Article
Entomology
P. Miranda-Fuentes, M. Yousef-Yousef, P. Valverde-Garcia, Irene M. Rodriguez-Gomez, I. Garrido-Jurado, E. Quesada-Moraga
Summary: The study evaluated the multitrophic interactions among the endophytic fungus Metarhizium brunneum colonizing melon plants, the parasitoid Hyposoter didymator, and the pest Spodoptera littoralis. The presence of the parasitoid significantly affected the total mortality of S. littoralis larvae, achieving the highest mortality rates in both in vitro and in planta experiments. However, simultaneous exposure to the fungus and the parasitoid did not result in a significant increase in mortality rates compared to the parasitoid alone.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Vladimir Puza, Eustachio Tarasco
Summary: Entomopathogenic fungi and nematodes are widely used as biocontrol agents in insect pest management. However, the co-infections between these organisms are rarely found naturally due to the cryptic soil environment. Studies have focused on the interactions of different species of fungi and nematodes, but the outcomes vary. The present review summarizes the current knowledge on their interactions and evaluates the possible effects on natural pathogen populations and biocontrol use.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Cheryl Frank Sullivan, B. L. Parker, J. S. Kim, M. Skinner
Summary: The study demonstrates the effectiveness of using Metarhizium fungal granules against winter tick larvae, regardless of application rate, resulting in significant mortality rates within nine weeks. The fungal granules also show the potential to persist and kill larvae, making them a promising option for combatting winter ticks.
BIOCONTROL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Samsuddin Ahmad Syazwan, Shiou Yih Lee, Ahmad Said Sajap, Wei Hong Lau, Dzolkhifli Omar, Rozi Mohamed
Summary: The use of Metarhizium anisopliae as a biological control agent for insect pests, including termites, has been explored with varying degrees of success. This study utilized electron microscopy and proteomics to investigate the infection and development process of M. anisopliae in the subterranean termite Coptotermes curvignathus. The findings provide valuable insights for the potential development of M. anisopliae as a biopesticide for termite control in the future.
Review
Entomology
Enrique Quesada-Moraga, Inmaculada Garrido-Jurado, Meelad Yousef-Yousef, Natalia Gonzalez-Mas
Summary: Biocontrol using entomopathogenic fungi is a key tool in developing Integrated Pest Management programs. These fungi have close associations with plants and can influence the chemical ecology of host-plant selection by insect pests as well as the host or prey selection by their natural enemies. Understanding these interactions can provide new opportunities in plant protection and production.
Article
Microbiology
Shuaishuai Huang, Xin Zhao, Zhibing Luo, Xiaohan Tang, Yonghong Zhou, Nemat Keyhani, Yongjun Zhang
Summary: This study analyzed global transcriptomic data of 76 samples to examine different life stages of Beauveria bassiana, a fungal insect pathogen. The analyses revealed unique gene modules involved in penetration of the host's cuticle and evasion of the host immune defenses. This comprehensive framework provides insights into fungal adaptations during its pathogenic life cycle and expands our understanding of host-pathogen interactions.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Review
Immunology
An Hotterbeekx, Jolien Perneel, Melissa Krizia Vieri, Robert Colebunders, Samir Kumar-Singh
Summary: Filarial nematodes secrete bioactive molecules that can potentially manipulate host biology by modulating the host immune system. These secreted molecules play a key role in infection and pathology, making them important targets for further investigation and understanding their impact on the human host.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zack Saud, Alexandra M. Kortsinoglou, Vassili N. Kouvelis, Tariq M. Butt
Summary: The novel hybrid assembly pipeline successfully achieved de novo assembly of both the mitogenome and telomere length of all 7 chromosomes of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium brunneum. This improved assembly allowed for better gene prediction and comparison with other genomes, facilitating further understanding of fungal-insect pathogenesis. The pipeline may also be useful for other haploid fungal species to produce high-quality reference genomes for studying fungal genomic evolution, chromosome structuring, and gene regulation.
Review
Microbiology
Jun Li, Yuxian Xia
Summary: Research on the interactions between Metarhizium spp. and locusts improves our understanding of the interactions between fungal infection and host immunity. This review summarizes the crucial pathways that regulate the pathogenesis of Metarhizium and host immune defense.
Article
Agronomy
Luis Carlos Martinez, Angelica Plata-Rueda, Augusto Ramirez, Jose Eduardo Serrao
Summary: The experimental results demonstrate that the tested isolates of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae have significant lethal effects on the oil palm pest Demotispa neivai, suggesting their potential as biological control agents to decrease the use of chemical insecticides.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Virology
Dong Young Hwang, Seulki Kim, Soo Dong Woo, Tae Young Shin, Robert H. A. Coutts, Ioly Kotta-Loizou
Summary: This study investigated the presence of double-stranded RNA elements in 94 Korean entomopathogenic fungi and found that 14.9% of the strains examined contained dsRNA elements of varying sizes. The identified fungi included Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium pemphigi, M. pinghaense, M. rileyi, and Cordyceps fumosorosea. This is the first report of mycoviruses in entomopathogenic fungi in Korea.
ARCHIVES OF VIROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Shumaila Rasool, Andreas Markou, S. Emilia Hannula, Arjen Biere
Summary: Entomopathogenic fungi can stimulate plant growth and indirectly suppress pest populations. This study investigated the indirect effects of Metarhizium brunneum on tomato plants and spider mites. The results showed that M. brunneum inoculation significantly reduced spider mite population growth, with the combination of seed treatment and soil drenching being the most effective.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Mathematics, Applied
Byliole S. Djouda, Frank T. Ndjomatchoua, F. M. Moukam Kakmeni, Clement Tchawoua, Henri E. Z. Tonnang
Summary: This study explores the impact of demographic stochasticity on biological control using entomopathogenic fungi through modeling and analyzing stability and bifurcation. The results show that contagion rate and basic reproduction number play significant roles in system dynamics, while the persistence of biological control agents depends on various factors.
Article
Entomology
Anna R. Slowik, Helen Hesketh, Steven M. Sait, Henrik H. de Fine Licht
Summary: This study aimed to develop a rapid and efficient method for measuring the growth of entomopathogenic fungi. The researchers implemented an indirect measure using a microplate reader, which provided accurate and reliable measurements. This technique offers a valuable tool for studying the growth dynamics of entomopathogenic fungi and has practical applications in assessing their virulence and pathogenic potential.
Article
Entomology
Fabiola Altimira, Nathalia de la Barra, Paulo Godoy, Juan Roa, Sebastian Godoy, Nancy Vitta, Eduardo Tapia
Summary: Lobesia botrana, the European grapevine moth, is a major pest that affects grapes in Chile. This study explored the use of entomopathogenic fungi to control this pest, with promising results. Two selected strains, RGM 2184 and RGM 678, showed maximum efficacies of 80% and 88% respectively. The use of these fungi can reduce the population of the pest and decrease the reliance on chemical pesticides.
Review
Agronomy
Brian Lovett, Raymond John St Leger
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2018)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Etienne Bilgo, Brian Lovett, Weiguo Fang, Niraj Bende, Glenn F. King, Abdoulaye Diabate, Raymond J. St Leger
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2017)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Brian Lovett, Etienne Bilgo, Souro Abel Millogo, Abel Kader Ouattarra, Issiaka Sare, Edounou Jacques Gnambani, Roch K. Dabire, Abdoulaye Diabate, Raymond J. St. Leger
Article
Zoology
Jorgen Eilenberg, Brian Lovett, Richard A. Humber
JOURNAL OF INVERTEBRATE PATHOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Microbiology
Cassandra L. Ettinger, Brian Lovett, Matt T. Kasson, Jason E. Stajich
Summary: In this study, six metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) associated with Massospora cicadina strain MCPNR19 (ARSEF 14555), an obligate entomopathogenic fungus of periodical cicadas, were reported. The MAGs include representatives of Pantoea, Pseudomonas, Lactococcus, and one potential new Chryseobacterium species. Further research is needed to understand the ecological role of these MAGs and determine whether they are symbionts or contaminants.
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Jason E. Stajich, Brian Lovett, Cassandra L. Ettinger, Derreck A. Carter-House, Tania Kurbessoian, Matt T. Kasson
Summary: This article presents the assembly of the genome of the fungus Massospora cicadina and highlights the extensive expansion of transposable elements in the genome.
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Edith C. Hammer, Carlos Arellano-Caicedo, Paola Micaela Mafla-Endara, E. Toby Kiers, Tom Shimizu, Pelle Ohlsson, Kristin Aleklett
Summary: This study used microfluidic chips to investigate foraging strategies and habitat modification of Rhizophagus irregularis symbiotically associated with carrot roots. The researchers found that AMF hyphae can forage over long distances, prefer straight passages, and show branching induction when encountering obstacles. They also observed bi-directional transport of cellular content inside the hyphae and strategic allocation of biomass within the mycelium. Additionally, the AMF hyphae modified the pore-spaces in the chips by clogging them with irregularly shaped spores. These findings have important implications for understanding the impact of AMF on water retention in soils.