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Entomopathogenic Fungi: Ecology, Evolution, Adaptation

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A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2022) | Viewed by 31700

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Prof. Dr. Victor Glupov

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Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Science, 630091 Novosibirsk, Russia
Interests: insect immunity; parasite-host interactions; dynamics of insects populations; microflora; free radicals; insect ecology; bacterial and fungal ecology
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Dr. Vadim Kryukov

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Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Science, 630091 Novosibirsk, Russia
Interests: insect-fungi interactions; pathogenesis; immunity; fungal ecology; biocontrol
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The study of entomopathogenic fungi began to develop rapidly from the middle of the 20th century. It has been shown that this group of microorganisms plays a significant role in the dynamics of insects populations in natural and agricultural ecosystems. At present time significant questions about ecological and physiological interaction of insect pathogenic fungi with other organisms of ecosystems such as plants, bacteria and fungi inhabiting plants, insects and soils were raised. Different fungal taxonomic groups as well as lines within species may form specific adaptations to habitats, and their components. Understanding these interactions is very important not only from a theoretical point of view, but also from an applied one – for the development of environmental friendly approaches in agriculture and forest practice. We look forward your contributions to this special issue as original research and reviews, which help to uncover ecological and immune-physiological interactions between entomopathogenic fungi and various components ecosystems, including (i) interactions of the fungi with target and nontarget invertebrates, (ii) interactions with plants, (iii) interactions with microorganisms associated with insects, plants and soils. Works on molecular and biochemical mechanisms of adaptation of fungi to the ecosystem’s components are also welcome.

Prof. Dr. Victor Glupov
Prof. Dr. Vadim Kryukov
Guest Editors

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Keywords

entomopathogenic fungi
ecology
physiological interactions
host-insects
host-plants
bacteria
habitats
adaptation

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 183 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Special Issue on “Entomopathogenic Fungi: Ecology, Evolution, Adaptation”: An Editorial

by Vadim Yu Kryukov and Viktor V. Glupov

Microorganisms 2023, 11(6), 1494; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms11061494 - 04 Jun 2023

Viewed by 893

Abstract

Entomopathogenic endophytic ascomycetes are the most widespread and commercially promising fungi and are used to solve many problems in basic and applied research in ecology, evolution, and agricultural sciences [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entomopathogenic Fungi: Ecology, Evolution, Adaptation)

Research

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22 pages, 5365 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Culture Degeneration Reduces Sex-Related Gene Expression, Alters Metabolite Production and Reduces Insect Pathogenic Response in Cordyceps militaris

by Peter A. D. Wellham, Abdul Hafeez, Andrej Gregori, Matthias Brock, Dong-Hyun Kim, David Chandler and Cornelia H. de Moor

Microorganisms 2021, 9(8), 1559; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms9081559 - 22 Jul 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3255

Abstract

Cordyceps militaris is an entomopathogenic ascomycete, known primarily for infecting lepidopteran larval (caterpillars) and pupal hosts. Cordycepin, a secondary metabolite produced by this fungus has anti-inflammatory properties and other pharmacological activities. However, little is known about the biological role of this adenosine derivate and its stabilising compound pentostatin in the context of insect infection the life cycle of C. militaris. During repeated subcultivation under laboratory conditions a degeneration of C. militaris marked by decreasing levels of cordycepin production can occur. Here, using degenerated and parental control strains of an isolate of C. militaris, we found that lower cordycepin production coincides with the decline in the production of various other metabolites as well as the reduced expression of genes related to sexual development. Additionally, infection of Galleria mellonella (greater wax moth) caterpillars indicated that cordycepin inhibits the immune response in host haemocytes. Accordingly, the pathogenic response to the degenerated strain was reduced. These data indicate that there are simultaneous changes in sexual reproduction, secondary metabolite production, insect immunity and infection by C. militaris. This study may have implications for biological control of insect crop pests by fungi. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entomopathogenic Fungi: Ecology, Evolution, Adaptation)

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14 pages, 11780 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Distribution and Diversity of Beauveria in Boreal Forests of Northern European Russia

by Igor A. Kazartsev and Georgy R. Lednev

Microorganisms 2021, 9(7), 1409; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms9071409 - 29 Jun 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1858

Abstract

The distribution and genetic diversity of 91 of Beauveria isolates collected during a long-term survey in boreal forests of northern European Russia was studied. Based on morphological and sequence analysis of TEF and Bloc loci, three Beauveria spp. were identified: B. pseudobassiana, B. bassiana, and B. caledonica, with abundance of 81, 11, and 8%, respectively. Through multilocus sequencing, four haplotypes of B. bassiana and two haplotypes of B. caledonica were detected. Twelve haplotypes of B. pseudobassiana with non-random distribution were identified. Two haplotypes of B. pseudobassiana were the most abundant and widespread occurring across the whole study area, whereas others tended to be more specific to either the north or south of the study area, indicating the presence of different subpopulations. For further analysis of these putative subpopulations, southern and northern areas were separated along the boundary of the Köppen–Geiger climate zones (dfb and dfc), and the genetic structure was examined by analysis of molecular variance and spatial autocorrelation. Molecular evidence of intraspecific recombination of B. pseudobassiana and B. bassiana across northern European Russia area was indicated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entomopathogenic Fungi: Ecology, Evolution, Adaptation)

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19 pages, 1761 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Land-Use Type Drives Soil Population Structures of the Entomopathogenic Fungal Genus Metarhizium

by María Fernández-Bravo, Florian Gschwend, Johanna Mayerhofer, Anna Hug, Franco Widmer and Jürg Enkerli

Microorganisms 2021, 9(7), 1380; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms9071380 - 25 Jun 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2393

Abstract

Species of the fungal genus Metarhizium are globally distributed pathogens of arthropods, and a number of biological control products based on these fungi have been commercialized to control a variety of pest arthropods. In this study, we investigate the abundance and population structure of Metarhizium spp. in three land-use types—arable land, grassland, and forest—to provide detailed information on habitat selection and the factors that drive the occurrence and abundance of Metarhizium spp. in soil. At 10 sites of each land-use type, which are all part of the Swiss national soil-monitoring network (NABO), Metarhizium spp. were present at 8, 10, and 4 sites, respectively. On average, Metarhizium spp. were most abundant in grassland, followed by forest and then arable land; 349 Metarhizium isolates were collected from the 30 sites, and sequence analyses of the nuclear translation elongation factor 1α gene, as well as microsatellite-based genotyping, revealed the presence of 13 Metarhizium brunneum, 6 Metarhizium robertsii, and 3 Metarhizium guizhouense multilocus genotypes (MLGs). With 259 isolates, M. brunneum was the most abundant species, and significant differences were detected in population structures between forested and unforested sites. Among 15 environmental factors assessed, C:N ratio, basal respiration, total carbon, organic carbon, and bulk density significantly explained the variation among the M. brunneum populations. The information gained in this study will support the selection of best-adapted isolates as biological control agents and will provide additional criteria for the adaptation or development of new pest control strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entomopathogenic Fungi: Ecology, Evolution, Adaptation)

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15 pages, 1833 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Can Potato Plants Be Colonized with the Fungi Metarhizium and Beauveria under Their Natural Load in Agrosystems?

by Maksim Tyurin, Marsel R. Kabilov, Natalia Smirnova, Oksana G. Tomilova, Olga Yaroslavtseva, Tatyana Alikina, Viktor V. Glupov and Vadim Yu Kryukov

Microorganisms 2021, 9(7), 1373; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms9071373 - 24 Jun 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2321

Abstract

Beauveria and Metarhizium fungi are facultative plant endophytes that provide plant growth-stimulating, immunomodulatory, and other beneficial effects. However, little is known about the level of plant colonization by these fungi under natural conditions. We assessed the endophytic colonization of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) with entomopathogenic fungi at their natural load in soils (10²–10⁴ colony-forming units per g). Microbiological analyses of soils and plant organs, as well as a metagenomic analysis of potato roots and leaves, were conducted in three locations in Western Siberia, consisting of conventional agrosystems and kitchen gardens. The fungi were isolated at a relatively high frequency from unsterilized roots (up to 53% of Metarhizium-positive plants). However, the fungi were sparsely isolated from the internal tissues of roots, stems, and leaves (3%). Among the genus Metarhizium, two species, M. robertsii and M. brunneum, were detected in plants as well as in soils, and the first species was predominant. A metagenomic analysis of internal potato tissues showed a low relative abundance of Beauveria and Metarhizium (<0.3%), and the communities were represented primarily by phytopathogens. We suggest that colonization of the internal tissues of potatoes occurs sporadically under a natural load of entomopathogenic fungi in soils. The lack of stable colonization of potato plants with Beauveria and Metarhizium may be due to competition with phytopathogens. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entomopathogenic Fungi: Ecology, Evolution, Adaptation)

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17 pages, 3339 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Clonostachys rosea f. catenula Inoculum on the Composting of Cabbage Wastes and the Endophytic Activities of the Composted Material on Tomatoes and Red Spider Mite Infestation

by Nomfusi Ntsobi, Morris Fanadzo, Marilize Le Roes-Hill and Felix Nchu

Microorganisms 2021, 9(6), 1184; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms9061184 - 31 May 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3096

Abstract

Globally, fungal inocula are being explored as agents for the optimization of composting processes. This research primarily evaluates the effects of inoculating organic vegetable heaps with the entomopathogenic fungus Clonostachys rosea f. catenula (Hypocreales) on the biophysicochemical properties of the end-product of composting. Six heaps of fresh cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) waste were inoculated with C. rosea f. catenula conidia and another six were not exposed to the fungus. The composted materials from the fungus- and control-treated heaps were subsequently used as a medium to cultivate tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum). The biophysicochemical characteristics of the composted materials were also assessed after composting. In addition, the protective effect of the fungal inoculum against red spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) infestations in the tomatoes was evaluated through the determination of conidial colonization of the plant tissue and the number of plants infested by the insect. Furthermore, phytotoxicity tests were carried out post experiment. There were few significant variations (p < 0.05) in heap temperature or moisture level between treatments based on the weekly data. We found no significant differences in the levels of compost macronutrient and micronutrient constituents. Remarkably, the composted materials, when incorporated into a growth medium from fungus-treated heaps, induced a 100% endophytic tissue colonization in cultivated tomato plants. While fewer red spider mite infestations were observed in tomato plants grown in composted materials from fungus-treated heaps, the difference was not significant (χ² = 0.96 and p = 0.32). The fungal treatment yielded composted materials that significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced tomato seed germination, and based on the phytotoxicity test, the composted samples from the heaps exposed to the C. rosea f. catenula inoculum were not toxic to tomato seeds and seedlings. In conclusion, this study showed that C. rosea f. catenula improved the quality of composted materials in terms of fungal endophytism and seed germination. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entomopathogenic Fungi: Ecology, Evolution, Adaptation)

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12 pages, 2507 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Cordycepin in Cordyceps militaris during Its Infection to Silkworm Larvae

by Tatsuya Kato, Konomi Nishimura, Ahmad Suparmin, Kazuho Ikeo and Enoch Y. Park

Microorganisms 2021, 9(4), 681; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms9040681 - 25 Mar 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2858

Abstract

Cordyceps militaris produces cordycepin, a secondary metabolite that exhibits numerous bioactive properties. However, cordycepin pharmacology in vivo is not yet understood. In this study, the roles of cordycepin in C. militaris during its infection were investigated. After the injection of conidia, C. militaris NBRC100741 killed silkworm larvae more rapidly than NBRC103752. At 96 and 120 h, Cmcns genes (Cmcns1–4), which are part of the cordycepin biosynthesis gene cluster, were expressed in fat bodies and cuticles. Thus, cordycepin may be produced in the infection of silkworm larvae. Further, cordycepin enhanced pathogenicity toward silkworm larvae of Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana, that are also entomopathogenic fungi and do not produce cordycepin. In addition, by RNA-seq analysis, the increased expression of the gene encoding a lipoprotein 30K-8 (Bmlp20, KWMTBOMO11934) and decreased expression of genes encoding cuticular proteins (KWMTBOMO13140, KWMTBOMO13167) and a serine protease inhibitor (serpin29, KWMTBOMO08927) were observed when cordycepin was injected into silkworm larvae. This result suggests that cordycepin may aid the in vivo growth of C. militaris in silkworm larvae by the influence of the expression of some genes in silkworm larvae. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entomopathogenic Fungi: Ecology, Evolution, Adaptation)

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10 pages, 1084 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In Planta Localization of Endophytic Cordyceps fumosorosea in Carrizo Citrus

by Ethan M. Doherty, Pasco B. Avery, Emily B. Duren, Liliana M. Cano and Lorenzo Rossi

Microorganisms 2021, 9(2), 219; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms9020219 - 22 Jan 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2234

Abstract

Entomopathogenic fungi can be a useful resource for controlling insect vectors of citrus plant pathogens, such as the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri) associated with huanglongbing or the citrus root weevil (Diaprepes abbreviatus) associated with the spread of Phytophtora spp. In this study, Cordyceps fumosorosea (Cfr) was investigated in planta as a potential endophytic entomopathogenic fungus and various inoculation techniques were used to determine if it would colonize the Carrizo citrange (Citrus × insitorum) seeds and plants. The four inoculation methodologies evaluated were seed soaking, stem injection, foliar spray, and soil drench. Seed immersion trials demonstrated that the roots of the Carrizo citrange plant can be inoculated successfully with Cfr. Stem injection, foliar spray, and soil drench also provided successful inoculation of Cfr. However, this fungus was only endophytic in the plant stem. Sand cores indicated that Cfr moved down through the sand column and was able to inoculate the roots. Given the prevalence of Cfr in the soil during the drench experiment, and that the fungus was able to colonize Carrizo citrange roots through seed immersion, this finding provides evidence of the potential endophytism of this fungus when applied to citrus plant species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entomopathogenic Fungi: Ecology, Evolution, Adaptation)

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Review

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25 pages, 477 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Chemical Ecology Approach to Reveal Fungal Metabolites for Arthropod Pest Management

by Alexander Berestetskiy and Qiongbo Hu

Microorganisms 2021, 9(7), 1379; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms9071379 - 24 Jun 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3866

Abstract

Biorational insecticides (for instance, avermectins, spinosins, azadirachtin, and afidopyropen) of natural origin are increasingly being used in agriculture. The review considers the chemical ecology approach for the search for new compounds with insecticidal properties (entomotoxic, antifeedant, and hormonal) produced by fungi of various ecological groups (entomopathogens, soil saprotrophs, endophytes, phytopathogens, and mushrooms). The literature survey revealed that insecticidal metabolites of entomopathogenic fungi have not been sufficiently studied, and most of the well-characterized compounds show moderate insecticidal activity. The greatest number of substances with insecticidal properties was found to be produced by soil fungi, mainly from the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium. Metabolites with insecticidal and antifeedant properties were also found in endophytic and phytopathogenic fungi. It was noted that insect pests of stored products are mostly low sensitive to mycotoxins. Mushrooms were found to be promising producers of antifeedant compounds as well as insecticidal proteins. The expansion of the number of substances with insecticidal properties detected in prospective fungal species is possible by mining fungal genomes for secondary metabolite gene clusters and secreted proteins with their subsequent activation by various methods. The efficacy of these studies can be increased with high-throughput techniques of extraction of fungal metabolites and their analysis by various methods of chromatography and mass spectrometry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entomopathogenic Fungi: Ecology, Evolution, Adaptation)

28 pages, 976 KiB

Open AccessReview

Advances in Entomopathogen Isolation: A Case of Bacteria and Fungi

by Lav Sharma, Nitin Bohra, Vishnu D. Rajput, Francisco Roberto Quiroz-Figueroa, Rupesh Kumar Singh and Guilhermina Marques

Microorganisms 2021, 9(1), 16; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/microorganisms9010016 - 23 Dec 2020

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6582

Abstract

Entomopathogenic bacteria and fungi are quite frequently found in soils and insect cadavers. The first step in utilizing these microbes as biopesticides is to isolate them, and several culture media and insect baiting procedures have been tested in this direction. In this work, the authors review the current techniques that have been developed so far, in the last five decades, and display brief protocols which can be adopted for the isolations of these entomopathogens. Among bacteria, this review focuses on Serratia spp. and bacteria from the class Bacilli. Among fungi, the review focuses those from the order Hypocreales, for example, genera Beauveria, Clonostachys, Lecanicillium, Metarhizium, and Purpureocillium. The authors chose these groups of entomopathogenic bacteria and fungi based on their importance in the microbial biopesticide market. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entomopathogenic Fungi: Ecology, Evolution, Adaptation)

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