elongation factor 1-alpha (EF1-alpha) indicated that B. bassiana-CYT5 isolate was in a cluster of B. bassiana. Furthermore, B. bassiana-CYT5 isolate demonstrated high heat tolerance (60-100% relative germination) between 1-h and 2-h exposure at 37 °C, 38 °C, 39 °C and 40 °C, respectively. So our results suggested that B. bassiana-CYT5 isolate could be a new efficient biocontrol agent against F. occidentalis.