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Al Khoury C, Nemer G, Humber R, El-Hachem N, Guillot J, Chehab R, Noujeim E, El Khoury Y, Skaff W, Estephan N, Nemer N. Bioexploration and Phylogenetic Placement of Entomopathogenic Fungi of the Genus Beauveria in Soils of Lebanon Cedar Forests. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:924. [PMID: 34829214 PMCID: PMC8622946 DOI: 10.3390/jof7110924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The cedar forests of Lebanon have been threatened by the outbreak caused by climate change of a web-spinning sawfly, Cephalcia tannourinensis (Hymenoptera: Pamphiliidae), which negatively impacted the survival of one of the oldest tree species on earth. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of naturally soil-inhabiting entomopathogenic fungi for their role in containing the massive outbreak of this insect. We used a combination of fungal bioexploration methods, including insect bait and selective media. Morphological features and multilocus phylogeny-based on Sanger sequencing of the transcripts encoding the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF-α), RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RBP2), and the nuclear intergenic region (Bloc) were used for species identification. The occurrence rate of entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) varied with location, soil structure, forest structure, and isolation method. From 15 soil samples positive for fungal occurrence, a total of 249 isolates was obtained from all locations using different isolation methods. The phylogenetic analysis confirmed the existence of two novel indigenous species: Beauveria tannourinensis sp. nov. and Beauveria ehdenensis sp. nov. In conclusion, the present survey was successful (1) in optimizing the isolation methods for EPF, (2) investigating the natural occurrence of Beauveria spp. in outbreak areas of C. tannourinensis, and (3) in characterizing the presence of new Beauveria species in Lebanese cedar forest soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charbel Al Khoury
- Department of Natural Sciences, Byblos Campus, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Byblos P.O. Box 36, Lebanon
| | - Georges Nemer
- Division of Genomics and Translational Biomedicine, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha P.O. Box 34110, Qatar;
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, American University of Beirut, Beirut P.O. Box 110236, Lebanon;
| | - Richard Humber
- Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS Emerging Pests and Pathogens Research Unit, 538 Tower Road, Ithaca, NY 14853-2901, USA;
| | - Nehme El-Hachem
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, American University of Beirut, Beirut P.O. Box 110236, Lebanon;
| | - Jacques Guillot
- Department of Dermatology Parasitology and Mycology, Oniris, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire, Agroalimentaire et de l’Alimentation, P.O. Box 44307 Nantes, France;
| | - Racha Chehab
- Department of Agriculture and Food Engineering, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh P.O. Box 446, Lebanon;
| | - Elise Noujeim
- National Center for Marine Sciences, National Council for Scientific Research—CNRS, Beirut P.O. Box 11-8281, Lebanon; (E.N.); (Y.E.K.)
| | - Yara El Khoury
- National Center for Marine Sciences, National Council for Scientific Research—CNRS, Beirut P.O. Box 11-8281, Lebanon; (E.N.); (Y.E.K.)
- Dipartimento di Scienze del Suolo, della Pianta e degli Alimenti (Di.S.S.P.A.), Università degli Studi di Bari “Aldo Moro”, P.O. Box 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Wadih Skaff
- Ecole Supérieure d’Ingénieurs d’Agronomie Méditerranéenne, Université Saint Joseph, Taanayel, Zahlé P.O. Box 159, Lebanon;
| | - Nathalie Estephan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh P.O. Box 446, Lebanon;
| | - Nabil Nemer
- Department of Agriculture and Food Engineering, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh P.O. Box 446, Lebanon;
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El Khoury Y, Oreste M, Noujeim E, Nemer N, Tarasco E. EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON THE PATHOGENICITY OF MEDITERRANEAN NATIVE ENTOMOPATHOGENIC NEMATODES (STEINERNEMATIDAE AND HETERORHABDITIDAE) FROM NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS. Redia 2018. [DOI: 10.19263/redia-101.18.16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Noujeim E, Khater C, Pages S, Ogier JC, Tailliez P, Hamze M, Thaler O. The first record of entomopathogenic nematodes (Rhabiditiae: Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae) in natural ecosystems in Lebanon: A biogeographic approach in the Mediterranean region. J Invertebr Pathol 2011; 107:82-5. [PMID: 21241704 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2011.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2010] [Revised: 01/10/2011] [Accepted: 01/11/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
A survey of entomopathogenic nematodes in Lebanon was conducted for the first time during 2008-2009. Samples were collected on the coastal strip and in nine vegetation types extending from the coastal line to 3088m above sea level. Wooded and herbaceous ecosystems were considered for sampling purposes. A total of 570 samples were taken, out of which 1% were positive for entomopathogenic nematodes. Approximately, 15.8% out of the 19 sites sampled revealed entomopathogenic nematodes presence (representing three samples). Two entomopathogenic nematodes species Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Steinernema feltiae were recovered, and identification of their symbiotic bacteria revealed the presence of a Xenorhabdus bovienii, Photorhabdus temperata subsp. thracensis, Photorhabdus luminescens subsp. kayaii and Photorhabdus luminescens subsp. Laumondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Noujeim
- National Council for Scientific Research - CNRS, Ryad El Solh, 59, Zahia Selman Street, Beirut, Lebanon.
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