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Entomopathogenic and Nematophagous Fungi
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Entomopathogenic and Nematophagous Fungi

A topical collection in Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X). This collection belongs to the section "Fungal Genomics, Genetics and Molecular Biology".

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Editors

Prof. Dr. Jinkui Yang

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
Interests: nematophagous fungi; fungal genetics; fungus–nematode interaction; signal transduction; fungal morphogenesis; fungal pathogenicity and development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Xuemei Niu

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
Interests: fungal metabolism; nematode-trapping fungi; fungus–host interaction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Topical Collection Information

Dear Colleagues,

A large number of filamentous fungi are of agricultural importance, including the causal agents and biological control agents of arthropod and nematode pests. In recent decades, scientists have been interested in developing environmentally friendly biological control agents to control the population of crop pests. Entomopathogenic and nematode-trapping fungi play important roles in the natural control of host populations and have been widely applied for biological control of pest insects and nematodes. With the development of sequencing technology, multi-omics, including genomic, proteomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses, has been widely used to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that underlie fungus–host interactions to develop new programs and strategies for combating arthropod and nematode pests.

This Topical Collection of the Journal of Fungi welcomes all kinds of reviews, perspectives, and research articles on the topic of “Entomopathogenic and Nematophagous Fungi” to expand our understanding of fungus–host interactions.

Prof. Dr. Jinkui Yang
Prof. Dr. Xuemei Niu
Collection Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Fungi is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • entomopathogenic fungi
  • nematode-trapping fungi
  • fungus–host interaction
  • fungal pathogenicity
  • fungal metabolism
  • biological control

Published Papers (5 papers)

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2025

Jump to: 2024

15 pages, 3090 KiB  
Article
MaPac2, a Transcriptional Regulator, Is Involved in Conidiation, Stress Tolerances and Pathogenicity in Metarhizium acridum
by Xiaobin Hu, Baicheng Li, Yan Li, Yuxian Xia and Kai Jin
J. Fungi 2025, 11(2), 100; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11020100 - 28 Jan 2025
Viewed by 414
Abstract
The Gti1/Pac2 protein family, which is highly conserved across fungi, is pivotal in processes such as fungal development, spore formation, protein export, toxin production, and virulence. Despite its importance, the precise functions of Pac2 within entomopathogenic fungi have yet to be fully understood. [...] Read more.
The Gti1/Pac2 protein family, which is highly conserved across fungi, is pivotal in processes such as fungal development, spore formation, protein export, toxin production, and virulence. Despite its importance, the precise functions of Pac2 within entomopathogenic fungi have yet to be fully understood. In our study, the MaPac2 gene from M. acridum was identified, and its functions were explored. Studying the domain of the protein showed that MaPac2 comprises 422 amino acids with a characteristic Gti1/Pac2 family domain (Pfam09729). Additionally, MaPac2 is predicted to have an N-terminal protein kinase A phosphorylation site and a potential cyclin-dependent kinase phosphorylation site, highlighting its potential regulatory roles in the fungus. Our findings indicate that the inactivation of MaPac2 resulted in faster germination of conidia and a marked reduction in conidial production. Furthermore, stress tolerance tests revealed that the absence of MaPac2 significantly bolstered the fungal resilience to UV-B radiation, heat shock, SDS exposure, and stresses induced by hyperosmotic conditions and oxidative challenges. Virulence assessments through bioassays indicated no substantial differences among the WT, MaPac2-disrupted strain, and CP strains in the topical inoculation trials. Interestingly, deletion of MaPac2 increased the fungal virulence by intrahemocoel injection. Furthermore, we found that disruption of MaPac2 impaired fungal cuticle penetration due to the diminished appressorium formation but increased the fungal growth in locust hemolymph. These findings provide further insights into the roles played by Gti1/Pac2 in insect pathogenic fungi. Full article
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2024

Jump to: 2025

16 pages, 3991 KiB  
Article
The Cryptochrome CryA Regulates Lipid Droplet Accumulation, Conidiation, and Trap Formation via Responses to Light in Arthrobotrys oligospora
by Yanmei Shen, Xuewei Yang, Meichen Zhu, Shipeng Duan, Qianqian Liu and Jinkui Yang
J. Fungi 2024, 10(9), 626; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10090626 - 1 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1206
Abstract
Light is a key environmental factor affecting conidiation in filamentous fungi. The cryptochrome/photolyase CryA, a blue-light receptor, is involved in fungal development. In the present study, a homologous CryA (AoCryA) was identified from the widely occurring nematode-trapping (NT) fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora, and [...] Read more.
Light is a key environmental factor affecting conidiation in filamentous fungi. The cryptochrome/photolyase CryA, a blue-light receptor, is involved in fungal development. In the present study, a homologous CryA (AoCryA) was identified from the widely occurring nematode-trapping (NT) fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora, and its roles in the mycelial growth and development of A. oligospora were characterized using gene knockout, phenotypic comparison, staining technique, and metabolome analysis. The inactivation of AocryA caused a substantial decrease in spore yields in dark conditions but did not affect spore yields in the wild-type (WT) and ∆AocryA mutant strains in light conditions. Corresponding to the decrease in spore production, the transcription of sporulation-related genes was also significantly downregulated in dark conditions. Contrarily, the ∆AocryA mutants showed a substantial increase in trap formation in dark conditions, while the trap production and nematode-trapping abilities of the WT and mutant strains significantly decreased in light conditions. In addition, lipid droplet accumulation increased in the ∆AocryA mutant in dark conditions, and the mutants showed an increased tolerance to sorbitol, while light contributed to the synthesis of carotenoids. Finally, AoCryA was found to affect secondary metabolic processes. These results reveal, for the first time, the function of a homologous cryptochrome in NT fungi. Full article
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18 pages, 3517 KiB  
Article
Two-Sex Life Table Analysis for Optimizing Beauveria bassiana Application against Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
by Junaid Zafar, Rana Fartab Shoukat, Zhanpeng Zhu, Dongran Fu, Xiaoxia Xu and Fengliang Jin
J. Fungi 2024, 10(7), 469; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10070469 - 4 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2410
Abstract
Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a highly dispersive, polyphagous insect pest that severely defoliates crops. Excessive reliance on synthetic insecticides leads to ecological pollution and resistance development, urging scientists to probe eco-friendly biopesticides. Here, we explore the virulence of an entomopathogenic fungus, [...] Read more.
Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a highly dispersive, polyphagous insect pest that severely defoliates crops. Excessive reliance on synthetic insecticides leads to ecological pollution and resistance development, urging scientists to probe eco-friendly biopesticides. Here, we explore the virulence of an entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, against S. exigua, resulting in 88% larval mortality. Using an age–stage, two-sex life table, we evaluated the lethal and sublethal effects of B. bassiana on the demographic parameters of S. exigua, including survival, development, and reproduction. Sublethal (LC20) and lethal concentrations (LC50) of B. bassiana impacted the parental generation (F0), with these effects further influencing the demographic parameters of the first filial generation (F1). The infected F1 offsprings showed a reduced intrinsic rate of increase (r), mean generation time (T), and net reproduction rate (R0). Larval developmental duration varied significantly between the control (10.98 d) and treated groups (LC20: 10.42; LC50: 9.37 d). Adults in the treated groups had significantly reduced lifespans (M: 8.22; F: 7.32 d) than the control (M: 10.00; F: 8.22 d). Reduced fecundity was observed in the B. bassiana-infected groups (LC20: 313.45; LC50: 223.92 eggs/female) compared to the control (359.55 eggs/female). A biochemical assay revealed elevated levels of detoxification enzymes (esterases, glutathione S-transferases, and acetylcholinesterase) in the F0 generation after B. bassiana infection. However, the enzymatic activity remained non-significant in the F1 generation likely due to the lack of direct fungal exposure. Our findings highlight the enduring effects of B. bassiana on the biological parameters and population dynamics of S. exigua, stressing its use in eco-friendly management programs. Full article
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15 pages, 6117 KiB  
Article
MaAzaR, a Zn2Cys6/Fungus-Specific Transcriptional Factor, Is Involved in Stress Tolerance and Conidiation Pattern Shift in Metarhizium acridum
by Jinyuan Zhou, Siqin Wang, Yuxian Xia and Guoxiong Peng
J. Fungi 2024, 10(7), 468; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10070468 - 4 Jul 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1143
Abstract
Entomopathogenic fungi are valuable sources of biological pesticides, with conidial yield and quality being pivotal factors determining their broad applications. AzaR, a fungus-specific zinc-cluster transcription factor, is known to regulate the biosynthesis of polyketone secondary metabolites in Aspergillus niger; however, its role [...] Read more.
Entomopathogenic fungi are valuable sources of biological pesticides, with conidial yield and quality being pivotal factors determining their broad applications. AzaR, a fungus-specific zinc-cluster transcription factor, is known to regulate the biosynthesis of polyketone secondary metabolites in Aspergillus niger; however, its role in pathogenic fungi remains unclear. This study investigated the role of MaAzaR in the growth, development, and environmental tolerance of Metarhizium acridum. MaAzaR deletion slowed down conidial germination rate, caused reduction in conidial yield, lowered fungal tolerance to UV radiation, did not affect fungal heat-shock tolerance, and increased fungal sensitivity to the cell-wall-destructive agent calcofluor white. Furthermore, MaAzaR deletion transformed microcycle conidiation to normal conidiation on the microcycle conidiation medium. Transcription profile analysis demonstrated that MaAzaR could regulate transformation of the conidiation pattern by controlling the expression of genes related to cell division, mycelium growth and development, and cell wall integrity. Thus, this study identified a new gene related to fungal conidiation and environmental tolerance, enriching our understanding of the molecular mechanism of microcycle conidiation and providing theoretical support and genetic resources for the development of high-yielding strains. Full article
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16 pages, 3002 KiB  
Article
Volatile Semiochemicals Emitted by Beauveria bassiana Modulate Larval Feeding Behavior and Food Choice Preference in Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
by Arturo Ramírez-Ordorica, Sandra Goretti Adame-Garnica, Hilda Eréndira Ramos-Aboites, Robert Winkler and Lourdes Macías-Rodríguez
J. Fungi 2024, 10(6), 438; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10060438 - 20 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1746
Abstract
Beauveria bassiana is an entomopathogenic fungus that parasitizes and kills insects. The role of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by B. bassiana acting as semiochemicals during its interaction with lepidopterans is poorly explored. Here, we studied the effect of VOCs from B. bassiana [...] Read more.
Beauveria bassiana is an entomopathogenic fungus that parasitizes and kills insects. The role of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by B. bassiana acting as semiochemicals during its interaction with lepidopterans is poorly explored. Here, we studied the effect of VOCs from B. bassiana and 3-methylbutanol (as a single compound) on the feeding behavior of L2 larvae of Spodoptera frugiperda in sorghum plants. Additionally, we assessed whether fungal VOCs induce chemical modifications in the plants that affect larval food preferences. Metabolomic profiling of plant tissues was performed by mass spectrometry and bioassays in a dual-choice olfactometer. The results showed that the larval feeding behavior was affected by the B. bassiana strain AI2, showing that the insect response is strain-specific. Furthermore, 80 µg of 3-methylbutanol affected the number of bites. The larval feeding choice was dependent on the background context. Fragment spectra and a matching precursor ion mass of 165.882 m/z enabled the putative identification of 4-coumaric acid in sorghum leaves exposed to fungal VOCs, which may be associated with larval deterrent responses. These results provide valuable insights into the bipartite interaction of B. bassiana with lepidopterans through VOC emission, with the plant as a mediator of the interaction. Full article
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