TY - JOUR

T1 - Comparative transcriptomics of growth metabolism and virulence reveal distinct morphogenic profiles of yeast-like cells and hyphae of the fungus Metarhizium rileyi

AU - Sant́Anna Iwanicki, Natasha

AU - Delalibera Júnior, Italo

AU - de Carvalho, Lana L.B.

AU - Eilenberg, Jørgen

AU - De Fine Licht, Henrik H.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s)

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Metarhizium rileyi is an entomopathogenic fungus with a narrow host range which distinguishes it from other Metarhizium species with broad host ranges. This species is also unique because the initial yeast-like growth on solid media is only observed in liquid culture in other Metharizium species. A lack of knowledge about the metabolism and genetic signatures of M. rileyi during this yeast-like phase on solid and in liquid media is a bottleneck for its large-scale production as a commercial biocontrol agent. In this study we found that M. rileyi yeast-like cells produced on solid medium infected and killed the important insect pest Spodoptera frugiperda with comparable efficiency as yeast-like cells grown in liquid medium. Secondly, we used comparative transcriptomic analysis to investigate the active genes and genomic signatures of the M. rileyi yeast-like morphotypes produced on solid and in liquid media. Yeast-like cells grown in liquid medium had upregulated genes relating specifically to signal transduction and particular membrane transporters. Thirdly, we compared the transcriptomic profiles of yeast-like phases of M. rileyi with those of M. anisopliae. The yeast-like phase of M. rileyi grown on solid medium upregulated unique genes not found in other Metarhizium species including specific membrane proteins and several virulence factors. Orthologous genes associated with heat shock protein, iron permease, membrane proteins and key virulence traits (e.g. collagen-like protein Mcl1) were upregulated in both species. Comparative transcriptome analyses of gene expression showed more differences than similarities between M. anisopliae and M. rileyi yeast-like cells.

AB - Metarhizium rileyi is an entomopathogenic fungus with a narrow host range which distinguishes it from other Metarhizium species with broad host ranges. This species is also unique because the initial yeast-like growth on solid media is only observed in liquid culture in other Metharizium species. A lack of knowledge about the metabolism and genetic signatures of M. rileyi during this yeast-like phase on solid and in liquid media is a bottleneck for its large-scale production as a commercial biocontrol agent. In this study we found that M. rileyi yeast-like cells produced on solid medium infected and killed the important insect pest Spodoptera frugiperda with comparable efficiency as yeast-like cells grown in liquid medium. Secondly, we used comparative transcriptomic analysis to investigate the active genes and genomic signatures of the M. rileyi yeast-like morphotypes produced on solid and in liquid media. Yeast-like cells grown in liquid medium had upregulated genes relating specifically to signal transduction and particular membrane transporters. Thirdly, we compared the transcriptomic profiles of yeast-like phases of M. rileyi with those of M. anisopliae. The yeast-like phase of M. rileyi grown on solid medium upregulated unique genes not found in other Metarhizium species including specific membrane proteins and several virulence factors. Orthologous genes associated with heat shock protein, iron permease, membrane proteins and key virulence traits (e.g. collagen-like protein Mcl1) were upregulated in both species. Comparative transcriptome analyses of gene expression showed more differences than similarities between M. anisopliae and M. rileyi yeast-like cells.

KW - Blastospores

KW - Entomopathogenic fungi

KW - Fungal dimorphism

KW - Liquid culture fermentation

U2 - 10.1016/j.fgb.2022.103766

DO - 10.1016/j.fgb.2022.103766

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36513262

AN - SCOPUS:85144387392

VL - 164

JO - Fungal Genetics and Biology

JF - Fungal Genetics and Biology

SN - 1087-1845

M1 - 103766

ER -