scholarly journals Early diverging insect pathogenic fungi of the order Entomophthorales possess diverse and unique subtilisin-like serine proteases

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan A. Arnesen ◽  
Joanna Malagocka ◽  
Andrii Gryganskyi ◽  
Igor V. Grigoriev ◽  
Kerstin Voigt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Host Specificity ◽  
Serine Proteases ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Opportunistic Pathogen ◽  
Protein Domain ◽  
Broad Host Range ◽  
Generalist Species ◽  
Formica Polyctena ◽  
Insect Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Insect Pathogens

AbstractInsect-pathogenic fungi use subtilisin-like serine proteases (SLSPs) to degrade chitin-associated proteins in the insect procuticle. Most insect-pathogenic fungi in the order Hypocreales (Ascomycota) are generalist species with a broad host-range, and most species possess a high number of SLSPs. The other major clade of insect-pathogenic fungi is part of the subphylum Entomophthoromycotina (Zoopagomycota, formerly Zygomycota) which consists of high host-specificity insect-pathogenic fungi that naturally only infect a single or very few host species. The extent to which insect-pathogenic fungi in the order Entomophthorales rely on SLSPs is unknown. Here we take advantage of recently available transcriptomic and genomic datasets from four genera within Entomophthoromycotina: the saprobic or opportunistic pathogens Basidiobolus meristosporus, Conidiobolus coronatus, C. thromboides, C. incongruus, and the host-specific insect pathogens Entomphthora muscae and Pandora formicae, specific pathogens of house flies (Muscae domestica) and wood ants (Formica polyctena), respectively. We use phylogenetics and protein domain analysis to show that the obligate biotrophic fungi E. muscae, P. formicae and the saprobic human pathogen C. incongruus all contain “classical” fungal SLSPs and a unique group of SLSPs that loosely resembles bacillopeptidase F-like SLSPs. This novel group of SLSPs is found in the genomes of obligate insect pathogens and a generalist saprobic opportunistic pathogen why they are unlikely to be responsible for the host specificity of Entomophthorales. However, this class represent a unique group of SLSPs so far only observed among Bacteria, Oomycetes and early diverging fungi such as Cryptomycota, Microsporidia, and Entomophthoromycotina and missing in the sister fungal lineages of Kickxellomycotina or the fungal phyla Mucoromyocta, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota fungi suggesting interesting gene loss patterns.

Entomopathogenic fungi of the order Entomophthorales (Zygomycotina) in adult black fly populations (Diptera: Simuliidae) in Quebec

1994 ◽  
Vol 40 (8) ◽  
pp. 682-686 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin P. Nadeau ◽  
Gary B. Dunphy ◽  
Jacques L. Boisvert
Keyword(s):  
Host Specificity ◽  
Entomopathogenic Fungi ◽  
Adult Stage ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Black Fly ◽  
Simulium Vittatum ◽  
Insect Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Simulium Decorum

Infections by insect-pathogenic fungi of the order Entomophthorales in two adult black fly populations were studied in the Réserve Faunique du Saint-Maurice (Quebec). Entomophaga near limoniae infected Simulium verecundum/rostratum in June whereas Erynia curvispora predominantly parasitized Simulium decorum from the 2nd week of July to September and Erynia conica attacked the Simulium venustum complex, Simulium verecundum/rostratum, and the Simulium vittatum complex from May to September. The fungi did not infect the adult stage of Prosimulium species. Possible evidence of host specificity for Erynia conica is discussed.Key words: Entomophthorales, black fly, host specificity, Entomophaga, Erynia, Simulium.

scholarly journals Early Diverging Insect-Pathogenic Fungi of the Order Entomophthorales Possess Diverse and Unique Subtilisin-Like Serine Proteases

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 3311-3319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan A. Arnesen ◽  
Joanna Małagocka ◽  
Andrii Gryganskyi ◽  
Igor V. Grigoriev ◽  
Kerstin Voigt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Serine Proteases ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Insect Pathogenic Fungi

scholarly journals Could insect phagocytic avoidance by entomogenous fungi have evolved via selection against soil amoeboid predators?

Microbiology ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 156 (7) ◽  
pp. 2164-2171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Bidochka ◽  
David C. Clark ◽  
Mike W. Lewis ◽  
Nemat O. Keyhani
Keyword(s):  
Legionella Pneumophila ◽  
Metarhizium Anisopliae ◽  
Soil Fungi ◽  
Acanthamoeba Castellanii ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Insect Cuticle ◽  
Entomogenous Fungi ◽  
Insect Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Soil Amoeba ◽  
Insect Pathogens

The entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana are ubiquitously distributed in soils. As insect pathogens they adhere to the insect cuticle and penetrate through to the insect haemocoel using a variety of cuticle-hydrolysing enzymes. Once in the insect haemocoel they are able to survive and replicate within, and/or evade, phagocytic haemocyte cells circulating in the haemolymph. The mechanism by which these soil fungi acquire virulence factors for insect infection and insect immune avoidance is unknown. We hypothesize that insect phagocytic cell avoidance in M. anisopliae and B. bassiana is the consequence of a survival strategy against soil-inhabiting predatory amoebae. Microscopic examination, phagocytosis assays and amoeba mortality assays showed that these insect pathogenic fungi are phagocytosed by the soil amoeba Acanthamoeba castellanii and can survive and grow within the amoeba, resulting in amoeba death. Mammalian fungal and bacterial pathogens, such as Cryptococcus neoformans and Legionella pneumophila, respectively, show a remarkable overlap between survival against soil amoebae and survival against human macrophages. The insect immune system, particularly phagocytic haemocytes, is analogous to the mammalian macrophage. Our data suggest that the ability of the fungal insect pathogens M. anisopliae and B. bassiana to survive insect phagocytic haemocytes may be a consequence of adaptations that have evolved in order to avoid predation by soil amoebae.

scholarly journals Novel Viruses That Lyse Plant and Human Strains of Kosakonia cowanii

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1418
Author(s):  
Karel Petrzik ◽  
Sára Brázdová ◽  
Krzysztof Krawczyk
Keyword(s):  
Host Specificity ◽  
Opportunistic Pathogen ◽  
New Genera ◽  
Pathogen Control ◽  
Plaque Phenotype

Kosakonia cowanii (syn. Enterobacter cowanii) is a highly competitive bacterium that lives with plant, insect, fish, bird, and human organisms. It is pathogenic on some plants and an opportunistic pathogen of human. Nine novel viruses that lyse plant pathogenic strains and/or human strains of K. cowanii were isolated, sequenced, and characterized. Kc166A is a novel kayfunavirus, Kc261 is a novel bonnellvirus, and Kc318 is a new cronosvirus (all Autographiviridae). Kc237 is a new sortsnevirus, but Kc166B and Kc283 are members of new genera within Podoviridae. Kc304 is a new winklervirus, and Kc263 and Kc305 are new myoviruses. The viruses differ in host specificity, plaque phenotype, and lysis kinetics. Some of them should be suitable also as pathogen control agents.

Serine proteases and metalloproteases associated with pathogenesis but not host specificity in the Entomophthoralean fungus Zoophthora radicans

2006 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 550-559 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Xu ◽  
D Baldwin ◽  
C Kindrachuk ◽  
D D Hegedus
Keyword(s):  
Serine Protease ◽  
Host Specificity ◽  
Serine Proteases ◽  
Pathogenic Fungus ◽  
Diamondback Moth ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Serial Passage ◽  
Infection Process ◽  
Original Strain ◽  
Zoophthora Radicans

The protease activity of a Zoophthora radicans strain that was highly infective toward Pieris brassicae (cabbage butterfly) larvae was compared with that of isogenic strains that were adapted to Plutella xylostella (diamondback moth) larvae through serial passage. All strains produced three distinct serine proteases ranging in size from 25 to 37 kDa; however, the original strain from P. brassicae also produced large amounts of an approximately 46 kDa metalloprotease. Subsequently, a cDNA encoding a 43 kDa (mature enzyme) zinc-dependent metalloprotease, ZrMEP1, was isolated from the original fungal strain and most likely corresponds to the 46 kDa protease observed with in-gel assays. ZrMEP1 possessed characteristics of both the fungalysin and thermolysin metalloprotease families found in some pulmonary and dermal pathogens. This is the first report of this type of metalloprotease from an entomo pathogenic fungus. A cDNA encoding a trypsin-like serine protease, ZrSP1, was also identified and was most similar to a serine protease from the plant pathogen Verticillium dahliae. In artificial media, ZrMEP1 and ZrSP1 were found to be differentially responsive to gelatin and catabolite repression in the fungal strains adapted to P. brassicae and P. xylostella, but their expression patterns within infected larvae were the same. It appears that while these proteases likely play a role in the infection process, they may not be major host specificity determinants.Key words: Zoophthora radicans, metalloprotease, serine protease, pathogenesis, entomopathogen, host specificity.

scholarly journals Efficacy of insect pathogenic fungi on mortality and development of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier)

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 198-199
Author(s):  
Waqas Wakil ◽  
◽  
Muhammad Usman ◽  
Sehrish Gulzar ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Rhynchophorus Ferrugineus ◽  
Insect Pathogenic Fungi

Searching for Polyketides in Insect Pathogenic Fungi

2007 ◽  
pp. 48-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna M. Gibson ◽  
Stuart B. Krasnoff ◽  
Alice C. L. Churchill
Keyword(s):  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Insect Pathogenic Fungi
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