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Ferilli F, Lione G, Gonthier P, Turina M, Forgia M. First detection of mycoviruses in Gnomoniopsis castaneae suggests a putative horizontal gene transfer event between negative-sense and double-strand RNA viruses. Virology 2024; 594:110057. [PMID: 38527381 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2024.110057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Gnomoniopsis castaneae is an ascomycetous fungus mainly known as a major pathogen of chestnut causing nut rots, although it is often found as an endophyte in chestnut tissues. To date, no virus has been reported as associated with to this fungus. Here, a collection of G. castaneae isolates from several European countries was screened to detect mycoviruses infecting the fungus: for the first time we report the identification and prevalence of mitovirus Gnomoniopsis castaneae mitovirus 1 (GcMV1) and the chrysovirus Gnomoniopsis castaneae chrysovirus 1 (GcCV1). Interestingly, we provide evidence supporting a putative horizontal gene transfer between members of the phyla Negarnaviricota and Duplornaviricota: a small putative protein of unknown function encoded on the RNA3 of GcCV1 (Chrysoviridae) has homologs in the genome of viruses of the family Mymonaviridae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franco Ferilli
- University of Torino, Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095, Grugliasco, Torino, Italy; Currently an EFSA Staff Member in the Environment, Plants & Ecotoxicology Unit, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Via Carlo Magno 1A, 43126, Parma, Italy
| | - Guglielmo Lione
- University of Torino, Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095, Grugliasco, Torino, Italy
| | - Paolo Gonthier
- University of Torino, Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095, Grugliasco, Torino, Italy
| | - Massimo Turina
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council of Italy, Strada Delle Cacce, 73, Torino, 10135, Italy
| | - Marco Forgia
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council of Italy, Strada Delle Cacce, 73, Torino, 10135, Italy.
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Hassan S, Syun-ichi U, Shabeer S, Wu CF, Moriyama H, Coutts RHA, Kotta-Loizou I, Jamal A. Molecular and biological characterization of a partitivirus from Paecilomyces variotii. J Gen Virol 2023; 104:001925. [PMID: 38015047 PMCID: PMC10768695 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Paeciliomyces variotii is a thermo-tolerant, ubiquitous fungus commonly found in food products, indoor environments, soil and clinical samples. It is a well-known biocontrol agent used against phytopathogenic fungi and its metabolites have many industrial applications. Rare reports of P. variotii-related human infections have been found in the medical literature. In this study, we report for the first time the infection of P. variotii isolated from a soil sample collected in a rice field with a double-stranded RNA virus, Paeciliomyces variotii partitivirus 1 (PvPV-1) in the family Partitiviridae. P. variotii harboured icosahedral virus particles 30 nm in diameter with two dsRNA segments 1758 and 1356 bp long. Both dsRNA1 and dsRNA2 have a single open reading frame encoding proteins of 63 and 40 kDa, respectively. These proteins have significant similarity to the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and capsid protein encoded by the genomic segments of several viruses from the family Partitiviridae. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that PvPV-1 belongs to the family Partitiviridae but in an unclassified group/genus, tentatively nominated Zetapartitivirus. PvPV-1 was found to increase the growth rate of the host fungus, as indicated by time course experiments performed on a range of different media for virus-infected and virus-free isogenic lines. Further, dual-culture assays performed for both isogenic lines confirmed the antagonistic potential of P. variotii against other phytopathogenic fungi. The findings of this study assist us in understanding P. variotii as a potential biocontrol agent, together with plant-fungus-virus interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sidra Hassan
- Department of Plant and Environmental Protection, PARC Institute of Advanced Studies in Agriculture (Affiliated with Quaid-i-Azam University), National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad, 45500, Pakistan
| | - Urayama Syun-ichi
- Laboratory of Fungal Interaction and Molecular Biology (donated by IFO), Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
| | - Saba Shabeer
- Department of Bioscience, COMSATS University, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan
- Crop Diseases Research Institute (CDRI), National Agricultural Research Centre, Park Road, Islamabad, 45500, Pakistan
| | - Chien-Fu Wu
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8, Saiwaicho, Fuchu, Tokyo 184-8509, Japan
| | - Hiromitsu Moriyama
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8, Saiwaicho, Fuchu, Tokyo 184-8509, Japan
| | - Robert H. A. Coutts
- Department of Clinical, Pharmaceutical and Biological Science, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, AL10 9AB, UK
| | - Ioly Kotta-Loizou
- Department of Clinical, Pharmaceutical and Biological Science, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, AL10 9AB, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Atif Jamal
- Crop Diseases Research Institute (CDRI), National Agricultural Research Centre, Park Road, Islamabad, 45500, Pakistan
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Pagnoni S, Oufensou S, Balmas V, Bulgari D, Gobbi E, Forgia M, Migheli Q, Turina M. A collection of Trichoderma isolates from natural environments in Sardinia reveals a complex virome that includes negative-sense fungal viruses with unprecedented genome organizations. Virus Evol 2023; 9:vead042. [PMID: 37692893 PMCID: PMC10491862 DOI: 10.1093/ve/vead042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Trichoderma genus includes soil-inhabiting fungi that provide important ecosystem services in their interaction with plants and other fungi, as well as biocontrol of fungal plant diseases. A collection of Trichoderma isolates from Sardinia has been previously characterized, but here we selected 113 isolates, representatives of the collection, and characterized their viral components. We carried out high-throughput sequencing of ribosome-depleted total RNA following a bioinformatics pipeline that detects virus-derived RNA-directed RNA polymerases (RdRps) and other conserved viral protein sequences. This pipeline detected seventeen viral RdRps with two of them corresponding to viruses already detected in other regions of the world and the remaining fifteen representing isolates of new putative virus species. Surprisingly, eight of them are from new negative-sense RNA viruses, a first in the genus Trichoderma. Among them is a cogu-like virus, closely related to plant-infecting viruses. Regarding the positive-sense viruses, we report the presence of an 'ormycovirus' belonging to a recently characterized group of bisegmented single-stranded RNA viruses with uncertain phylogenetic assignment. Finally, for the first time, we report a bisegmented member of Mononegavirales which infects fungi. The proteins encoded by the second genomic RNA of this virus were used to re-evaluate several viruses in the Penicillimonavirus and Plasmopamonavirus genera, here shown to be bisegmented and encoding a conserved polypeptide that has structural conservation with the nucleocapsid domain of rhabdoviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saul Pagnoni
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences—Production, Landscape, Agroenergy, University of Milan, via Celoria 2, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Safa Oufensou
- Department of Agricultural Sciences and NRD—Desertification Research Center, University of Sassari, Viale Italia 39a, Sassari, Sardegna 07100, Italy
| | - Virgilio Balmas
- Department of Agricultural Sciences and NRD—Desertification Research Center, University of Sassari, Viale Italia 39a, Sassari, Sardegna 07100, Italy
| | - Daniela Bulgari
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, Brescia 25123, Italy
| | - Emanuela Gobbi
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, Brescia 25123, Italy
| | - Marco Forgia
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council of Italy, Strada delle Cacce, 73, Torino 10135, Italy
| | - Quirico Migheli
- Department of Agricultural Sciences and NRD—Desertification Research Center, University of Sassari, Viale Italia 39a, Sassari, Sardegna 07100, Italy
| | - Massimo Turina
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council of Italy, Strada delle Cacce, 73, Torino 10135, Italy
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Liu C, Jiang X, Tan Z, Wang R, Shang Q, Li H, Xu S, Aranda MA, Wu B. An Outstandingly Rare Occurrence of Mycoviruses in Soil Strains of the Plant-Beneficial Fungi from the Genus Trichoderma and a Novel Polymycoviridae Isolate. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0522822. [PMID: 37022156 PMCID: PMC10269472 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.05228-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In fungi, viral infections frequently remain cryptic causing little or no phenotypic changes. It can indicate either a long history of coevolution or a strong immune system of the host. Some fungi are outstandingly ubiquitous and can be recovered from a great diversity of habitats. However, the role of viral infection in the emergence of environmental opportunistic species is not known. The genus of filamentous and mycoparasitic fungi Trichoderma (Hypocreales, Ascomycota) consists of more than 400 species, which mainly occur on dead wood, other fungi, or as endo- and epiphytes. However, some species are environmental opportunists because they are cosmopolitan, can establish in a diversity of habitats, and can also become pests on mushroom farms and infect immunocompromised humans. In this study, we investigated the library of 163 Trichoderma strains isolated from grassland soils in Inner Mongolia, China, and found only four strains with signs of the mycoviral nucleic acids, including a strain of T. barbatum infected with a novel strain of the Polymycoviridae and named and characterized here as Trichoderma barbatum polymycovirus 1 (TbPMV1). Phylogenetic analysis suggested that TbPMV1 was evolutionarily distinct from the Polymycoviridae isolated either from Eurotialean fungi or from the order Magnaportales. Although the Polymycoviridae viruses were also known from Hypocrealean Beauveria bassiana, the phylogeny of TbPMV1 did not reflect the phylogeny of the host. Our analysis lays the groundwork for further in-depth characterization of TbPMV1 and the role of mycoviruses in the emergence of environmental opportunism in Trichoderma. IMPORTANCE Although viruses infect all organisms, our knowledge of some groups of eukaryotes remains limited. For instance, the diversity of viruses infecting fungi-mycoviruses-is largely unknown. However, the knowledge of viruses associated with industrially relevant and plant-beneficial fungi, such as Trichoderma spp. (Hypocreales, Ascomycota), may shed light on the stability of their phenotypes and the expression of beneficial traits. In this study, we screened the library of soilborne Trichoderma strains because these isolates may be developed into bioeffectors for plant protection and sustainable agriculture. Notably, the diversity of endophytic viruses in soil Trichoderma was outstandingly low. Only 2% of 163 strains contained traces of dsRNA viruses, including the new Trichoderma barbatum polymycovirus 1 (TbPMV1) characterized in this study. TbPMV1 is the first mycovirus found in Trichoderma. Our results indicate that the limited data prevent the in-depth study of the evolutionary relationship between soilborne fungi and is worth further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenchen Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiliang Jiang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaoyan Tan
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rongqun Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qiaoxia Shang
- Key Laboratory for Northern Urban Agriculture of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Hongrui Li
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Horticulture and Landscapes, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, China
| | - Shujin Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Horticulture and Landscapes, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, China
| | - Miguel A. Aranda
- Department of Stress Biology and Plant Pathology, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CEBAS)-CSIC, Murcia, Spain
| | - Beilei Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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Hough B, Steenkamp E, Wingfield B, Read D. Fungal Viruses Unveiled: A Comprehensive Review of Mycoviruses. Viruses 2023; 15:1202. [PMID: 37243288 PMCID: PMC10224137 DOI: 10.3390/v15051202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycoviruses (viruses of fungi) are ubiquitous throughout the fungal kingdom and are currently classified into 23 viral families and the genus botybirnavirus by the International Committee on the Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV). The primary focus of mycoviral research has been on mycoviruses that infect plant pathogenic fungi, due to the ability of some to reduce the virulence of their host and thus act as potential biocontrol against these fungi. However, mycoviruses lack extracellular transmission mechanisms and rely on intercellular transmission through the hyphal anastomosis, which impedes successful transmission between different fungal strains. This review provides a comprehensive overview of mycoviruses, including their origins, host range, taxonomic classification into families, effects on their fungal counterparts, and the techniques employed in their discovery. The application of mycoviruses as biocontrol agents of plant pathogenic fungi is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Brenda Wingfield
- Forestry & Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), Department of Biochemistry, Genetics & Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa; (B.H.); (E.S.); (D.R.)
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Villan Larios DC, Diaz Reyes BM, Pirovani CP, Loguercio LL, Santos VC, Góes-Neto A, Fonseca PLC, Aguiar ERGR. Exploring the Mycovirus Universe: Identification, Diversity, and Biotechnological Applications. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9030361. [PMID: 36983529 PMCID: PMC10052124 DOI: 10.3390/jof9030361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses that infect fungi are known as mycoviruses and are characterized by the lack of an extracellular phase. In recent years, the advances on nucleic acids sequencing technologies have led to a considerable increase in the number of fungi-infecting viral species described in the literature, with a special interest in assessing potential applications as fungal biocontrol agents. In the present study, we performed a comprehensive review using Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases to mine mycoviruses data to explore their molecular features and their use in biotechnology. Our results showed the existence of 267 mycovirus species, of which 189 are recognized by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV). The majority of the mycoviruses identified have a dsRNA genome (38.6%), whereas the Botourmiaviridae (ssRNA+) alone represents 14% of all mycoviruses diversity. Regarding fungal hosts, members from the Sclerotinicaeae appeared as the most common species described to be infected by mycoviruses, with 16 different viral families identified so far. It is noteworthy that such results are directly associated with the high number of studies and strategies used to investigate the presence of viruses in members of the Sclerotinicaeae family. The knowledge about replication strategy and possible impact on fungi biology is available for only a small fraction of the mycoviruses studied, which is the main limitation for considering these elements potential targets for biotechnological applications. Altogether, our investigation allowed us to summarize the general characteristics of mycoviruses and their hosts, the consequences, and the implications of this knowledge on mycovirus–fungi interactions, providing an important source of information for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Carolina Villan Larios
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Biotechnology and Genetics, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus 45662-900, Bahia, Brazil; (D.C.V.L.); (B.M.D.R.); (C.P.P.); (L.L.L.)
| | - Brayan Maudiel Diaz Reyes
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Biotechnology and Genetics, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus 45662-900, Bahia, Brazil; (D.C.V.L.); (B.M.D.R.); (C.P.P.); (L.L.L.)
| | - Carlos Priminho Pirovani
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Biotechnology and Genetics, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus 45662-900, Bahia, Brazil; (D.C.V.L.); (B.M.D.R.); (C.P.P.); (L.L.L.)
| | - Leandro Lopes Loguercio
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Biotechnology and Genetics, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus 45662-900, Bahia, Brazil; (D.C.V.L.); (B.M.D.R.); (C.P.P.); (L.L.L.)
| | - Vinícius Castro Santos
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil;
| | - Aristóteles Góes-Neto
- Department of Microbiology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil;
| | - Paula Luize Camargos Fonseca
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Biotechnology and Genetics, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus 45662-900, Bahia, Brazil; (D.C.V.L.); (B.M.D.R.); (C.P.P.); (L.L.L.)
- Department of Genetics, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Correspondence: (P.L.C.F.); (E.R.G.R.A.)
| | - Eric Roberto Guimarães Rocha Aguiar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Biotechnology and Genetics, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus 45662-900, Bahia, Brazil; (D.C.V.L.); (B.M.D.R.); (C.P.P.); (L.L.L.)
- Correspondence: (P.L.C.F.); (E.R.G.R.A.)
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Schalamun M, Schmoll M. Trichoderma - genomes and genomics as treasure troves for research towards biology, biotechnology and agriculture. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2022; 3:1002161. [PMID: 37746224 PMCID: PMC10512326 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2022.1002161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
The genus Trichoderma is among the best studied groups of filamentous fungi, largely because of its high relevance in applications from agriculture to enzyme biosynthesis to biofuel production. However, the physiological competences of these fungi, that led to these beneficial applications are intriguing also from a scientific and ecological point of view. This review therefore summarizes recent developments in studies of fungal genomes, updates on previously started genome annotation efforts and novel discoveries as well as efforts towards bioprospecting for enzymes and bioactive compounds such as cellulases, enzymes degrading xenobiotics and metabolites with potential pharmaceutical value. Thereby insights are provided into genomes, mitochondrial genomes and genomes of mycoviruses of Trichoderma strains relevant for enzyme production, biocontrol and mycoremediation. In several cases, production of bioactive compounds could be associated with responsible genes or clusters and bioremediation capabilities could be supported or predicted using genome information. Insights into evolution of the genus Trichoderma revealed large scale horizontal gene transfer, predominantly of CAZyme genes, but also secondary metabolite clusters. Investigation of sexual development showed that Trichoderma species are competent of repeat induced point mutation (RIP) and in some cases, segmental aneuploidy was observed. Some random mutants finally gave away their crucial mutations like T. reesei QM9978 and QM9136 and the fertility defect of QM6a was traced back to its gene defect. The Trichoderma core genome was narrowed down to 7000 genes and gene clustering was investigated in the genomes of multiple species. Finally, recent developments in application of CRISPR/Cas9 in Trichoderma, cloning and expression strategies for the workhorse T. reesei as well as the use genome mining tools for bioprospecting Trichoderma are highlighted. The intriguing new findings on evolution, genomics and physiology highlight emerging trends and illustrate worthwhile perspectives in diverse fields of research with Trichoderma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Schalamun
- Center for Health and Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Tulln, Austria
| | - Monika Schmoll
- Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Division of Terrestrial Ecosystem Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Wang R, Liu C, Jiang X, Tan Z, Li H, Xu S, Zhang S, Shang Q, Deising HB, Behrens SE, Wu B. The Newly Identified Trichoderma harzianum Partitivirus (ThPV2) Does Not Diminish Spore Production and Biocontrol Activity of Its Host. Viruses 2022; 14:1532. [PMID: 35891512 PMCID: PMC9317543 DOI: 10.3390/v14071532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A new partititvirus isolated from a Trichoderma harzianum strain (T673), collected in China, was characterized and annotated as Trichoderma harzianum partitivirus 2 (ThPV2). The genome of ThPV2 consists of a 1693 bp dsRNA1 encoding a putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and a 1458 bp dsRNA2 encoding a hypothetical protein. In comparative studies employing the ThPV2-infected strain (T673) and a strain cured by ribavirin treatment (virus-free strain T673-F), we investigated biological effects of ThPV2 infection. While the growth rate of the virus-infected fungus differed little from that of the cured variant, higher mycelial density, conidiospore, and chlamydospore production were observed in the virus-infected strain T673. Furthermore, both the ThPV2-infected and the cured strain showed growth- and development-promoting activities in cucumber plants. In vitro confrontation tests showed that strains T673 and T673-F inhibited several important fungal pathogens and an oomycete pathogen in a comparable manner. Interestingly, in experiments with cucumber seeds inoculated with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum, the ThPV2-infected strain T673 showed moderately but statistically significantly improved biocontrol activity when compared with strain T673-F. Our data broaden the spectrum of known mycoviruses and provide relevant information for the development of mycoviruses for agronomic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongqun Wang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 West Yuanmingyuan Rd., Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China; (R.W.); (C.L.); (X.J.); (Z.T.); (H.L.); (S.X.); (S.Z.)
| | - Chenchen Liu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 West Yuanmingyuan Rd., Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China; (R.W.); (C.L.); (X.J.); (Z.T.); (H.L.); (S.X.); (S.Z.)
| | - Xiliang Jiang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 West Yuanmingyuan Rd., Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China; (R.W.); (C.L.); (X.J.); (Z.T.); (H.L.); (S.X.); (S.Z.)
| | - Zhaoyan Tan
- Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 West Yuanmingyuan Rd., Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China; (R.W.); (C.L.); (X.J.); (Z.T.); (H.L.); (S.X.); (S.Z.)
| | - Hongrui Li
- Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 West Yuanmingyuan Rd., Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China; (R.W.); (C.L.); (X.J.); (Z.T.); (H.L.); (S.X.); (S.Z.)
- College of Horticulture and Landscapes, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin 300392, China
| | - Shujin Xu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 West Yuanmingyuan Rd., Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China; (R.W.); (C.L.); (X.J.); (Z.T.); (H.L.); (S.X.); (S.Z.)
- College of Horticulture and Landscapes, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin 300392, China
| | - Shuaihu Zhang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 West Yuanmingyuan Rd., Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China; (R.W.); (C.L.); (X.J.); (Z.T.); (H.L.); (S.X.); (S.Z.)
| | - Qiaoxia Shang
- Key Laboratory for Northern Urban Agriculture of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102206, China;
| | - Holger B. Deising
- Institute for Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Section Phytopathology and Plant Protection, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany;
| | - Sven-Erik Behrens
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Section Microbial Biotechnology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany;
| | - Beilei Wu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2 West Yuanmingyuan Rd., Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China; (R.W.); (C.L.); (X.J.); (Z.T.); (H.L.); (S.X.); (S.Z.)
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Non-detection of mycoviruses in amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) from Australia. Fungal Biol 2021; 126:75-81. [PMID: 34930560 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2021.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Mycoviruses may influence the pathogenicity of disease-causing fungi. Although mycoviruses have been found in some chytrid fungi, limited testing has not detected them in Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), the cause of the devastating amphibian disease, chytridiomycosis. Here we conducted a survey for mycovirus presence in 38 Bd isolates from Australia (n = 31), Brazil (n = 5) and South Korea (n = 2) with a combination of modern high-throughput sequencing and conventional dsRNA cellulose chromatography. Mycoviruses were not detected in any isolates. This result was unexpected, given the long evolutionary history of Bd, as well as the high prevalence of mycoviruses in related fungal species. Given our widespread sampling in Australia and the limited number of Bd introductions, we suggest that mycoviruses are uncommon or absent from Australian Bd. Testing more isolates from regions where Bd originated, as well as regions with high diversity or low fungal virulence may identify mycoviruses that could aid in disease control.
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Casas LL, Azevedo JL, Almeida LN, Costa-Neto PQ, Bianco RA, Pereira JO. Mycoviruses infecting Colletotrichum spp.: A comprehensive review. BRAZ J BIOL 2021; 83:e248975. [PMID: 34550289 DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.248975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Colletotrichum is one of the most economically important fungal genera, which affects a wide range of hosts, specifically tropical and subtropical crops. Thus far, there have been several records of mycovirus infection in Colletotrichum spp., primarily by viruses of the Partitiviridae family. There have also been records of infections by mycoviruses of the Chrysoviridae family. Mycoviruses are (+)ssRNA and dsRNA genome viruses, which may or may not be enveloped. To date, no mycovirus with a DNA genome has been isolated from Colletotrichum spp. Typically, mycoviruses cause latent infections, although hypo- and hypervirulence have also been reported in Colletotrichum spp. In addition to its effects on pathogenic behavior, mycovirus infection can lead to important physiological changes, such as altered morphological characteristics, reduced vegetative growth, and suppressed conidia production. Therefore, research on mycoviruses infecting phytopathogenic fungi can help develop alternative methods to chemical control, which can cause irreversible damage to humans and the environment. From an agricultural perspective, mycoviruses can contribute to sustainable agriculture as biological control agents via changes in fungal physiology, ultimately resulting in the total loss of or reduction in the virulence of these pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- L L Casas
- Universidade do Estado do Amazonas - UEA, Programa de Pós-graduação em Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia - Bionorte, Manaus, AM, Brasil
| | - J L Azevedo
- Universidade de São Paulo - USP, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, Piracicaba, SP, Brasil
| | - L N Almeida
- Universidade Federal do Amazonas - UFAM, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias, Manaus, AM, Brasil
| | - P Q Costa-Neto
- Universidade Federal do Amazonas - UFAM, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias, Manaus, AM, Brasil
| | - R A Bianco
- Centro Universitário do Norte - Uninorte, Manaus, AM, Brasil
| | - J O Pereira
- Universidade Federal do Amazonas - UFAM, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias, Manaus, AM, Brasil
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Šečić E, Kogel KH. Requirements for fungal uptake of dsRNA and gene silencing in RNAi-based crop protection strategies. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2021; 70:136-142. [PMID: 34000482 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2021.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Growing evidence indicates that RNAi is an effective control strategy for agronomically important fungi. To implement RNAi-based crop protection strategies, dsRNA molecules are either sprayed on foliage or generated by genetically engineered plants. Here, we summarize current knowledge of the mechanisms governing dsRNA uptake and RNAi-mediated gene silencing in fungi, as well as the factors that influence these phenomena. Of primary importance is dsRNA design, as identifying an appropriate gene for silencing and determining which region of the gene to target are critical for maximizing efficiency. Strategies for enhancing dsRNA uptake, potentially by using formulations and/or carriers that prevent dsRNA degradation by (a)biotic factors and possibly facilitate translocation, also are a key consideration. Finally, determining whether the fungal pathogen of interest contains a functional RNAi machinery is a major consideration. Integrated experimental confirmation of these important factors is necessary for the successful development of crop protection strategies against fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ena Šečić
- Institute of Phytopathology, Centre for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Karl-Heinz Kogel
- Institute of Phytopathology, Centre for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
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Description of a Novel Mycovirus in the Phytopathogen Fusarium culmorum and a Related EVE in the Yeast Lipomyces starkeyi. Viruses 2020; 12:v12050523. [PMID: 32397544 PMCID: PMC7290986 DOI: 10.3390/v12050523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A new mycovirus was found in the Fusarium culmorum strain A104-1 originally sampled on wheat in Belgium. This novel virus, for which the name Fusarium culmorum virus 1 (FcV1) is suggested, is phylogenetically related to members of the previously proposed family ‘’Unirnaviridae’’. FcV1 has a monopartite dsRNA genome of 2898 bp that harbors two large non-overlapping ORFs. A typical -1 slippery motif is found at the end of ORF1, advocating that ORF2 is translated by programmed ribosomal frameshifting. While ORF2 exhibits a conserved replicase domain, ORF1 encodes for an undetermined protein. Interestingly, a hypothetically transcribed gene similar to unirnaviruses ORF1 was found in the genome of Lipomyces starkeyi, presumably resulting from a viral endogenization in this yeast. Conidial isolation and chemical treatment were unsuccessful to obtain a virus-free isogenic line of the fungal host, highlighting a high retention rate for FcV1 but hindering its biological characterization. In parallel, attempt to horizontally transfer FcV1 to another strain of F. culmorum by dual culture failed. Eventually, a screening of other strains of the same fungal species suggests the presence of FcV1 in two other strains from Europe.
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Coming-of-Age Characterization of Soil Viruses: A User’s Guide to Virus Isolation, Detection within Metagenomes, and Viromics. SOIL SYSTEMS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/soilsystems4020023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The study of soil viruses, though not new, has languished relative to the study of marine viruses. This is particularly due to challenges associated with separating virions from harboring soils. Generally, three approaches to analyzing soil viruses have been employed: (1) Isolation, to characterize virus genotypes and phenotypes, the primary method used prior to the start of the 21st century. (2) Metagenomics, which has revealed a vast diversity of viruses while also allowing insights into viral community ecology, although with limitations due to DNA from cellular organisms obscuring viral DNA. (3) Viromics (targeted metagenomics of virus-like-particles), which has provided a more focused development of ‘virus-sequence-to-ecology’ pipelines, a result of separation of presumptive virions from cellular organisms prior to DNA extraction. This separation permits greater sequencing emphasis on virus DNA and thereby more targeted molecular and ecological characterization of viruses. Employing viromics to characterize soil systems presents new challenges, however. Ones that only recently are being addressed. Here we provide a guide to implementing these three approaches to studying environmental viruses, highlighting benefits, difficulties, and potential contamination, all toward fostering greater focus on viruses in the study of soil ecology.
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