Mutual interactions between an invasive bark beetle and its associated fungi

Expression analysis of genes related to cold tolerance in Dendroctonus valens

Pine beetles are well known in North America for their widespread devastation of pine forests. However, Dendroctonus valens LeConte is an important invasive forest pest in China also. Adults and larvae of this bark beetle mainly winter at the trunks and roots of Pinus tabuliformis and Pinus sylvestris; larvae, in particular, result in pine weakness or even death. Since the species was introduced from the United States to Shanxi in 1998, its distribution has spread northward. In 2017, it invaded a large area at the junction of Liaoning, Inner Mongolia and Hebei provinces, showing strong cold tolerance. To identify genes relevant to cold tolerance and the process of overwintering, we sequenced the transcriptomes of wintering and non-wintering adult and larval D. valens using the Illumina HiSeq platform. Differential expression analysis methods for other non-model organisms were used to compare transcript abundances in adults and larvae at two time periods, followed by the identification of functions and metabolic pathways related to genes associated with cold tolerance. We detected 4,387 and 6,091 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between sampling dates in larvae and adults, respectively, and 1,140 common DEGs, including genes encoding protein phosphatase, very long-chain fatty acids protein, cytochrome P450, and putative leucine-rich repeat-containing proteins. In a Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis, 1,140 genes were assigned to 44 terms, with significant enrichment for cellulase activity, hydrolase activity, and carbohydrate metabolism. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) classification and enrichment analyses showed that the lysosomal and purine metabolism pathways involved the most DEGs, the highly enriched terms included autophagy-animal, pentose and glucuronate interconversions and lysosomal processes. We identified 140 candidate genes associated with cold tolerance, including genes with established roles in this trait (e.g., genes encoding trehalose transporter, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, and trehalase). Our comparative transcriptome analysis of adult and larval D. valens in different conditions provides basic data for the discovery of key genes and molecular mechanisms underlying cold tolerance.

Chemical signal interactions of the bark beetle with fungal symbionts, and host/non-host trees

The symbiosis between the bark beetle (Ips subelongatus) and its fungal symbiont (Endoconidiophora fujiensis) poses a serious threat to larch forests. However, the signaling pathways between these symbiotic partners and their host/non-host trees are not fully understood. Inoculation of the host larch (Larix principis-rupprechtii) with two strains of E. fujiensis induced a rapid and long-term release of monoterpenes. Although the fungi had a level of tolerance to these compounds, many monoterpenes inhibited fungal growth in culture. Moreover, monoterpenes with stronger inhibitory effects on fungal growth exhibited weaker synergistic effects on the attraction of I. subelongatus to aggregation pheromone. Surprisingly, individual isomers of aggregation pheromone components promoted fungal symbiont growth in a culture medium. Non-host volatiles (NHVs) were tested and shown to completely inhibit the growth of fungal symbionts in culture but had no effects on beetle responses to aggregation pheromone, with the exception of (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol. These results reveal convergence and mutualism patterns in the evolution of I. subelongatus and E. fujiensis with respect to host tree volatiles but not in response to NHVs. Ultimately, we put forward a hypothesis that host plants are ecological and evolutionary determinants of bark beetle-fungus symbioses in terms of their complex signaling interactions.

An invasive beetle-fungus complex is maintained by fungal nutritional-compensation mediated by bacterial volatiles

Mutualisms between symbiotic microbes and animals have been well documented, and nutritional relationships provide the foundation for maintaining beneficial associations. The well-studied mutualism between bark beetles and their fungi has become a classic model system in the study of symbioses. Despite the nutritional competition between bark beetles and beneficial fungi in the same niche due to poor nutritional feeding substrates, bark beetles still maintain mutualistic associations with beneficial fungi over time. The mechanism behind this phenomenon, however, remains largely unknown. Here, we demonstrated the bark beetle Dendroctonus valens LeConte relies on the symbiotic bacterial volatile ammonia, as a nitrogen source, to regulate carbohydrate metabolism of its mutualistic fungus Leptographium procerum to alleviate nutritional competition, thereby maintaining the stability of the bark beetle–fungus mutualism. Ammonia significantly reduces competition of L. procerum for carbon resources for D. valens larval growth and increases fungal growth. Using stable isotope analysis, we show the fungus breakdown of phloem starch into d-glucose by switching on amylase genes only in the presence of ammonia. Deletion of amylase genes interferes with the conversion of starch to glucose. The acceleration of carbohydrate consumption and the conversion of starch into glucose benefit this invasive beetle–fungus complex. The nutrient consumption–compensation strategy mediated by tripartite beetle–fungus–bacterium aids the maintenance of this invasive mutualism under limited nutritional conditions, exacerbating its invasiveness with this competitive nutritional edge.

Incidental Fungi in Host Trees Disrupt the Development of Sirex noctilio (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) Symbiotic Fungus and Larvae

The woodwasp, Sirex noctilio Fabricius, is an exotic pest of Pinus L. in the southern hemisphere and North America, and it is an emerging threat in northeastern China. Adult woodwasps have numerous insect competitors for oviposition substrates, and developing larvae must compete for resources with other subcortical invaders. Its mutualistic fungus Amylostereum areolatum (Fr.) Boidon, is less competitive than many other fungal colonists present in pine ecosystems. This study investigated the effects of incidental, host-colonizing fungi on the growth and development of woodwasp larvae and A. areolatum. Fungi were isolated from dead S. noctilio larvae within galleries (primarily Trichoderma Pers, Ophiostoma Sydow, and Sphaeropsis Sacc.), and effects of these fungi on woodwasp brood survival were investigated via inoculations of S. noctilio-infested logs. Larval mortality was significantly increased in sample logs inoculated with Ophiostoma minus (Hedgc.) Sydow Phlebiopsis gigantea (Fr.) Jülich, Trichoderma atroviride Bissett, Trichoderma viride Pers, and Trichoderma harzianum Rifai. Inoculation of logs with O. minus resulted in the highest mortality and greatest reductions in wood moisture content. When grown on artificial media, these fungi grew faster than and inhibited growth of A. areolatum mycelium. We propose that the adverse effects of incidental fungi on the survival of S. noctilio larvae may be caused at least in part by an indirect mechanism involving inhibition of the fungal symbiont. The findings provide potentially valuable information for suppressing S. noctilio populations using microbial control agents.

Presence and roles of myrtenol, myrtanol and myrtenal in Dendroctonus armandi (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) and Pinus armandi (Pinales: Pinaceae: Pinoideae)

BACKGROUND

Insect pheromones and host volatiles are important for pest control due to their high efficiency and low potential for environmental pollution. The functions of myrtenol, myrtanol and myrtenal in pest-host interactions are unknown. This study aimed to determine the presence of myrtenol, myrtanol and myrtenal in newly emerged and emerged stages of Dendroctonus armandi, and in infected and healthy Pinus armandi, and to identify their roles in tree protection and pest management based on electroantennography (EAG), Y-tube and toxicity experiments.

RESULTS

Gas chromatographic and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses, EAG, Y-tube and toxicity assays revealed the following: (1) myrtenol was found in P. armandi phloem and did not exhibit significant toxicity towards D. armandi; (2) myrtanol was produced by infected P. armandi after D. armandi invasion and had significant toxicity towards D. armandi, especially females; and (3) myrtenal might represent an aggregation pheromone produced by female D. armandi to exert aggregation effects on other females, to help them overcome the resistance of P. armandi jointly and ensure a successful invasion, females remained in an aggregation state from leaving the host to mating in a new host.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that myrtanol as a repellent has potential for the protection of P. armandi and that myrtenal could be used to trap and disorient D. armandi. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Comparative analysis of the immune system of an invasive bark beetle, Dendroctonus valens, infected by an entomopathogenic fungus

Dendroctonus valens LeConte is one of the most economically important forest pest in China. Leptographium procerum, a mutualistic fungus can assist the host beetle in overcoming the pine's chemical defenses, and Beauveria bassiana, an entomopathogenic fungus has shown high beetle killing efficiency. Considering that the D. valens immune system remains unknown at the genomic level, a mutualistic and antagonistic fungus associated with the beetle provides an ideal model for studying immune interactions between the insect and associated fungi. Here, B. bassiana killed most tested larvae more effectively than L. procerum and Tween. The entomopathogenic fungus provoked stronger responses than the symbiotic fungus at the transcriptome level. We identified 185 immunity-related genes, including pattern recognition receptors, signal modulators, members of immune pathways (Toll, IMD, and JAK/STAT), and immune effectors. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis confirmed that several recognition receptors and effector genes were activated at 1 or 2 days post infection, while the effector genes were suppressed at 4 days post infection by B. bassiana, respectively. In contrast, effector genes were upregulated in response to L. procerum. Together, this study provides a comprehensive sequence resource and insight into the D. valens immune system and lays a basis for understanding the molecular aspects of the interaction between the host and associated fungi.

Effect of Oxygen on Verbenone Conversion From cis-Verbenol by Gut Facultative Anaerobes of Dendroctonus valens

Since its introduction from North America, Dendroctonus valens LeConte has become a destructive forest pest in China. Although gut aerobic bacteria have been investigated and some are implicated in beetle pheromone production, little is known about the abundance and significance of facultative anaerobic bacteria in beetle gut, especially with regards to effects of oxygen on their role in pheromone production. In this study, we isolated and identified gut bacteria of D. valens adults in an anaerobic environment, and further compared their ability to convert cis-verbenol into verbenone (a multi-functional pheromone of D. valens) under different O₂ concentrations. Pantoea conspicua, Enterobacter xiangfangensis, Staphylococcus warneri were the most frequently isolated species among the total of 10 species identified from beetle gut in anaerobic conditions. Among all isolated species, nine were capable of cis-verbenol to verbenone conversion, and the conversion efficiency increased with increased oxygen concentration. This O₂-mediated conversion of cis-verbenol to verbenone suggests that gut facultative anaerobes of D. valens might play an important role in the frass, where there is higher exposure to oxygen, hence the higher verbenone production. This claim is further supported by distinctly differential oxygen concentrations between gut and frass of D. valens females.

Bacterial volatile ammonia regulates the consumption sequence of d-pinitol and d-glucose in a fungus associated with an invasive bark beetle

Interactions among microbial symbionts have multiple roles in the maintenance of insect-microbe symbiosis. However, signals mediating microbial interactions have been scarcely studied. In the classical model system of bark beetles and fungal associates, fungi increase the fitness of insects. However, not all interactions are mutualistic, some of these fungal symbionts compete for sugars with beetle larvae. How this antagonistic effect is alleviated is unknown, and recent research suggests potential roles of bacterial symbionts. Red turpentine beetle (RTB), Dendroctonus valens LeConte, is an invasive pest in China, and it leads to wide spread, catastrophic mortality to Chinese pines. In the symbiotic system formed by RTB, fungi and bacteria, volatiles from predominant bacteria regulate the consumption sequence of carbon sources d-pinitol and d-glucose in the fungal symbiont Leptographium procerum, and appear to alleviate the antagonistic effect from the fungus against RTB larvae. However, active components of these volatiles are unknown. We detected 67 volatiles by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS). Seven of them were identified as candidate chemicals mediating bacteria-fungus interactions, among which ammonia made L. procerum consume its secondary carbon source D-pinitol instead of its preferred carbohydrate D-glucose. In conclusion, ammonia regulated the consumption sequence of these two carbon sources in the fungal symbiont.

Sexual variation of bacterial microbiota of Dendroctonus valens guts and frass in relation to verbenone production

Gut microbiota are widely involved in insect biology, and many factors can influence the microbiota in guts and frass. Dendroctonus valens is a very destructive forest pest in China, and the mass-attacking behavior is regulated by several semiochemicals, including verbenone, a multifunctional pheromone. The beetle harbors a variety of bacteria in its guts and frass and some of them are capable of verbenone production. D. valens is characterized by monogamy and female-initiated attacking behavior. Whether the bacterial communities fluctuate according to sex, and whether the variation influences the verbenone production, remains to be determined. In this study, the bacterial microbiota in D. valens guts and frass were analyzed, and verbenone production by their crude bacterial suspensions was compared in vitro. Bacterial diversity in female frass is more abundant compared to male frass, and the percentages and total amounts of main genera like Lactococcus and Pseudomonas in female frass are significantly higher than those in male frass. The verbenone produced by the female frass suspension is significantly higher than male frass. This study presents a comprehensive comparison of bacterial communities in guts and frass between both sexes of D. valens, highlighting the potential significance of female frass microbiota in verbenone production.

Altered Carbohydrates Allocation by Associated Bacteria-fungi Interactions in a Bark Beetle-microbe Symbiosis

Insect-microbe interaction is a key area of research in multiplayer symbiosis, yet little is known about the role of microbe-microbe interactions in insect-microbe symbioses. The red turpentine beetle (RTB) has destroyed millions of healthy pines in China and forms context-dependent relationships with associated fungi. The adult-associated fungus Leptographium procerum have played key roles in RTB colonization. However, common fungal associates (L. procerum and Ophiostoma minus) with RTB larvae compete for carbohydrates. Here, we report that dominant bacteria associated with RTB larvae buffer the competition by inhibiting the growth and D-glucose consumption of O. minus. However, they didn’t inhibit the growth of L. procerum and forced this fungus to consume D-pinitol before consuming D-glucose, even though D-glucose was available and a better carbon source not only for L. procerum but also for RTB larvae and associated bacteria. This suggests the most frequently isolated bacteria associated with RTB larvae could affect fungal growth and the sequence of carbohydrate consumption. Thus, this regulates carbohydrate allocation in the RTB larva-microbe community, which may in turn benefit RTB larvae development. We also discuss the mechanism of carbohydrate allocation in the RTB larva-microbe community, and its potential contribution to the maintenance of a symbiotic community.

Population structure of mountain pine beetle symbiont Leptographium longiclavatum and the implication on the multipartite beetle-fungi relationships

Over 18 million ha of forests have been destroyed in the past decade in Canada by the mountain pine beetle (MPB) and its fungal symbionts. Understanding their population dynamics is critical to improving modeling of beetle epidemics and providing potential clues to predict population expansion. Leptographium longiclavatum and Grosmannia clavigera are fungal symbionts of MPB that aid the beetle to colonize and kill their pine hosts. We investigated the genetic structure and demographic expansion of L. longiclavatum in populations established within the historic distribution range and in the newly colonized regions. We identified three genetic clusters/populations that coincide with independent geographic locations. The genetic profiles of the recently established populations in northern British Columbia (BC) and Alberta suggest that they originated from central and southern BC. Approximate Bayesian Computation supports the scenario that this recent expansion represents an admixture of individuals originating from BC and the Rocky Mountains. Highly significant correlations were found among genetic distance matrices of L. longiclavatum, G. clavigera, and MPB. This highlights the concordance of demographic processes in these interacting organisms sharing a highly specialized niche and supports the hypothesis of long-term multipartite beetle-fungus co-evolutionary history and mutualistic relationships.

Yeast diversity associated with invasive Dendroctonus valens killing Pinus tabuliformis in China using culturing and molecular methods

Bark beetle-associated yeasts are much less studied than filamentous fungi, yet they are also considered to play important roles in beetle nutrition, detoxification, and chemical communication. The red turpentine beetle, Dendroctonus valens, an invasive bark beetle introduced from North America, became one of the most destructive pests in China, having killed more than 10 million Pinus tabuliformis as well as other pine species. No investigation of yeasts associated with this bark beetle in its invaded ranges has been conducted so far. The aim of this study was to assess the diversity of yeast communities in different microhabitats and during different developmental stages of Den. valens in China using culturing and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) approaches and to compare the yeast flora between China and the USA. The yeast identity was confirmed by sequencing the D1/D2 domain of LSU ribosomal DNA (rDNA). In total, 21 species (13 ascomycetes and eight basidiomycetes) were detected by culturing method, and 12 species (11 ascomycetes and one basidiomycetes) were detected by molecular methods from China. The most frequent five species in China were Candida piceae (Ogataea clade), Cyberlindnera americana, Candida oregonensis (Metschnikowia clade), Candida nitratophila (Ogataea clade) and an undescribed Saccharomycopsis sp., detected by both methods. Seven species were exclusively detected by DGGE. Ca. oregonensis (Metschnikowia clade) was the most frequently detected species by DGGE method. Eight species (all were ascomycetes) from the USA were isolated; seven of those were also found in China. We found significant differences in yeast total abundance as well as community composition between different developmental stages and significant differences between the surface and the gut. The frass yeast community was more similar to that of Den. valens surface or larvae than to the community of the gut or adults. Possible functions of the yeast associates are discussed.

A native fungal symbiont facilitates the prevalence and development of an invasive pathogen-native vector symbiosis

Invasive pathogen-insect symbioses have been extensively studied in many different ecological niches. Whether the damage of symbioses in different introduced regions might be influenced by other microorganisms has, however, received little attention. Eight years of field data showed that the varied levels of the nematode and beetle populations and infested trees of the invasive Bursaphelenchus xylophilus--Monochamus alternatus symbiosis were correlated with patterns in the isolation frequencies of ophiostomatoid fungi at six sites, while the laboratory experiments showed that the nematode produced greater numbers of offspring with a female-biased sex ratio and developed faster in the presence of one native symbiotic ophiostomatoid fungus, Sporothrix sp. 1. Diacetone alcohol (DAA) from xylem inoculated with Sporothrix sp. 1 induced B. xylophilus to produce greater numbers of offspring. Its presence also significantly increased the growth and survival rate of M. alternatus, and possibly explains the prevalence of the nematode-vector symbiosis when Sporothrix sp. 1 was dominant in the fungal communities. Studying the means by which multispecies interactions contributed to biogeographical dynamics allowed us to better understand the varied levels of damage caused by biological invasion across the invaded range.

Saccharide-mediated antagonistic effects of bark beetle fungal associates on larvae

Bark beetles are among the most destructive of pine forest pests and they form close symbiotic relationships with ophiostomatoid fungi. Although some fungi are considered to be mutualistic symbionts of bark beetles with respect to the supply of nutrients, detrimental effects of fungal symbionts on larval growth have also been frequently reported. The mechanisms of such antagonistic effects are hypothesized to be a decrease in nutritional resources caused by competition for saccharides by the fungi. Here, we provide experimental evidence that three beetle-associated fungi modify the nutritional content of an artificial phloem diet, leading to a detrimental effect on the growth of Dendroctonus valens larvae. When larvae were fed a diet of pine phloem in agar medium colonized with any of these fungi, feeding activity was not affected but weight significantly decreased. Additional analysis showed that fungi depleted the fructose and glucose concentrations in the phloem media. Furthermore, these detrimental effects were neutralized by supplementing the media with fructose or glucose, suggesting that fungi may affect larval growth by modifying diet saccharide contents. These data indicate that fungus-induced nutritional changes in bark beetle diet can affect larval growth, and that the mechanism involves fungus-induced saccharide depletion from the larval diet.

Red turpentine beetle: innocuous native becomes invasive tree killer in China

The red turpentine beetle (RTB), Dendroctonus valens LeConte (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), is a secondary pest of pines in its native range in North and Central America. Outbreaks and tree mortality attributed to RTB alone are rare in its native range. RTB was introduced into China in the early 1980s and spread rapidly from Shanxi Province to four adjacent provinces; it has infested over 500,000 ha of pine forest and has caused extensive tree mortality since 1999. We provide a historical background on RTB outbreaks, explanations for its invasive success, management options, and economic impacts of RTB in China. Genetic variation in RTB fungal associates, interactions between RTB and its associated fungi, behavioral differences in Chinese RTB, and other factors favoring RTB outbreaks are considered in an effort to explain the invasiveness of RTB in China. The promise of semiochemicals as a management tool is also discussed.

Model analysis for plant disease dynamics co-mediated by herbivory and herbivore-borne phytopathogens

Plants are subject to diseases caused by pathogens, many of which are transmitted by herbivorous arthropod vectors. To understand plant disease dynamics, we studied a minimum hybrid model combining consumer-resource (herbivore-plant) and susceptible-infected models, in which the disease is transmitted bi-directionally between the consumer and the resource from the infected to susceptible classes. Model analysis showed that: (i) the disease is more likely to persist when the herbivore feeds on the susceptible plants rather than the infected plants, and (ii) alternative stable states can exist in which the system converges to either a disease-free or an endemic state, depending on the initial conditions. The second finding is particularly important because it suggests that the disease may persist once established, even though the initial prevalence is low (i.e. the R(0) rule does not always hold). This situation is likely to occur when the infection improves the plant nutritive quality, and the herbivore preferentially feeds on the infected resource (i.e. indirect vector-pathogen mutualism). Our results highlight the importance of the eco-epidemiological perspective that integration of tripartite interactions among host plant, plant pathogen and herbivore vector is crucial for the successful control of plant diseases.