Metarhizium acridum transcription factor MaFTF1 negatively regulates virulence of the entomopathogenic fungus by controlling cuticle penetration of locusts.

Background: The entomopathogenic fungus (EPF) Metarhizium acridum, a typical filamentous fungus, has been utilized for the biological control of migratory locusts (Locusta migratoria manilensis). Fungal-specific transcription factors (TFs) play a crucial role in governing various cellular processes in fungi, although TFs with only the Fungal_trans domain remain poorly understood.

Results: In this study, we identified a unique fungal-specific TF in M.

MaPom1, a Dual-Specificity Tyrosine Phosphorylation-Regulated Kinase, Positively Regulates Thermal and UV-B Tolerance in .

Fungi play irreplaceable roles in the functioning of natural ecosystems, but global warming poses a significant threat to them. However, the mechanisms underlying fungal tolerance to thermal and UV-B stresses remain largely unknown. Dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase (DYRK) Pom1 is crucial for fungal growth, conidiation, and virulence.

Unveiling the functions of the Lim-domain binding protein MaPtaB in Metarhizium acridum.

Background: The Lim-domain binding protein PtaB, a homolog of Mfg1, governs conidiation and biofilm formation in several fungi. PtaB includes a conserved Lim-binding domain and two predicted nuclear localization sequences at its C terminus, and is co-regulated with the transcription factor Som1 downstream of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase A (cAMP/PKA) pathway. However, the function of PtaB in entomopathogenic fungi remain poorly understood.

MaEng1, an endo-1,3-glucanase, contributes to the conidiation pattern shift through changing the cell wall structure in Metarhizium acridum.

Microcycle conidiation has displayed the greater potential than normal conidiation in large-scale production of mycopesticides. Fungi require partial hydrolysis of the cell wall to achieve the necessary plasticity during their morphological changes. Therefore, various cell wall-associated hydrolases are crucial for fungal morphogenesis.

The symbiont Acinetobacter baumannii enhances the insect host resistance to entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae.

Major symbiotic organisms have evolved to establish beneficial relationships with hosts. However, understanding the interactions between symbionts and insect hosts, particularly for their roles in defense against pathogens, is still limited. In a previous study, we proposed that the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae can infect the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens, a harmful pest for rice crops.

Glyoxal oxidase-mediated detoxification of reactive carbonyl species contributes to virulence, stress tolerance, and development in a pathogenic fungus.

Reactive carbonyl and oxygen species (RCS/ROS), often generated as metabolic byproducts, particularly under conditions of pathology, can cause direct damage to proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Glyoxal oxidases (Gloxs) oxidize aldehydes to carboxylic acids, generating hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Although best characterized for their roles in lignin degradation, Glox in plant fungal pathogens are known to contribute to virulence, however, the mechanism underlying such effects are unclear.

MaAzaR, a ZnCys/Fungus-Specific Transcriptional Factor, Is Involved in Stress Tolerance and Conidiation Pattern Shift in .

Entomopathogenic fungi are valuable sources of biological pesticides, with conidial yield and quality being pivotal factors determining their broad applications. AzaR, a fungus-specific zinc-cluster transcription factor, is known to regulate the biosynthesis of polyketone secondary metabolites in ; however, its role in pathogenic fungi remains unclear. This study investigated the role of in the growth, development, and environmental tolerance of .

An insect chemosensory protein facilitates locust avoidance to fungal pathogens via recognition of fungal volatiles.

Locusts (Locusta migratoria) are one of the most destructive insect pests worldwide. Entomopathogenic fungi can infect and kill locusts, with Metarhizium acridum having evolved as a specialized acridid pathogen. However, locusts have evolved countermeasures to limit or avoid microbial pathogens, although the underlying molecular mechanisms behind these defenses remain obscure.

Pathogenicity analysis and comparative genomics reveal the different infection strategies between the generalist Metarhizium anisopliae and the specialist Metarhizium acridum.

Background: The fungal genera Metarhizium contain many important multiple species that are used as biocontrol agents and as model organisms for exploring insect-fungal interactions. Metarhizium spp. exhibit different traits of pathogenicity, suggesting that the pathogenesis can be quite distinctive.

A virus induces alterations in root morphology while exerting minimal effects on the rhizosphere and endosphere microorganisms in rice.

The highly destructive southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV) causes significant losses in rice production. To understand its impact on rice root, we studied fibrous root development and root microbiota variation (rhizosphere and endosphere) after SRBSDV infection. SRBSDV infection reduced the number and length of fibrous roots in rice.

Recent Advancements in Pathogenic Mechanisms, Applications and Strategies for Entomopathogenic Fungi in Mosquito Biocontrol.

Fungal diseases are widespread among insects and play a crucial role in naturally regulating insect populations. Mosquitoes, known as vectors for numerous infectious diseases, pose a significant threat to human health. Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) have emerged as highly promising alternative agents to chemical mosquitocides for controlling mosquitoes at all stages of their life cycle due to their unique infection pathway through direct contact with the insect's cuticle.

Tetracarboxylic acid transporter regulates growth, conidiation, and carbon utilization in Metarhizium acridum.

Carbon sources and their utilization are vital for fungal growth and development. C-dicarboxylic acids are important carbon and energy sources that function as intermediate products of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Transport and regulation of C-dicarboxylic acid uptake are mainly dependent on tetracarboxylic acid transporters (Dcts) in many microbes, although the roles of Dct genes in fungi have only been partially characterized.

Insights into dendritic cell maturation during infection with application of advanced imaging techniques.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are crucial for the initiation and regulation of adaptive immune responses. When encountering immune stimulus such as bacterial and viral infection, parasite invasion and dead cell debris, DCs capture antigens, mature, acquire immunostimulatory activity and transmit the immune information to naïve T cells. Then activated cytotoxic CD8 T cells directly kill the infected cells, while CD4 T helper cells release cytokines to aid the activity of other immune cells, and help B cells produce antibodies.

Arginine metabolism governs microcycle conidiation by changing nitric oxide content in Metarhizium acridum.

Microcycle conidiation commonly exists in filamentous fungi and has great potential for mass production of mycoinsecticides. L-Arginine metabolism is essential for conidiation and conditional growth and virulence, but its role in microcycle conidiation has not been explored. Here, a unique putative arginase (MaAGA) was characterized in the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium acridum.

MaCts1, an Endochitinase, Is Involved in Conidial Germination, Conidial Yield, Stress Tolerances and Microcycle Conidiation in .

Entomopathogenic fungi are promising biocontrol agents of insect-mediated crop damage. Microcycle conidiation has shown great potential in enhancing the conidial yield and quality of entomopathogenic fungi. Homologs of Cts1, an endochitinase of , participate in cell separation in several fungal spp.

The C2H2 Zinc Finger Protein MaNCP1 Contributes to Conidiation through Governing the Nitrate Assimilation Pathway in the Entomopathogenic Fungus .

Zinc finger proteins are an important class of multifunctional regulators. Here, the roles of a C2H2 zinc finger protein MaNCP1 (Metarhizium acridum nitrate-related conidiation pattern shift regulatory factor 1) in nitrogen utilization and conidiation were explored in the entomopathogenic fungus M. acridum.

Comparative analysis of gut microbiota and immune genes linked with the immune system of wild and captive Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), is one of the most highly polyphagous invasive pests causing serious damage to maize crops in China.

An odorant binding protein is involved in counteracting detection-avoidance and Toll-pathway innate immunity.

Introduction: Odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) are a class of small molecular weight soluble proteins that exist as expanded gene families in all insects, acting as ligand carriers mediating olfaction and other physiological processes. During fungal infection, a subset of insect OBPs were shown to be differentially expressed.

Objectives: We tested whether the altered expression of insect OBPs during pathogenic infection plays a role in behavioral or immune interactions between insect hosts and their pathogens.

N-terminal zinc fingers of MaNCP1 contribute to growth, stress tolerance, and virulence in Metarhizium acridum.

C2H2 zinc finger proteins (ZFPs) are a class of important transcriptional regulators in eukaryotes involved in multiple biological regulation processes. Here, MaNCP1, a C2H2 ZFP, was functionally characterized in the model entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium acridum. Deletion of MaNCP1 delayed conidial germination and hyphal growth, decreased the conidial yield and reduced the tolerances to UV-B irradiation and heat-shock.

Host-Pathogen Interactions between spp. and Locusts.

The progress in research on the interactions between spp. and locusts has improved our understanding of the interactions between fungal infection and host immunity. A general network of immune responses has been constructed, and the pathways regulating fungal pathogenicity have also been explored in depth.

Transcription Factor Negatively Regulates Conidiation by Affecting Utilization of Carbon and Nitrogen Source in .

Conidium is the main infection unit and reproductive unit of pathogenic fungi. Exploring the mechanism of conidiation and its regulation contributes to understanding the pathogenicity of pathogenic fungi. , a transcription factor, was reported to participate in the conidiation process.

MaOpy2, a Transmembrane Protein, Is Involved in Stress Tolerances and Pathogenicity and Negatively Regulates Conidial Yield by Shifting the Conidiation Pattern in .

Opy2 is an important membrane-anchored protein upstream of the HOG-MAPK signaling pathway and plays important roles in both the HOG-MAPK and Fus3/Kss1 MAPK. In this study, the roles of in were systematically elucidated. The results showed that the disruption significantly reduced fungal tolerances to UV, heat shock and cell-wall-disrupting agents.