Title: | Can colonization by an endophytic fungus transform a plant into a challenging host for insect herbivores? |
Address: | "Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Byblos Campus, P.O. Box 36, Byblos, Lebanon. Electronic address: charbel.alkhoury@lau.edu.lb" |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.funbio.2021.08.001 |
Abstract: | "Endophytic growth of arthropod pathogenic fungi can parasitize insect herbivores without causing damage to the crop. However, studies addressing this tritrophic interaction are absent. Here, the endophytic arthropod pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (Hypocreales: Cordyciptaceae), the polyphagous two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Trombidiformes: Tetranychidae), and its preferred plant host Phaseolus vulgaris L. (Fabales: Fabaceae) were selected to study the multi-kingdom interactions among plants, arthropods, and entomopathogenic fungi. Real-Time PCR analysis of nine defense-related genes revealed that a broad range of plant defense mechanisms is activated in response to the endophytic growth of B. bassiana. Moreover, we studied the molecular mechanism adapted by the two-spotted spider mite that underlies resistance. The analysis of 41 detoxification genes revealed that relatively moderate, high, and few numbers of genes were changed in the adults, nymphs, and eggs stages of T. urticae, respectively, after inoculation on colonized tissues of P. vulgaris. The endophytic growth of B. bassiana can have a negative effect on the growth and performance of the pest, in a developmental stage-dependent manner, by priming plant defense pathways. In parallel, the herbivore induces a broad range of detoxification genes that could potentially be involved in adaptation to endophytically colonized plant tissues" |
Keywords: | "Animals *Beauveria/genetics Herbivory Insecta Pest Control, Biological *Tetranychidae Beauveria bassiana Endophytic arthropod pathogenic fungi Phaseolus vulgaris Tetranychus urticae Tritrophic interaction;" |
Notes: | "MedlineAl Khoury, Charbel eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Netherlands 2021/11/16 Fungal Biol. 2021 Dec; 125(12):1009-1016. doi: 10.1016/j.funbio.2021.08.001. Epub 2021 Aug 18" |