Dual RNA Sequencing of Beauveria bassiana-Infected Spodoptera frugiperda Reveals a Fungal Protease with Entomopathogenic and Antiphytopathogenic Activities.
- 2023-08-21
- Journal of agricultural and food chemistry 71(34)
- PubMed: 37602431
- DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c02356
Study Design
- Population
- Beauveria bassiana-infected fall armyworm (FAW) larvae and Fusarium graminearum
- Methods
- Dual RNA sequencing to identify differentially expressed genes in B. bassiana-infected FAW larvae; overexpression of BbAorsin gene in B. bassiana ARSEF2860; virulence assays against Galleria mellonella and FAW larvae; inhibition assay against F. graminearum
- Rigorous Journal
- Animal Study
Insect pests and phytopathogens significantly impact crop yield and quality. The fall armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda and the phytopathogen Fusarium graminearum cause substantial economic losses in crops like barley and wheat. However, the entomopathogen Beauveria bassiana shows limited efficacy against FAW, and its antiphytopathogenic activities against F. graminearum remain unclear. Here, dual RNA sequencing was performed to identify differentially expressed genes in B. bassiana-infected FAW larvae. We found that the BbAorsin gene was significantly upregulated at 36 and 48 h post-infection. BbAorsin encodes a serine-carboxyl protease and is mainly expressed in blastospores and hyphae. Overexpression of BbAorsin in B. bassiana ARSEF2860 enhanced virulence against Galleria mellonella and FAW larvae and inhibited F. graminearum growth. The recombinant BbAorsin protein induced apoptosis and necrosis in FAW hemocytes and inhibited F. graminearum spore germination. These findings shed light on transcriptomic mechanisms governing insect-pathogen interactions, which could aid in developing dual-functional entomopathogens and anti-phytopathogens.
Research Insights
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