Article
Microbiology
Sifat Munim Tanin, Dineshkumar Kandasamy, Paal Krokene
Summary: The European spruce bark beetle Ips typographus, although native to Eurasia, has been intercepted numerous times in North America and may potentially establish itself as an exotic pest. Research shows that I. typographus does not show preference for its historical host Norway spruce, and is attracted to fungi vectored by the North American spruce beetle. This suggests that the beetle could thrive in evolutionary naive spruce hosts in North America and form new associations with local fungi.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Zheng Wang, Qinzheng Zhou, Guiheng Zheng, Jiaxing Fang, Fuzhong Han, Xingyao Zhang, Quan Lu
Summary: This study revealed the diversity of ophiostomatoid fungi associated with D. micans in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with E. laricicola being identified as a high-frequency virulent pathogen. The findings provide important insights for understanding the occurrence of forest diseases and pests.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Petter Ohrn, Mats Berlin, Malin Elfstrand, Paal Krokene, Anna Maria Jonsson
Summary: In 2018, a significant number of Norway spruce trees were killed by the spruce bark beetle in Sweden, due to severe drought stress rather than the availability of defenseless storm-felled trees. The outbreak continued in 2019 and 2020, with twice as many trees killed each year as in 2018. The study aimed to quantify the seasonal variation and potential lag-effects in tree defense capacity following severe drought stress. Inoculation with a bark beetle-associated bluestain fungus showed that tree defense capacity correlated positively with cumulative precipitation levels two months before inoculation.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rashaduz Zaman, Courtney May, Aziz Ullah, Nadir Erbilgin
Summary: This study investigated the impact of three fungal symbionts on the terpene chemistry of pine trees and found that these fungi can alter host defense chemicals, assist beetles in overcoming metabolite toxicity, and potentially provide chemical cues for attracting bark beetles.
Article
Forestry
Sigrid Netherer, Martin Schebeck, Giuseppe Morgante, Verena Rentsch, Thomas Kirisits
Summary: The study found that drought stress and fungal infection affected the attractiveness and preference of male I. typographus. Stressed trees were more attractive to males, with their bark samples being more appealing and resulting in stronger hypersensitive wound reactions.
Article
Microbiology
Javier E. Mercado, Beatriz Ortiz-Santana, Shannon L. Kay
Summary: The study found that endemic-level Jeffrey pine beetles primarily carried their mutualistic fungus while fungivorous mites primarily carried another fungus, indicating the possibility of endogenous regulation driving the population.
Article
Forestry
Daniel S. Ott, Thomas Seth Davis, Javier E. Mercado
Summary: Variations in defensive traits of tree species, such as bark thickness, resin duct density, and monoterpene composition and concentration, may play a role in determining susceptibility to spruce beetle colonization. Blue spruce showed superior constitutive and induced defense responses compared to Engelmann spruce, potentially contributing to its resistance to beetle attack. Higher constitutive resin duct densities and monoterpene concentrations, as well as the ability to rapidly induce specific monoterpenes in response to fungal inoculation, were identified as phenotypic traits associated with resistant hosts.
Article
Microbiology
Diana L. Six, Kier D. Klepzig
Summary: Context dependency refers to shifts in biological interactions based on genetic, abiotic, and biotic context. Mutualism models often focus on the sliding scale of interaction outcomes as environmental conditions change, but fail to address mutualisms rooted in by-product benefits or lacking antagonistic alternate states. Bark beetle-fungus symbioses exemplify these unique mutualisms, with species co-constructing niches based on by-product benefits to thrive in otherwise challenging environments. These partnerships highlight the importance of understanding how environmental variability impacts mutualism strength, stability, and ecological roles.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Lulu Dai, Hui Li, Jie Zheng, Hui Chen
Summary: This study reveals the tolerance of Leptographium qinlingensis to monoterpenes and diterpenes and its ability to utilize carbon sources in host pine sawdust. The transcriptome analysis identified key genes and enzymes involved in terpene tolerance and nutrition utilization. These findings are important for further understanding the pathogenicity of L. qinlingensis and the molecular interactions between beetle-symbiotic fungi and their host trees.
Article
Mycology
Conrad Trollip, Angus J. Carnegie, Quang Dinh, Jatinder Kaur, David Smith, Ross Mann, Brendan Rodoni, Jacqueline Edwards
Summary: Ophiostomatoid fungi are associated with bark and ambrosia beetles and blue stain of economically important tree species, posing a significant threat to coniferous forests. This study reevaluated the diversity of ophiostomatoid fungi in Australian pine plantations, identifying 14 species, including seven first records for Australia and a new species. Whole genome sequencing was utilized for taxonomic surveys, facilitating the establishment of a genomic database for improved diagnostic resources and biosecurity capabilities.
Article
Ecology
Amrita Chakraborty, Arnab Purohit, Arunabha Khara, Roman Modlinger, Amit Roy
Summary: This study examined the bacterial and fungal communities of Ips typographus in Austria and Czech Republic using high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that the microbial assemblage in I. typographus was influenced by geographic location, host, and life stage. Several bacterial and fungal genera were found to be dominant in I. typographus. Significant differences in microbial community richness and diversity were detected among the tested samples. The findings contribute to our understanding of bark beetles as holobionts.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Tian Cheng, Tereza Veselska, Barbora Krizkova, Karel Svec, Vaclav Havlicek, Marc Stadler, Miroslav Kolarik
Summary: Spruce bark beetle Ips typographus can cause outbreaks and significant losses in the forest industry. Symbiotic microorganisms inhabiting the beetle's gut play a role in detoxification of plant secondary metabolites, plant cell wall degradation, and improvement of beetle's nutrition. Genome analysis of gut yeasts Kuraishia molischiana, Cryptococcus sp., Nakazawaea ambrosiae, Ogataea ramenticola, and Wickerhamomyces bisporus revealed diverse gene families related to detoxification processes and synthesis of essential nutrients.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gervais Y. S. C. Lee, Debra Wertman, Allan Carroll, Richard Hamelin
Summary: This study aimed to identify consistent fungal associates of A. aspericollis and characterize the observed beetle-fungus relationships. The study found that a previously undescribed new species of fungus was present in 70% of the beetles, 59% of the phloem samples, and 94% of the infested trees, suggesting it may be a symbiote of A. aspericollis. The commonly associated fungi were Ophiostoma quercus and a putatively novel species of Ophiostoma.
Article
Forestry
E. Matthew Hansen, Barbara J. Bentz, James C. Vandygriff, Chris Garza
Summary: Decades of research have focused on factors associated with bark beetle infestation of North American conifers. However, there is a lack of information on beetle-caused mortality for ponderosa pine of the Colorado Plateau. This study installed and measured permanent plots from 1995 to 2019 to identify factors related to infestation probability, including tree and stand characteristics, temperature, and precipitation. The results showed that tree and stand conditions, pine basal area, previous infestation, and climate water deficit were significant in predicting bark beetle-caused pine mortality.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Nadir Erbilgin, Leila Zanganeh, Jennifer G. Klutsch, Shih-hsuan Chen, Shiyang Zhao, Guncha Ishangulyyeva, Stephen J. Burr, Monica Gaylord, Richard Hofstetter, Ken Keefover-Ring, Kenneth F. Raffa, Thomas Kolb
Summary: The research showed that only trees that were both root-trenched and attacked by bark beetles depleted carbohydrates and died during the first year of attacks. Live trees contained higher carbohydrates than dying trees, but levels of diterpenes did not vary between the two groups. This suggests that reallocation of carbohydrates to diterpenes during early stages of beetle attacks is limited in drought-stricken trees, and combination of biotic and abiotic stress leads to tree death.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Juanita Engelbrecht, Tuan A. Duong, Trudy Paap, Joseph M. Hubert, Juanita J. Hanneman, Noelani van den Berg
Summary: Phytophthora cinnamomi is a pathogen that causes root rot and dieback in thousands of plant species worldwide. This study investigated the genetic diversity and spread of P. cinnamomi in South Africa using microsatellite markers. The findings indicate low genetic diversity and shared genotypes between different areas. The study also suggests that P. cinnamomi was introduced to South Africa from the Western Cape region and that it primarily reproduces clonally. However, evidence of recombination was found in a recently established avocado orchard.
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Zorada Swart, Tuan A. Duong, Brenda D. Wingfield, Alisa Postma, Bernard Slippers
Summary: The research on debilitating infections caused by vertebrate-parasitic nematodes is challenging and costly, but studying the interactions between entomopathogenic nematodes, their insect hosts and bacterial symbionts may reveal novel treatment targets. Targeting nematodes, as well as the interaction of pathogens with insect vectors and bacterial symbionts, offers potentially effective but underexplored opportunities.
PATHOGENS AND GLOBAL HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
WenWen Li, ShuaiFei Chen, Michael J. Wingfield, Tuan A. Duong
Summary: Calonectria leaf blight, caused by Calonectria spp., is a serious disease affecting Eucalyptus plantations in southern China. Calonectria queenslandica was identified as the dominant species, with limited genetic diversity, while C. pseudoreteaudii, C. reteaudii, and C. aconidialis were also isolated. Pathogenicity tests showed that all species could cause disease, but C. queenslandica was the major driver of the problem. Different Eucalyptus genotypes varied in susceptibility, offering opportunities for disease management.
Article
Microbiology
Qianli Liu, Michael J. Wingfield, Tuan A. Duong, Brenda D. Wingfield, Shuaifei Chen
Summary: To meet the growing demand for wood and pulp products, Eucalyptus plantations have expanded rapidly in southern China, but are threatened by leaf blight caused by various Calonectria spp. A study in Fujian Province identified six known species and one new species of Calonectria fungi in the soil, indicating their abundance and the potential threat they pose to Eucalyptus stands.
Review
Entomology
Rachel K. Osborn, Jessenia Castro, Tuan A. Duong, Jiri Hulcr, You Li, Malena Martinez, Anthony Cognato
Summary: Ambrosia beetles from the tribe Xyleborini play important roles in forest ecosystems but can also cause significant damage. The relationships between ambrosia fungi and their beetle vectors are not well-studied. Comprehensive surveys of ambrosia fungi are difficult due to unresolved taxonomies and sampling difficulties. Worldwide cooperation is needed to better understand these impactful organisms.
ANNALS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Deborah L. Narh Mensah, Brenda D. Wingfield, Martin P. A. Coetzee
Summary: Fungal secondary metabolites, produced by secondary metabolite gene clusters (SMGCs), play a role in pathogenicity or virulence. This study focused on the nonribosomal polypeptide synthetase (NRPS) clusters in Armillaria spp., which produce siderophores. Through comparative genomics, it was found that these clusters are highly conserved and show microsynteny. The results lay the groundwork for further investigation into the molecular biology of fungal phyto-pathogenicity.
Article
Plant Sciences
Julia Candotti, Nanette Christie, Raphael Ployet, Marja M. Mostert-O'Neill, S. Melissa Reynolds, Leandro Gomide Neves, Sanushka Naidoo, Eshchar Mizrachi, Tuan A. A. Duong, Alexander A. A. Myburg
Summary: To improve our understanding of complex traits in plants, a comprehensive analysis of gene variants is necessary. However, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers fail to capture the large amount of haplotype diversity in eucalyptus. Therefore, a gene-based haplotype mining panel was developed to capture diversity within and between eucalyptus species, enabling genome-wide association studies and gene-based breeding approaches.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jiyang Chang, Tuan A. Duong, Cassandra Schoeman, Xiao Ma, Danielle Roodt, Nigel Barker, Zhen Li, Yves Van de Peer, Eshchar Mizrachi
Summary: The king protea, the national flower of South Africa, is an iconic species from the Cape Floristic Region. Its genome assembly reveals an ancestral whole-genome duplication event and provides insights into its adaptability to nutrient-poor soils. The research empowers new studies in plant diversification, horticulture, and adaptation.
Article
Ecology
Janis Fricke, Felix Schalk, Nina B. Kreuzenbeck, Elena Seibel, Judith Hoffmann, Georg Dittmann, Benjamin H. Conlon, Huijuan Guo, Z. Wilhelm de Beer, Daniel Giddings Vassao, Gerd Gleixner, Michael Poulsen, Christine Beemelmanns
Summary: This study investigated a group of fungi called Pseudoxylaria, which are only found in the fungus gardens of farming termites and emerge as vegetative structures when the food fungus is no longer attended. Comparing their genomes with free-living Xylaria fungi, it was found that Pseudoxylaria has significantly reduced genome size, protein-coding gene content, and functional capacities related to lignin degradation. However, it still interacts with the termite food fungus in a mutually beneficial manner, extracting nutrients for its own growth.
Article
Microbiology
Daniella van der Walt, Emma T. Steenkamp, Brenda D. Wingfield, P. Markus Wilken
Summary: Hybridization is an important driver of evolution and adaptation, and closely related species of Ceratocystis have been shown to hybridize. However, previous studies using self-sterile strains and a laboratory-generated sterile isolate type may have impacted conclusions. This study successfully produced hybrids between self-fertile isolates of Ceratocystis species and provided evidence of biparental mitochondrial inheritance. Further research is needed to investigate the role of hybridization in the speciation of Ceratocystis species and the effect of mitochondrial conflict.
Article
Plant Sciences
Wenwen Li, Shuaifei Chen, Michael J. Wingfield, Tuan A. Duong
Summary: Calonectria leaf blight (CLB) is a major threat to Eucalyptus plantations in southern China. Through sampling and analysis, it has been determined that the causal agents of CLB in Guangdong Province are primarily the species belonging to the C. kyotensis and C. reteaudii species complexes. These species have been found to be capable of causing disease on Eucalyptus leaves and are present in both diseased leaves and soil samples.
PHYTOPATHOLOGY RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Biochemical Research Methods
Deborah L. Narh Mensah, Brenda D. Wingfield, Martin P. A. Coetzee
Summary: Technological advancements in genome sequencing, assembly, and annotation have allowed for further understanding of Armillaria species and their impact on agriculture and forestry. This review evaluates the methods and samples used in Armillaria genome projects and provides guidelines and resources for future research. The knowledge gained from genomic studies of Armillaria can also be applied to other fungal genomics.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael J. Wingfield, Brenda D. Wingfield
Summary: Mentorship is crucial for postgraduate education and plays an increasingly significant role in academia. It is widely recognized as a key factor in professional development and career success. Mentorship goes beyond teaching and involves a lifelong process where both mentors and mentees benefit from the personal relationship and exchange of ideas, insights, and skills. We argue that universities should establish formal, non-bureaucratic structures to promote positive mentorship, benefiting the lives and careers of both students and academics.
SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Michael J. Wingfield, Nam Q. Pham, Seonju Marincowitz, Tuan A. Duong, Brenda D. Wingfield, Andi M. Wilson
Summary: This study reveals that a root disease in the pine plantations in South Africa was originally misattributed to Leptographium serpens but was actually caused primarily by Rhizina undulata. The study highlights the importance of preserving fungal cultures for future research and the power of modern techniques in identifying fungal pathogens.
JOURNAL OF PLANT PATHOLOGY
(2023)
