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Qin Y, Liu X, Peng G, Xia Y, Cao Y. Recent Advancements in Pathogenic Mechanisms, Applications and Strategies for Entomopathogenic Fungi in Mosquito Biocontrol. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:746. [PMID: 37504734 PMCID: PMC10381795 DOI: 10.3390/jof9070746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
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. In recent years, significant advancements have been made in understanding the infection pathways and pathogenic mechanisms of EPF against mosquitoes. Various strategies involving the use of EPF alone or combinations with other approaches have been employed to target mosquitoes at various developmental stages. Moreover, the application of genetic technologies in fungi has opened up new avenues for enhancing the mosquitocidal efficacy of EPF. This review presents a comprehensive summary of recent advancements in our understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of EPF, their applications in mosquito management, and the combination of EPF with other approaches and employment of transgenic technologies. The biosafety concerns associated with their use and the corresponding approaches are also discussed. The recent progress suggests that EPF have the potential to serve as a future biorational tool for controlling mosquito vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Qin
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Fungal Insecticides, Chongqing 401331, China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation Technologies, Chongqing Municipal Education Commission, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Xiaoyu Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Fungal Insecticides, Chongqing 401331, China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation Technologies, Chongqing Municipal Education Commission, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Guoxiong Peng
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Fungal Insecticides, Chongqing 401331, China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation Technologies, Chongqing Municipal Education Commission, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Yuxian Xia
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Fungal Insecticides, Chongqing 401331, China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation Technologies, Chongqing Municipal Education Commission, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Yueqing Cao
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
- Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Fungal Insecticides, Chongqing 401331, China
- Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation Technologies, Chongqing Municipal Education Commission, Chongqing 401331, China
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Luo N, Li Z, Ling J, Zhao J, Li Y, Yang Y, Mao Z, Xie B, Li H, Jiao Y. Establishment of a CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Efficient Knockout System of Trichoderma hamatum T21 and Pigment Synthesis PKS Gene Knockout. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9050595. [PMID: 37233306 DOI: 10.3390/jof9050595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Trichoderma hamatum is a filamentous fungus that serves as a biological control agent for multiple phytopathogens and as an important resource promising for fungicides. However, the lack of adequate knockout technologies has hindered gene function and biocontrol mechanism research of this species. This study obtained a genome assembly of T. hamatum T21, with a 41.4 Mb genome sequence comprising 8170 genes. Based on genomic information, we established a CRISPR/Cas9 system with dual sgRNAs targets and dual screening markers. CRISPR/Cas9 plasmid and donor DNA recombinant plasmid were constructed for disruption of the Thpyr4 and Thpks1 genes. The result indicates the consistency between phenotypic characterization and molecular identification of the knockout strains. The knockout efficiencies of Thpyr4 and Thpks1 were 100% and 89.1%, respectively. Moreover, sequencing revealed fragment deletions between dual sgRNA target sites or GFP gene insertions presented in knockout strains. The situations were caused by different DNA repair mechanisms, nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ), and homologous recombination (HR). Overall, we have successfully constructed an efficient and convenient CRISPR/Cas9 system in T. hamatum for the first time, which has important scientific significance and application value for studies on functional genomics of Trichoderma and other filamentous fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Luo
- Biocontrol Engineering Laboratory of Crop Diseases and Pests of Gansu Province, College of Plant Protection, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flower, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Zeyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flower, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Jian Ling
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flower, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Jianlong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flower, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flower, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yuhong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flower, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Zhenchuan Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flower, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Bingyan Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flower, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Huixia Li
- Biocontrol Engineering Laboratory of Crop Diseases and Pests of Gansu Province, College of Plant Protection, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Yang Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flower, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
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Zou M, Xin B, Sun X, Lin R, Lu J, Qi J, Xie B, Cheng X. URA3 as a Selectable Marker for Disruption and Functional Assessment of PacC Gene in the Entomopathogenic Fungus Isaria javanica. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9010092. [PMID: 36675913 PMCID: PMC9860623 DOI: 10.3390/jof9010092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
An effective selection marker is necessary for genetic engineering and functional genomics research in the post-genomic era. Isaria javanica is an important entomopathogenic fungus with a broad host range and prospective biocontrol potentials. Given that no antibiotic marker is available currently in this fungus, developing an effective selection marker is necessary. In this study, by applying overlap PCR and split-marker deletion strategy, combining PEG-mediated protoplasm transformation method, the uridine auxotrophy gene (ura3) in the I. javanica genome was knocked out. Then, using this transformation system, the pH response transcription factor gene (IjpacC) was disrupted successfully. Loss of IjpacC gene results in an obvious decrease in conidial production, but little impact on mycelial growth. The virulence of the ΔIjpacC mutant on caterpillars is similar to that of the wild-type strain. RT-qPCR detection shows that expression level of an acidic-expressed S53 gene (IF1G_06234) in ΔIjpacC mutant is more significantly upregulated than in the wild-type strain during the fungal infection on caterpillars. Our results indicate that a markerless transformation system based upon complementation of uridine auxotrophy is successfully developed in I. javanica, which is useful for exploring gene function and for genetic engineering to enhance biological control potential of the fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manling Zou
- College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Bei Xin
- College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Xin Sun
- College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Runmao Lin
- College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Junru Lu
- College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Jing Qi
- College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Bingyan Xie
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
- Correspondence: (B.X.); (X.C.); Tel.: +86-10-82109546 (B.X.); +86-10-58809696 (X.C.)
| | - Xinyue Cheng
- College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Beijing 100080, China
- Correspondence: (B.X.); (X.C.); Tel.: +86-10-82109546 (B.X.); +86-10-58809696 (X.C.)
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Xu N, Li L, Chen F. Construction of gene modification system with highly efficient and markerless for Monascus ruber M7. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:952323. [PMID: 35979480 PMCID: PMC9376451 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.952323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Monascus spp. are traditional medicinal and edible filamentous fungi in China, and can produce various secondary metabolites, such as Monascus pigments (MPs) and citrinin (CIT). Genetic modification methods, such as gene knock-out, complementation, and overexpression, have been used extensively to investigate the function of related genes in Monascus spp.. However, the resistance selection genes that can have been used for genetic modification in Monascus spp. are limited, and the gene replacement frequency (GRF) is usually <5%. Therefore, we are committed to construct a highly efficient gene editing system without resistance selection marker gene. In this study, using M. ruber M7 as the starting strain, we successfully constructed a so-called markerlessly and highly genetic modification system including the mutants ΔmrpyrGΔmrlig4 and ΔmrpyrGΔmrlig4::mrpyrG, in which we used the endogenous gene mrpyrG from M. ruber M7 instead of the resistance marker gene as the screening marker, and simultaneously deleted mrlig4 related to non-homologous end joining in M. ruber M7. Then, the morphology, the growth rate, the production of MPs and CIT of the mutants were analyzed. And the results show that the mutant strains have normal mycelia, cleistothecia and conidia on PDA+Uridine(U) plate, the biomass of each mutant is also no different from M. ruber M7. However, the U addition also has a certain effect on the orange and red pigments yield of M. ruber M7, which needs our further study. Finally, we applied the system to delete multiple genes from M. ruber M7 separately or continuously without any resistance marker gene, and found that the average GRF of ΔmrpyrGΔmrlig4 was about 18 times of that of M. ruber M7. The markerlessly and highly genetic modification system constructed in current study not only will be used for multi-gene simultaneous modification in Monascus spp., and also lays a foundation for investigating the effects of multi-genes modification on Monascus spp..
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Xu
- Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Traditional Fermented Foods, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Li Li
- Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Traditional Fermented Foods, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Quality Control of Characteristic Fruits and Vegetables, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan, China
- College of Life Science and Technology, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan, China
| | - Fusheng Chen
- Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Traditional Fermented Foods, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Fusheng Chen
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Mou YN, Ren K, Tong SM, Ying SH, Feng MG. Fungal insecticidal activity elevated by non-risky markerless overexpression of an endogenous cysteine-free protein gene in Beauveria bassiana. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2022; 78:3164-3172. [PMID: 35470955 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fungal insecticides are notorious for slow kill action, an intrinsic trait that can be improved by the genetic engineering of an exogenous or endogenous virulence factor. However, transgenic insecticides expressing exogenous toxin and herbicide-resistant marker genes may cause unexpected ecological risks and are hardly permitted for field release due to strict regulatory hurdles. It is necessary to improve biotechnology that can speed up fungal insect-killing action and exclude ecological risk source. RESULTS A markerless transformation system of Beauveria bassiana, a main source of wide-spectrum fungal insecticides, was reconstructed based on the fungal uridine auxotrophy (Δura3). The system was applied for overexpression of the small cysteine-free protein (120 amino acids) gene cfp previously characterized as a regulator of the fungal virulence and gene expression. Three cfp-overexpressed strains showed much faster kill action to Galleria mellonella larvae than the parental wild-type via normal cuticle infection but no change in vegetative growth and aerial condition. The faster kill action was achieved due to not only significant increases in conidial adherence to insect cuticle and total activity of secreted cuticle-degrading Pr1 proteases and of antioxidant enzymes crucial for collapse of insect immune defense but acceleration of hemocoel localization, proliferation in vivo and host death from mummification. CONCLUSION The markerless system is free of any foreign DNA fragment as a source of ecologic risk and provides a novel biotechnological approach to enhancing fungal insecticidal activity with non-risky endogenous genes and striding over the regulatory hurdles. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Ni Mou
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kang Ren
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Sen-Miao Tong
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Sheng-Hua Ying
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ming-Guang Feng
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Liang Z, Deng M, Zhang Z, Li M, Zhou S, Zhao Z, Mu Y, Wang L, Ning C, Zhao AZ, Li F. One-step construction of a food-grade expression system based on the URA3 gene in Kluyveromyces lactis. Plasmid 2021; 116:102577. [PMID: 34058238 DOI: 10.1016/j.plasmid.2021.102577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Proteins from food-grade expression systems can be used in food products and medical applications. Herein, we describe a one-step method of constructing an expression vector in Kluyveromyces lactis by combining a URA3-deficient strain and a plasmid vector with no drug-resistant selection. Adjacent DNA elements of the vector were assembled in a targeted manner through a reaction with a special recombinase to form a plasmid vector using a one-step reaction. The unnecessary fragments containing the pUC origin and the ampicillin resistance gene were removed, and the vector was isolated and purified before transformation. A single transformation of the vector can produce a URA3-deficient strain. PCR assay, sequencing, and western blot analysis all indicated that the method of vector construction and target protein expression (mCherry and human serum albumin) were successful. This method may potentially be applied to any species containing the URA3 gene; this system has the potential to become a safe and powerful tool for promoting protein expression in food-safe species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhicheng Liang
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Mulan Deng
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhi Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Meirong Li
- School of Biological Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - SuJin Zhou
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - ZhengGang Zhao
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - YunPing Mu
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - LiNa Wang
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Chengyun Ning
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Allan Zijian Zhao
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Fanghong Li
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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Liang M, Li W, Qi L, Chen G, Cai L, Yin WB. Establishment of a Genetic Transformation System in Guanophilic Fungus Amphichorda guana. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7020138. [PMID: 33672933 PMCID: PMC7918455 DOI: 10.3390/jof7020138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungi from unique environments exhibit special physiological characters and plenty of bioactive natural products. However, the recalcitrant genetics or poor transformation efficiencies prevent scientists from systematically studying molecular biological mechanisms and exploiting their metabolites. In this study, we targeted a guanophilic fungus Amphichorda guana LC5815 and developed a genetic transformation system. We firstly established an efficient protoplast preparing method by conditional optimization of sporulation and protoplast regeneration. The regeneration rate of the protoplast is up to about 34.6% with 0.8 M sucrose as the osmotic pressure stabilizer. To develop the genetic transformation, we used the polyethylene glycol-mediated protoplast transformation, and the testing gene AG04914 encoding a major facilitator superfamily transporter was deleted in strain LC5815, which proves the feasibility of this genetic manipulation system. Furthermore, a uridine/uracil auxotrophic strain was created by using a positive screening protocol with 5-fluoroorotic acid as a selective reagent. Finally, the genetic transformation system was successfully established in the guanophilic fungus strain LC5815, which lays the foundation for the molecular genetics research and will facilitate the exploitation of bioactive secondary metabolites in fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Liang
- Henan Academy of Science Institute of Biology, Zhengzhou 450008, China; (M.L.); (L.Q.); (G.C.)
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology and CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial Physiological and Metabolic Engineering, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (W.L.); (L.C.)
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology and CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial Physiological and Metabolic Engineering, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (W.L.); (L.C.)
| | - Landa Qi
- Henan Academy of Science Institute of Biology, Zhengzhou 450008, China; (M.L.); (L.Q.); (G.C.)
| | - Guocan Chen
- Henan Academy of Science Institute of Biology, Zhengzhou 450008, China; (M.L.); (L.Q.); (G.C.)
| | - Lei Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology and CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial Physiological and Metabolic Engineering, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (W.L.); (L.C.)
| | - Wen-Bing Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology and CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial Physiological and Metabolic Engineering, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (W.L.); (L.C.)
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-10-6480-6170
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Mouhoumed AZ, Mou YN, Tong SM, Ying SH, Feng MG. Three proline rotamases involved in calcium homeostasis play differential roles in stress tolerance, virulence and calcineurin regulation of Beauveria bassiana. Cell Microbiol 2020; 22:e13239. [PMID: 32602171 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
FK506-sensitive proline rotamases (FPRs), also known as FK506-binding proteins (FKBPs), can mediate immunosuppressive drug resistance in budding yeast but their physiological roles in filamentous fungi remain opaque. Here, we report that three FPRs (cytosolic/nuclear 12.15-kD Fpr1, membrane-associated 14.78-kD Fpr2 and nuclear 50.43-kD Fpr3) are all equally essential for cellular Ca2+ homeostasis and contribute significantly to calcineurin activity at different levels in the insect-pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana although the deletion of fpr1 alone conferred resistance to FK506. Radial growth, conidiation, conidial viability and virulence were less compromised in the absence of fpr1 or fpr2 than in the absence of fpr3, which abolished almost all growth on scant media and reduced growth moderately on rich media. The Δfpr3 mutant was more sensitive to Na+ , K+ , Mn2+ , Ca2+ , Cu2+ , metal chelate, heat shock and UVB irradiation than was Δfpr2 while both mutants were equally sensitive to Zn2+ , Mg2+ , Fe2+ , H2 O2 and cell wall-perturbing agents. In contrast, the Δfpr1 mutant was less sensitive to fewer stress cues. Most of 32 examined genes involved in DNA damage repair, Na+ /K+ detoxification or osmotolerance and Ca2+ homeostasis were downregulated sharply in Δfpr2 and Δfpr3 but rarely so affected in Δfpr1, coinciding well with their phenotypic changes. These findings uncover important, but differential, roles of three FPRs in the fungal adaptation to insect host and environment and provide novel insight into their essential roles in calcium signalling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amina-Zahra Mouhoumed
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ya-Ni Mou
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Sen-Miao Tong
- College of Agricultural and Food Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an, Zhejiang, China
| | - Sheng-Hua Ying
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ming-Guang Feng
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Zhang LB, Tang L, Guan Y, Feng MG. Subcellular localization of Sur7 and its pleiotropic effect on cell wall integrity, multiple stress responses, and virulence of Beauveria bassiana. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 104:6669-6678. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-020-10736-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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CRISPR-Cas9-Based Mutagenesis of the Mucormycosis-Causing Fungus Lichtheimia corymbifera. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21103727. [PMID: 32466287 PMCID: PMC7279233 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21103727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Lichtheimia corymbifera is considered as one of the most frequent agents of mucormycosis. The lack of efficient genetic manipulation tools hampers the characterization of the pathomechanisms and virulence factors of this opportunistic pathogenic fungus. Although such techniques have been described for certain species, the performance of targeted mutagenesis and the construction of stable transformants have remained a great challenge in Mucorales fungi. In the present study, a plasmid-free CRISPR-Cas9 system was applied to carry out a targeted gene disruption in L. corymbifera. The described method is based on the non-homologous end-joining repair of the double-strand break caused by the Cas9 enzyme. Using this method, short, one-to-five nucleotide long-targeted deletions could be induced in the orotidine 5′-phosphate decarboxylase gene (pyrG) and, as a result, uracil auxotrophic strains were constructed. These strains are applicable as recipient strains in future gene manipulation studies. As we know, this is the first genetic modification of this clinically relevant fungus.
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Tong SM, Wang DY, Cai Q, Ying SH, Feng MG. Opposite Nuclear Dynamics of Two FRH-Dominated Frequency Proteins Orchestrate Non-Rhythmic Conidiation in Beauveria bassiana. Cells 2020; 9:cells9030626. [PMID: 32151014 PMCID: PMC7140403 DOI: 10.3390/cells9030626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-rhythmic conidiation favors large-scale production of conidia serving as active ingredients of fungal insecticides, but its regulatory mechanism is unknown. Here, we report that two FREQUENCY (FRQ) proteins (Frq1/2) governed by a unique FRQ-interacting RNA helicase (FRH) orchestrate this valuable trait in Beauveria bassiana, an asexual insect-pathogenic fungus. Frq1 (964 aa) and Frq2 (583 aa) exhibited opposite expression dynamics (rhythms) in nucleus and steadily high expression levels in cytoplasm under light or in darkness no matter whether one of them was present or absent. Such opposite nuclear dynamics presented a total FRQ (pooled Frq1/2) level sufficient to persistently activate central developmental pathway in daytime and nighttime and supports continuous (non-rhythmic) conidiation for rapid maximization of conidial production in a fashion independent of photoperiod change. Importantly, both nuclear dynamics and cytoplasmic stability of Frq1 and Frq2 were abolished in the absence of the FRH-coding gene nonessential for the fungal viability, highlighting an indispensability of FRH for the behaviors of Frq1 and Frq2 in both nucleus and cytoplasm. These findings uncover a novel circadian system more complicated than the well-known Neurospora model that controls rhythmic conidiation, and provide a novel insight into molecular control of non-rhythmic conidiation in B. bassiana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen-Miao Tong
- College of Agricultural and Food Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin’an 311300, Zhejiang, China
- Correspondence: (S.M.T.); (M.G.F.)
| | - Ding-Yi Wang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qing Cai
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China
| | - Sheng-Hua Ying
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ming-Guang Feng
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China
- Correspondence: (S.M.T.); (M.G.F.)
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Wang ZK, Cai Q, Tong SM, Ying SH, Feng MG. C-terminal Ser/Thr residues are vital for the regulatory role of Ste7 in the asexual cycle and virulence of Beauveria bassiana. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2018; 102:6973-6986. [PMID: 29948113 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-018-9148-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Revised: 05/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase Ste7 has a conserved Ser/Thr loop (S/T-X4(6)-S/T) that can activate the MAPK Fus3 or Kss1 for the regulation of pheromone response and filamentous growth in model yeast. Here, we show that not only the loop but also four C-terminal Ser/Thr residues are essential for Ste7 to function in the Fus3 cascade of Beauveria bassiana, a filamentous fungal insect pathogen. Mutagenesis of either looped S216/T220 or C-terminal S362 resulted in the same severe defects in conidial germination, hyphal growth, aerial conidiation, and submerged blastospore production as the ste7 deletion, followed by a complete loss of virulence and similarly increased cell sensitivities to osmotic salts, oxidants, heat shock and UV-B irradiation. Mutagenesis of three other Ser/Thr residues (S391, S440, and T485) also caused severe defects in most of the mentioned phenotypes. These defects correlated well with dramatically reduced transcript levels of some phenotype-related genes. These genes encode a transcription factor (CreA) essential for carbon/nitrogen assimilation, developmental activators (BrlA, AbaA, and WetA) and upstream transcription factor (FluG) required for conidiation, P-type N+/K+ ATPases (Ena1-5) required for intracellular N+/K+ homeostasis, and antioxidant enzymes involved in multiple stress responses. Our study unveils that the loop and four C-terminal Ser/Thr residues are all vital for the regulatory role of Ste7 in the growth, conidiation, virulence, and/or stress tolerance of B. bassiana and perhaps other filamentous fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Kang Wang
- Institute of Coastal Ecology, Ludong University, Yantai, 264025, Shandong, China.,Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qing Cai
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Sen-Miao Tong
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, 310058, Hangzhou, China.,School of Agricultural and Food Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an, Zhejiang, 311300, China
| | - Sheng-Hua Ying
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ming-Guang Feng
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, 310058, Hangzhou, China.
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13
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Liu H, Wang G, Li W, Liu X, Li E, Yin WB. A highly efficient genetic system for the identification of a harzianum B biosynthetic gene cluster in Trichoderma hypoxylon. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2018; 164:769-778. [PMID: 29557773 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Trichoderma hypoxylon is a fungicolous species which produces rich secondary metabolites. However, no genetic transformation method is available for further studies. Here, we developed a marker-less transformation system based on the complementation of an uridine/uracil biosynthetic gene by protoplast transformation. An uridine/uracil auxotrophic mutant of Δthpyr4 was obtained by using a positive screening protocol with 5'-fluoroorotic acid as a selective reagent. To improve the homologous integration rates, the orthologues of ku70 and lig4 which play critical roles in non-homologous end-joining recombination were disrupted. The resulting thlig4 mutant showed remarkable transformation rates of 89 %, while no change was found in the thku70 deletion mutant compared with the WT strain. This suggests that thlig4 play a key role in the non-homologous recombination in this strain. Using this system, the biosynthetic gene cluster of trichothecene (tri) harzianum B was identified by deletion of the thtri5 in T. hypoxylon. Comparative genome analysis revealed that the trichothecene biosynthetic gene cluster in T. hypoxylon shared similar organizations with T. arundinaceum and T. brevicompactum, even though their encoded products are different in structures. Taken together, the highly efficient genetic system provides a convenient tool for studying the biosynthetic diversity and mining the novel natural product from the fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, PR China.,School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, PR China
| | - Gang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, PR China
| | - Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, PR China
| | - Xingzhong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, PR China.,School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, PR China
| | - Erwei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, PR China
| | - Wen-Bing Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, PR China.,School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, PR China
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14
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Liu J, Sun HH, Ying SH, Feng MG. Characterization of three mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-like proteins in Beauveria bassiana. Fungal Genet Biol 2018; 113:24-31. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2018.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Revised: 01/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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15
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Tong SM, Zhang AX, Guo CT, Ying SH, Feng MG. Daylight length-dependent translocation of VIVID photoreceptor in cells and its essential role in conidiation and virulence of Beauveria bassiana. Environ Microbiol 2017; 20:169-185. [PMID: 28967173 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The fungal insect pathogen Beauveria bassiana has the blue-light photoreceptor VIVID (VVD) but lacks a pigmentation pattern to trace its light responses. Here, we show that the fungal vvd is transcriptionally expressed, and linked to other blue/red photoreceptor genes, in a daylight length-dependent manner. GFP-tagged VVD fusion protein was localized to periphery, cytoplasm and vacuoles of hyphal cells in light/dark (L:D) cycles of 24:0 and 16:8 and aggregated in cytoplasm with shortening daylight until transfer into nuclei in full darkness. Deletion of vvd caused more reduced (91%) conidiation capacity in L:D 12:12 cycle of blue light (450/480 nm) than of yellow-to-red (540-760 nm) and white lights (∼70%). The conidiation defect worsened with shortened daylight in different L:D cycles of white light, coinciding well with drastic repression of key activator genes in central development pathway. Intriguingly, the deletion mutant displayed blocked secretion of cuticle-degrading Pr1 proteases, retarded dimorphic transition in insect haemocoel, and hence a lethal action twice longer than those for control strains against Galleria mellonella regardless of the infection passing or bypassing insect cuticle. Conclusively, VVD sustains normal conidiation in a daylight length-dependent manner and acts as a vital virulence factor in B. bassiana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen-Miao Tong
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - An-Xue Zhang
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Chong-Tao Guo
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Sheng-Hua Ying
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming-Guang Feng
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
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16
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The Hog1-like MAPK Mpk3 collaborates with Hog1 in response to heat shock and functions in sustaining the biological control potential of a fungal insect pathogen. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2017; 101:6941-6949. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-017-8434-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Revised: 07/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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17
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Chen J, Lai Y, Wang L, Zhai S, Zou G, Zhou Z, Cui C, Wang S. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated efficient genome editing via blastospore-based transformation in entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. Sci Rep 2017; 8:45763. [PMID: 28368054 PMCID: PMC5377935 DOI: 10.1038/srep45763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 03/02/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Beauveria bassiana is an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical insecticides against various agricultural insect pests and vectors of human diseases. However, its application has been limited due to slow kill and sensitivity to abiotic stresses. Understanding of the molecular pathogenesis and physiological characteristics would facilitate improvement of the fungal performance. Loss-of-function mutagenesis is the most powerful tool to characterize gene functions, but it is hampered by the low rate of homologous recombination and the limited availability of selectable markers. Here, by combining the use of uridine auxotrophy as recipient and donor DNAs harboring auxotrophic complementation gene ura5 as a selectable marker with the blastospore-based transformation system, we established a highly efficient, low false-positive background and cost-effective CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing system in B. bassiana. This system has been demonstrated as a simple and powerful tool for targeted gene knock-out and/or knock-in in B. bassiana in a single gene disruption. We further demonstrated that our system allows simultaneous disruption of multiple genes via homology-directed repair in a single transformation. This technology will allow us to study functionally redundant genes and holds significant potential to greatly accelerate functional genomics studies of B. bassiana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yiling Lai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Lili Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Suzhen Zhai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Gen Zou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhihua Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Chunlai Cui
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Sibao Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
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18
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Zhang LB, Tang L, Ying SH, Feng MG. Two eisosome proteins play opposite roles in autophagic control and sustain cell integrity, function and pathogenicity in Beauveria bassiana. Environ Microbiol 2017; 19:2037-2052. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Revised: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Long-Bin Zhang
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences; Zhejiang University; Hangzhou Zhejiang 310058 People's Republic of China
| | - Li Tang
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences; Zhejiang University; Hangzhou Zhejiang 310058 People's Republic of China
| | - Sheng-Hua Ying
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences; Zhejiang University; Hangzhou Zhejiang 310058 People's Republic of China
| | - Ming-Guang Feng
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences; Zhejiang University; Hangzhou Zhejiang 310058 People's Republic of China
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Liu J, Wang ZK, Sun HH, Ying SH, Feng MG. Characterization of the Hog1 MAPK pathway in the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. Environ Microbiol 2017; 19:1808-1821. [PMID: 28076898 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Revised: 01/08/2017] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
High-osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathway required for yeast osmoregulation relies upon the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) Hog1 cascade that comprise the MAPKKKs Ssk2/Ssk22 and Ste11 converging on the MAPKK Pbs2. Here we show a Hog1 cascade with the unique MAPKKK Ssk2 acting in Beauveria bassiana. Hypersensitivity to high osmolarity and high resistance to fludioxonil fungicide appeared in Δssk2, Δpbs2 and Δhog1 mutants whereas the two hallmark phenotypes were reversed in Δste11. Increased sensitivity to heat shock and decreased sensitivity to cell wall perturbation also occurred in the three mutants but not in Δste11 although antioxidant phenotypes were different in all deletion mutants. Intriguingly, signals of Hog1 phosphorylation induced by osmotic, oxidative and thermal cues were present in Δste11 but absent in Δssk2 and Δpbs2. Moreover, vegetative growth on minimal media with different carbon/nitrogen sources was much more suppressed in Δste11 and Δssk2 than in Δpbs2 and Δhog1 although all mutants suffered similar, but severe, conidiation defects on a standard medium. Normal host infection was abolished in Δste11 while virulence was differentially attenuated in other mutants. Our findings exclude Ste11 from the Hog1 cascade that regulates multiple stress responses and environmental adaptation of B. bassiana and perhaps other filamentous fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Liu
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhi-Kang Wang
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, People's Republic of China
| | - Huan-Huan Sun
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, People's Republic of China
| | - Sheng-Hua Ying
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming-Guang Feng
- Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, People's Republic of China
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Characterization of T-DNA insertion mutants with decreased virulence in the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana JEF-007. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2016; 100:8889-900. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-016-7734-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2016] [Revised: 07/02/2016] [Accepted: 07/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Zhao H, Lovett B, Fang W. Genetically Engineering Entomopathogenic Fungi. ADVANCES IN GENETICS 2016; 94:137-63. [PMID: 27131325 DOI: 10.1016/bs.adgen.2015.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Entomopathogenic fungi have been developed as environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical insecticides in biocontrol programs for agricultural pests and vectors of disease. However, mycoinsecticides currently have a small market share due to low virulence and inconsistencies in their performance. Genetic engineering has made it possible to significantly improve the virulence of fungi and their tolerance to adverse conditions. Virulence enhancement has been achieved by engineering fungi to express insect proteins and insecticidal proteins/peptides from insect predators and other insect pathogens, or by overexpressing the pathogen's own genes. Importantly, protein engineering can be used to mix and match functional domains from diverse genes sourced from entomopathogenic fungi and other organisms, producing insecticidal proteins with novel characteristics. Fungal tolerance to abiotic stresses, especially UV radiation, has been greatly improved by introducing into entomopathogens a photoreactivation system from an archaean and pigment synthesis pathways from nonentomopathogenic fungi. Conversely, gene knockout strategies have produced strains with reduced ecological fitness as recipients for genetic engineering to improve virulence; the resulting strains are hypervirulent, but will not persist in the environment. Coupled with their natural insect specificity, safety concerns can also be mitigated by using safe effector proteins with selection marker genes removed after transformation. With the increasing public concern over the continued use of synthetic chemical insecticides and growing public acceptance of genetically modified organisms, new types of biological insecticides produced by genetic engineering offer a range of environmentally friendly options for cost-effective control of insect pests.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Zhao
- Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - B Lovett
- University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - W Fang
- Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Molecular Genetics of Beauveria bassiana Infection of Insects. ADVANCES IN GENETICS 2016; 94:165-249. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.adgen.2015.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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