Entomopathogenic fungi recorded from the harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis

Entomopathogenic fungi were recorded from field samples of the harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis, an invasive coccinellid that has recently arrived in Denmark. Larvae, pupae and adults were found to be infected by Isaria farinosa, Beauveria bassiana and species of Lecanicillium. This is the first record of entomopathogenic fungi infecting larvae and pupae. Winter mortality due to fungal infection reached 17.9% in adults collected at one location. The larval stage was most susceptible to fungal infection, as confirmed through bioassay with I. farinosa.     

Expressing a fusion protein with protease and chitinase activities increases the virulence of the insect pathogen Beauveria bassiana

Entomopathogenic fungi, such as Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae are being developed as alternatives to chemical insecticides. They infect insects by direct penetration of the cuticle using a combination of physical pressure and extracellular hydrolytic enzymes such as proteases and chitinases. Previously we found that overexpression of a subtilisin-like protease (Pr1A) or a chitinase (Bbchit1) resulted in increased virulence of M. anisopliae and B. bassiana, respectively. In this study, we found that a mixture of the B. bassiana Pr1A homolog (CDEP1) and Bbchit1 degraded insect cuticle in vitro more efficiently than either CDEP1 or Bbchit1 alone. Based on this we produced three plasmid constructs; (1) Bbchit1, (2) CDEP1, and (3) a fusion gene of Bbchit1 linked to CDEP1 each under the control of the constitutive gpd promoter from Aspergillus nidulans. B. bassiana transformants secreting the fusion protein (CDEP1:Bbchit1) penetrated the cuticle significantly faster than the wild type or transformants overexpressing either Bbchit1 or CDEP1. Compared to the wild type, the transformant overexpressing CDEP1 showed a 12.5% reduction in LT₅₀, without a reduction in LC₅₀. The LT₅₀ of the transformant expressing CDEP1:Bbchit1 was reduced by 24.9%. Strikingly, expression of CDEP1:Bbchit1 resulted in a 60.5% reduction in LC₅₀, more than twice the reduction obtained by overexpression of Bbchit1 (28.5%). This work represents a significant step towards the development of hypervirulent insect pathogens for effective pest control.     

PCR-RFLP analysis of chitinase genes enables efficient genotyping of Metarhizium anisopliae var. anisopliae

A new genotyping tool has been developed and evaluated for Metarhizium anisopliae var. anisopliae. The tool is based on Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of three chitinase genes that are functionally linked to insect-pathogenicity of this fungus. It allowed for discrimination of 14 genotypes among 22 M. anisopliae var. anisopliae strains of a world wide collection. Analyses revealed that the approach may also be applicable to other Metarhizium varieties. The new tool will be useful for genetic characterization of M. anisopliae var. anisopliae strains, and it is applicable for laboratories with limited access to molecular diagnostic equipment.     

Arenicolous mycelial fungi from the littoral of the Vostok Bay (Peter the Great Bay,the Sea of Japan)

The taxonomic composition of marine mycelial fungi was determined in the interstitial habitats of the Vostok Bay littoral (Peter the Great Bay, the Sea of Japan). A total of 39 species of ascomycetes and anamorphic fungi were detected and identified. The predominant species of the intertidal zone were Corollospora maritima, C. lacera, Carbosphaerella leptosphaerioides, Arenariomyces trifurcatus (Ascomycota), Alternaria alternata, Scolecobasidium arenarium, and Zalerion maritimum (anamorphic fungi). The complete list of species of obligately marine ascomycetes and anamorphic fungi from the interstitial habitats of the Vostok Bay littoral is presented for the first time     

中国多孔菌属一新记录种(英文)

假桦多孔菌(Polyporus pseudobetulinus)采于吉林省长白山自然保护区,为中国多孔菌属一新记录种。文中根据所采集的材料对其进行了详细描述和绘图,并对相似种进行了讨论。     

微紫青霉菌Penicillium janthinellum菌株GXCR吸附废水中Cd2+的研究

研究了5种不同预处理方式对丝状真菌微紫青霉菌Penicillium janthinellum菌株 GXCR的Cd2+吸附的影响。结果表明,高温（80℃）、去离子水中的匀浆化、匀浆+碱化（NaOH,0.5mol/L）（简称匀浆碱化）和匀浆+30%二甲基亚砜处理均能提高菌体的吸附率,其中匀浆碱化处理后菌体的吸附效果最佳,吸附增量达到117.96%;匀浆+酸化（H2SO4, 0.5mol/L）处理则导致菌体的Cd2+吸附能力显著下降。匀浆碱化菌体吸附符合典型的Langmuir方程,表明该菌对Cd2+的吸附可能是以表面吸附为主的吸附行为。在吸附-解吸附循环4次后匀浆碱化菌体的Cd2+的吸附效率为58.01%。红外光谱分析显示匀浆碱化处理主要影响菌体表面分子的–OH和C=O基团,其中与Cd2+结合的主要基团是–OH。结果也表明,匀浆碱化菌体具有处理电镀废水的潜能。     

针对性rDNA-ITS序列分析不支持冬虫夏草复合种假设

冬虫夏草是有名的中药材,作为滋补药物已有数百年历史。它主要分布于亚洲高纬度草甸地带,寄主为蝙蝠蛾幼虫。目前有许多证据尤其是在rDNA-ITS水平上支持中国被毛孢Hirsutella sinensis是冬虫夏草的唯一无性型。然而,除了那些属于明显的错误注册的序列以外,从NCBI数据库检索得到的多个已注册为"冬虫夏草"的序列彼此之间的差异十分显著。基于这些有差异的GenBank序列,有些作者提出了冬虫夏草种复合群体及其包含的三个隐存种的假设。为检验该假设,我们以单株冬虫夏草子实体为材料,开展了rDNA-ITS序列分析研究。冬虫夏草样品分别采自中国的四川和青海两省。结果显示只有‘冬虫夏草A组’应为真正的冬虫夏草,而B组和C组很有可能属于其他真菌,而非冬虫夏草的隐存种。     

虫药蜣螂对灵芝发酵物风味组成的影响

采用顶空-气相色谱-质谱联用对虫药蜣螂和添加蜣螂发酵后的灵芝发酵物的风味物质进行了测定,进而分析了添加蜣螂对灵芝发酵物风味组成的影响。结果表明,虫药蜣螂和灵芝发酵物(添加蜣螂)中分别含有40和30多种风味物质。添加蜣螂发酵后,灵芝发酵物跟对照相比新出现了5种风味物质,分别为苯甲醛、α-松油醇、苯乙醇、唑苯并噻和桃金娘烯醇。其中α-松油醇、苯乙醇和唑苯并噻是蜣螂中的风味成分,苯甲醛和桃金娘烯醇为新产生成分。所有5种风味物质均为食品香料物质。蜣螂中其它风味成分经灵芝发酵转化或降解后,未出现在灵芝发酵物中。因此,添加蜣螂发酵对灵芝发酵物的风味无不良影响。结果还提示灵芝细胞可生物转化或降解虫药蜣螂中的部分风味物质。     

圆盘菌科无性型有性生殖能力评估

本文评估了分离自子囊孢子和分生孢子的圆盘菌科无性型有性生殖能力。结果表明,由子囊孢子和分生孢子萌发获得的菌株的有性生殖能力具有显著差异,这可能决定于不同的遗传特性。该试验支持了一种假说：仅能进行无性生殖的无性型菌株,很可能来源于逐渐丧失了有性生殖能力的全型菌株。