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Stajich JE, Lovett B, Lee E, Macias AM, Hajek AE, de Bivort BL, Kasson MT, De Fine Licht HH, Elya C. Signatures of transposon-mediated genome inflation, host specialization, and photoentrainment in Entomophthora muscae and allied entomophthoralean fungi. bioRxiv 2024:2023.09.13.557621. [PMID: 37745330 PMCID: PMC10515909 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.13.557621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Despite over a century of observations, the obligate insect parasites within the order Entomophthorales remain poorly characterized at the genetic level. This is in part due to their large genome sizes and difficulty in obtaining sequenceable material. In this manuscript, we leveraged a recently-isolated, laboratory-tractable Entomophthora muscae isolate and improved long-read sequencing to obtain a largely-complete entomophthoralean genome. Our E. muscae assembly is 1.03 Gb, consists of 7,810 contigs and contains 81.3% complete fungal BUSCOs. Using a comparative approach with other available (transcriptomic and genomic) datasets from entomophthoralean fungi, we provide new insight into the biology of these understudied pathogens. We offer a head-to-head comparison of morphological and molecular data for species within the E. muscae species complex. Our findings suggest that substantial taxonomic revision is needed to define species within this group and we provide recommendations for differentiating strains and species in the context of the existing body of E. muscae scientific literature. We show that giant genomes are the norm within Entomophthoraceae owing to extensive, but not recent, Ty3 retrotransposon activity, despite the presence of machinery to defend against transposable elements(RNAi). In addition, we find that E. muscae and its closest allies are enriched for M16A peptidases and possess genes that are likely homologs to the blue-light sensor white-collar 1, a Neurospora crassa gene that has a well-established role in maintaining circadian rhythms. We find that E. muscae has an expanded group of acid-trehalases, consistent with trehalose being the primary sugar component of fly (and insect) hemolymph. We uncover evidence that E. muscae diverged from other entomophthoralean fungi by expansion of existing families, rather than loss of particular domains, and possesses a potentially unique suite of secreted catabolic enzymes, consistent with E. muscae's species-specific, biotrophic lifestyle. Altogether, we provide a genetic and molecular foundation that we hope will provide a platform for the continued study of the unique biology of entomophthoralean fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason E. Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, CA United States
| | - Brian Lovett
- Emerging Pests and Pathogens Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Emily Lee
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Angie M. Macias
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, United States
| | - Ann E. Hajek
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Benjamin L. de Bivort
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Matt T. Kasson
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, United States
| | - Henrik H. De Fine Licht
- Section for Organismal Biology, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Carolyn Elya
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
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Lovett B, Barrett H, Macias AM, Stajich JE, Kasson LR, Kasson MT. Morphological and phylogenetic resolution of Conoideocrella luteorostrata (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae), a potential biocontrol fungus for Fiorinia externa in United States Christmas tree production areas. Mycologia 2024; 116:267-290. [PMID: 38275281 DOI: 10.1080/00275514.2023.2296337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
The entomopathogenic fungus Conoideocrella luteorostrata has recently been implicated in natural epizootics among exotic elongate hemlock scale (EHS) insects in Christmas tree farms in the eastern United States. Since 1913, C. luteorostrata has been reported from various plant feeding Hemiptera in the southeastern United States, but comprehensive morphological and phylogenetic studies of U.S. populations are lacking. The recovery of multiple strains of C. luteorostrata from mycosed EHS in North Carolina provided an opportunity to conduct pathogenicity assays and morphological and phylogenetic studies to investigate genus- and species-level boundaries among the Clavicipitaceae. Pathogenicity assays confirmed that C. luteorostrata causes mortality of EHS crawlers, an essential first step in developing this fungus as a biocontrol. Morphological studies revealed that conidia aligned with previous measurements of the Paecilomyces-like asexual state of C. luteorostrata, with conidiophore morphology consistent with historical observations. Additionally, a Hirsutella-like synanamorph was observed in select C. luteorostrata strains. In both a four-locus, 54-taxon Clavicipitaceae-wide phylogenetic analysis including D1-D2 domains of the nuclear 28S rRNA region (28S), elongation factor 1 alpha (EF1-α), DNA-directed RNA polymerase II subunit 1 (RPB1), and DNA-directed RNA polymerase II subunit 2 (RPB2) and a two-locus, 38-taxon (28S and EF1-α) phylogenetic analysis, all three Conoideocrella species were resolved as strongly supported monophyletic lineages across all loci and both methods (maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference) of phylogenetic inference except for 28S for C. tenuis. Despite the strong support for individual Conoideocrella species, none of the analyses supported the monophyly of Conoideocrella with the inclusion of Dussiella. Due to the paucity of RPB1 and RPB2 sequence data, EF1-α provided superior delimitation of intraspecies groupings for Conoideocrella and should be used in future studies. Further development of C. luteorostrata as a biocontrol against EHS will require additional surveys across diverse Hemiptera and expanded pathogenicity testing to clarify host range and efficacy of this fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Lovett
- Emerging Pests and Pathogens Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ithaca, New York 14853
| | - Hana Barrett
- Plant Pathology & Plant-Microbe Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853
| | - Angie M Macias
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506
| | - Jason E Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, California 92521
| | - Lindsay R Kasson
- School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506
| | - Matt T Kasson
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506
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Anderson JA, Corbin EM, Lovett B, Kasson MT, LaDouceur EEB. Histologic findings of Massospora cicadina infection in periodical cicadas ( Magicicada septendecim). Vet Pathol 2023; 60:704-708. [PMID: 36803167 DOI: 10.1177/03009858231156790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Massospora cicadina, an obligate fungal pathogen in the subphylum Entomophthoromycotina (Zoopagomycota), infects periodical cicadas (Magicicada spp.) during their adult emergence and modifies their sexual behavior to maximize fungal spore dissemination. In this study, 7 periodical cicadas from the Brood X emergence in 2021 infected by M. cicadina were histologically examined. In 7 of 7 cicadas, fungal masses replaced the posterior portion of the abdominal cavity, effacing portions of the body wall, reproductive organs, alimentary tract, and fat bodies. No appreciable inflammation was noted at the intersections of the fungal masses and host tissues. Fungal organisms were present in multiple morphologies including protoplasts, hyphal bodies, conidiophores, and mature conidia. Conidia were clustered into eosinophilic membrane-bound packets. These findings help uncover the pathogenesis of M. cicadina by suggesting there is evasion of the host immune response and by providing a more in-depth description of its relationship with Magicicada septendecim than previously documented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Anderson
- Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD
- Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD
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Spahr EJ, Wasef F, Kasson MT, Kijimoto T. Developmental genetic underpinnings of a symbiosis-associated organ in the fungus-farming ambrosia beetle Euwallacea validus. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14014. [PMID: 37640917 PMCID: PMC10462615 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40296-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutualistic interactions between organisms often mediate the innovation of traits essential to maintain the relationship. Yet our understanding of these interactions has been stymied due to various hurdles in studying the genetics of non-model animals. To understand the genetic mechanisms by which such traits develop, we examined the function of genes breathless (btl), trachealess (trh), and doublesex in the development of a novel fungus-carrying organ (mycangium) that facilitates an obligate relationship between fungus-farming ambrosia beetles and specific fungal partners. Gene knockdown by RNA interference and subsequent micro-computed tomography visualization suggest btl and trh are required for initiation of mycangia and that tubulogenesis may have been co-opted for early mycangial development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellie J Spahr
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Fady Wasef
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Matt T Kasson
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Teiya Kijimoto
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA.
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Marek PE, Hall CL, Lee C, Bailey J, Berger MC, Kasson MT, Shear W. A new species of Illacme from southern California (Siphonophorida, Siphonorhinidae). Zookeys 2023; 1167:265-291. [PMID: 37397160 PMCID: PMC10308430 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1167.102537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The millipede fauna inhabiting deep soil are poorly known. They are small and threadlike, slow moving, lacking pigmentation, and rarely encountered due to their obscure underground way of life. One family, the Siphonorhinidae, encompasses four genera and 12 species in a fragmentary distribution in California, southern Africa, Madagascar, the Malay Archipelago, and Indo-Burma. The family is represented in the Western Hemisphere by a single genus, Illacme Cook & Loomis, 1928 from California, with its closest known relative, Nematozoniumfilum Verhoeff, 1939, from southern Africa. A new species of this family is documented from soil microhabitats in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, Illacmesocal Marek & Shear, sp. nov. Based on this discovery and the recent documentation of other endogean millipede species, we show that these grossly understudied subterranean fauna represent the next frontier of discovery. However, they are threatened by encroaching human settlement and habitat loss, and conservation of this species and other subterranean fauna is of high importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul E. Marek
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Department of Entomology, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USAVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburgUnited States of America
| | - Charity L. Hall
- Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, USAUnaffiliatedBlacksburgUnited States of America
| | - Cedric Lee
- University of California, Berkeley, Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, California, 94720, Berkeley, USAUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeleyUnited States of America
| | - James Bailey
- Long Beach, California, 90803, USAUnaffiliatedLong BeachUnited States of America
| | - Matt C. Berger
- West Virginia University, Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, Morgantown, West Virginia, USAWest Virginia UniversityMorgantownUnited States of America
| | - Matt T. Kasson
- West Virginia University, Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, Morgantown, West Virginia, USAWest Virginia UniversityMorgantownUnited States of America
| | - William Shear
- Hampden-Sydney College, Hampden Sydney, Virginia, USAHampden-Sydney CollegeHampden SydneyUnited States of America
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Spahr EJ, McLaughlin SL, Tichinel AM, Kasson MT, Kijimoto T. Staining and Scanning Protocol for Micro-Computed Tomography to Observe the Morphology of Soft Tissues in Ambrosia Beetles. Bio Protoc 2023; 13:e4584. [PMID: 36789083 PMCID: PMC9901460 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.4584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in imaging technology offer new opportunities in developmental biology. To observe the development of internal structures, microtome cross-sectioning followed by H&E staining on glass slides is a common procedure; however, this technique can be destructive, and artifacts can be introduced during the process. In this protocol, we describe a less invasive procedure with which we can stain insect samples and obtain reconstructed three-dimensional images using micro-computed tomography, or micro-CT (µCT). Specifically, we utilize the fungus-farming ambrosia beetle species Euwallacea validus to observe the morphology of mycangia, a critical internal organ with which beetles transport fungal symbionts. Not only this protocol is ideal to observe mycangia, our staining/scanning procedure can also be applied to observe other delicate tissues and small organs in arthropods. Graphical abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellie J. Spahr
- West Virginia University Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, 1194 Evansdale Drive Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Sarah L. McLaughlin
- West Virginia University Animal Models and Imaging Facility, Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Alyssa M. Tichinel
- West Virginia University Animal Models and Imaging Facility, Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Matt T. Kasson
- West Virginia University Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, 1194 Evansdale Drive Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Teiya Kijimoto
- West Virginia University Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, 1194 Evansdale Drive Morgantown, WV, USA,*For correspondence:
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Jones TH, Harrison DP, Menegatti C, Mevers E, Knott K, Marek P, Hennen DA, Kasson MT, Macias AM, Lovett B, Saporito RA. Deoxybuzonamine Isomers from the Millipede Brachycybe lecontii (Platydesmida: Andrognathidae). J Nat Prod 2022; 85:1134-1140. [PMID: 35389651 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.2c00077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Millipedes (Diplopoda) are well known for their toxic or repellent defensive secretions. Here, we describe (6aR,10aS,10bR)-8,8-dimethyldodecahydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline [trans-anti-trans-deoxybuzonamine (1a)] and (rel-6aR,10aR,10bR)-8,8-dimethyldodecahydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline [trans-syn-cis-deoxybuzonamine (1b)], two isomers of deoxybuzonamine found in the chemical defense secretions of the millipede Brachycybe lecontii Wood (Colobognatha, Platydesmida, Andrognathidae). The carbon-nitrogen skeleton of these compounds was determined from their MS and GC-FTIR spectra obtained from the MeOH extract of whole millipedes, along with a subsequent selective synthesis. Their structures were established from their 1D (1H, 13C) and 2D NMR (COSY, NOESY, multiplicity-edited HSQC, HSQC-TOCSY, HMBC) spectra. Additionally, computational chemistry (DFT and DP4) was used to identify the relative configurations of 1a and 1b by comparing predicted 13C data to their experimental values, and the absolute configuration of 1a was determined by comparing its experimental specific rotation with that of the computationally calculated value. This is the first report of dodecahydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline alkaloids from a platydesmidan millipede.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tappey H Jones
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia 24450, United States
| | - Daniel P Harrison
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia 24450, United States
| | - Carla Menegatti
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Emily Mevers
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Kenneth Knott
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Paul Marek
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Derek A Hennen
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Matt T Kasson
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Angie M Macias
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Brian Lovett
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Ralph A Saporito
- Department of Biology, John Carroll University, University Heights, Ohio 44118, United States
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Haelewaters D, Kasson MT. Animal-associated fungi: Editorial. Mycologia 2021; 112:1045-1047. [PMID: 33264074 DOI: 10.1080/00275514.2020.1841469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Of 1882 fungal species described in 2019, only 3.5% were animal-associated. This percentage is representative of the poor understanding we have of this group of fungi, which are ephemeral, sometimes inconspicuous, and difficult to access, while often requiring specialized methods for their study. Following a two-session symposium on animal-associated fungi during the 2019 Annual Meeting of the Mycological Society of America, this special issue presents the work of 61 researchers in 16 countries. Twelve articles cover animal-associated fungi among Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Neocallimastigomycota-describing 29 new species, presenting new evolutionary hypotheses, and unearthing new ecological data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danny Haelewaters
- Research Group Mycology, Department of Biology, Ghent University , 9000 Ghent, Belgium.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia , 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Matt T Kasson
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University , Morgantown, West Virginia 26506
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Aoki T, Liyanage PNH, Konkol JL, Ploetz RC, Smith JA, Kasson MT, Freeman S, Geiser DM, O'Donnell K. Three novel Ambrosia Fusarium Clade species producing multiseptate "dolphin-shaped" conidia, and an augmented description of Fusarium kuroshium. Mycologia 2021; 113:1089-1109. [PMID: 34343445 DOI: 10.1080/00275514.2021.1923300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The Ambrosia Fusarium Clade (AFC) is a monophyletic lineage within clade 3 of the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) that currently comprises 19 genealogically exclusive species. These fungi are known or predicted to be farmed by adult female Euwallacea ambrosia beetles as a nutritional mutualism (Coleoptera: Scolytinae; Xyleborini). To date, only eight of the 19 AFC species have been described formally with Latin binomials. We describe three AFC species, previously known as AF-8, AF-10, and AF-11, based on molecular phylogenetic analysis of multilocus DNA sequence data and comparative morphological/phenotypic studies. Fusarium duplospermum (AF-8) farmed by E. perbrevis on avocado in Florida, USA, is distinguished by forming two morphologically different types of multiseptate conidia and brownish orange colonies on potato dextrose agar (PDA). Fusarium drepaniforme (AF-10), isolated from an unknown woody host in Singapore and deposited as Herb IMI 351954 in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK, under the name F. bugnicourtii, is diagnosed by frequent production of multiseptate sickle-shaped conidia. Fusarium papillatum (AF-11), isolated from mycangia of E. perbrevis infesting tea in Kandy, Sri Lanka, forms multiseptate clavate conidia that possess a papillate apical cell protruding toward the ventral side. Lastly, we prepared an augmented description of F. kuroshium (AF-12), previously isolated from the heads or galleries of E. kuroshio in a California sycamore tree, El Cajon, California, USA, and recently validated nomenclaturally as Fusarium. Conidia formed by F. kuroshium vary widely in size and shape, suggesting a close morphological relationship with F. floridanum, compared with all other AFC species. Maximum likelihood and maximum parsimony analyses of a multilocus data set resolve these three novel AFC species, and F. kuroshium, as phylogenetically distinct based on genealogical concordance. Given the promiscuous nature of several Euwallacea species, and the overlapping geographic range of several AFC species and Euwallacea ambrosia beetles, the potential for symbiont switching among sympatric species is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takayuki Aoki
- Genetic Resources Center, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 2-1-2 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8602, Japan
| | - Pradeepa N H Liyanage
- Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Colombo, No. 90, Cumaratunga Munidasa Mawatha, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka
| | - Joshua L Konkol
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
| | - Randy C Ploetz
- Tropical Research and Education Center, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Homestead, Florida 33031
| | - Jason A Smith
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
| | - Matt T Kasson
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506
| | - Stanley Freeman
- Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, 7505101, Israel
| | - David M Geiser
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
| | - Kerry O'Donnell
- Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research Unit, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 1815 North University Street, Peoria, Illinois 60604
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Ferreira SL, Stauder CM, Martin DKH, Kasson MT. Morphological and Phylogenetic Resolution of Diplodia corticola and D. quercivora, Emerging Canker Pathogens of Oak ( Quercus spp.), in the United States. Plant Dis 2021; 105:1298-1307. [PMID: 32852252 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-05-20-0977-re] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In Mediterranean Europe and the United States, oak species (Quercus spp.) have been in various states of decline for the past several decades. Several insect pests and pathogens contribute to this decline to varying degrees, including Phytophthora cinnamomi, Armillaria spp., various insect defoliators, and, in the United States, the oak wilt pathogen Bretziella fagacearum. More recently, two emerging canker pathogens, Diplodia corticola and D. quercivora, have been implicated in causing dieback and mortality of oak species in Europe and in several regions in the United States. In 2019, a fungal survey was conducted in the Mid-Atlantic region of the eastern United States, including Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, to determine the range and impact of D. corticola and D. quercivora on forest health in the United States. A total of 563 oak trees between red and white oak family members were evaluated across 33 forests spanning 18 counties. A total of 32 Diplodia isolates encompassing three Diplodia spp. were recovered from 5,335 total plugs collected from the 13 of 18 sampled counties. Recovered Diplodia species included D. corticola, D. quercivora, and D. sapinea, as well as Botryosphaeria dothidea, a closely related canker pathogen in the Botryosphaeriaceae. Both D. corticola and D. sapinea were recovered from red and white oak family members, whereas D. quercivora was exclusive to white oak family members and B. dothidea to red oak family members. Of these species, D. corticola was most frequently isolated, followed by D. quercivora, D. sapinea, and B. dothidea. Overall, mortality was low across all sampled counties, indicating that these fungi, at the levels that were detected, are not widely inciting oak decline across the region, but probably are acting opportunistically when the environment is conducive to disease. To better understand the relationships between D. corticola and potentially their geographic origins, a multigene phylogenetic study and corresponding morphological study were conducted. A total of 49 Diplodia isolates from Spain, France, Italy, and the United States were assessed. Across all isolates and geographic regions, D. corticola formed a strongly supported monophyletic clade sister to D. quercivora and included two strongly supported subclades, one that included isolates from Spain and California and a second that included isolates from Italy, Maryland, and West Virginia. Both subclades also exhibited overlapping spore measurements. These results support D. corticola as a cosmopolitan pathogen, native to both Europe and the United States, with the possibility of secondary introductions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savannah L Ferreira
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506
| | - Cameron M Stauder
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506
| | | | - Matt T Kasson
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506
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Slot JC, Kasson MT. Ecology: Fungal mimics dupe animals by transforming plants. Curr Biol 2021; 31:1811. [PMID: 33905684 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Slot JC, Kasson MT. Ecology: Fungal Mimics Dupe Animals by Transforming Plants. Curr Biol 2021; 31:R250-R252. [PMID: 33689724 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Many fungi transform host tissues to benefit their own reproduction. A recent study investigates a fungus that converts its plant host's reproductive tissues into ornate flower mimics. These 'pseudoflowers' present complex cues that may enlist insects to facilitate fungal dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason C Slot
- Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Matt T Kasson
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
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13
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Stauder CM, Utano NM, Kasson MT. Resolving host and species boundaries for perithecia-producing nectriaceous fungi across the central Appalachian Mountains. FUNGAL ECOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.funeco.2020.100980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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14
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Stauder CM, Garnas JR, Morrison EW, Salgado-Salazar C, Kasson MT. Characterization of mating type genes in heterothallic Neonectria species, with emphasis on N. coccinea, N. ditissima, and N. faginata. Mycologia 2020; 112:880-894. [PMID: 32969327 DOI: 10.1080/00275514.2020.1797371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Neonectria ditissima and N. faginata are canker pathogens involved in an insect-fungus disease complex of American beech (Fagus grandifolia) in North America commonly known as beech bark disease (BBD). In Europe, both N. ditissima and N. coccinea are involved in BBD on European beech (Fagus sylvatica). Field observations across the range of BBD indicate ascospores to be the dominant spore type in the environment. Several studies report a heterothallic (self-sterile) mating strategy for Neonectria fungi, but one study reported homothallism (self-fertility) for N. ditissima. As such, investigations into mating strategy are important for understanding both the disease cycle and population genetics of Neonectria. This is particularly important in the United States given that over time N. faginata dominates the BBD pathosystem despite high densities of nonbeech hosts for N. ditissima. This study utilized whole-genome sequences of BBD-associated Neonectria spp. along with other publicly available Neonectria and Corinectria genomes and in vitro mating assays to characterize mating type (MAT) locus and confirm thallism for select members of Neonectria and Corinectria. MAT gene-specific primer pairs were developed to efficiently characterize the mating types of additional single-ascospore strains of N. ditissima, N. faginata, and N. coccinea and several other related species lacking genomic data. These assays also confirmed the sexual compatibility among N. ditissima strains from different plant hosts. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses of both MAT1-1-1 and MAT1-2-1 sequences recovered trees with similar topology to previously published phylogenies of Neonectria and Corinectria. The results of this study indicate that all Neonectria and Corinectria tested are heterothallic based on our limited sampling and, as such, thallism cannot help explain the inevitable dominance of N. faginata in the BBD pathosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron M Stauder
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown , West Virginia, 26506
| | - Jeff R Garnas
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of New Hampshire , New Hampshire, 03824
| | - Eric W Morrison
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of New Hampshire , New Hampshire, 03824
| | - Catalina Salgado-Salazar
- Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture , Beltsville, 20705, Maryland
| | - Matt T Kasson
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown , West Virginia, 26506
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15
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Spahr E, Kasson MT, Kijimoto T. Micro-computed tomography permits enhanced visualization of mycangia across development and between sexes in Euwallacea ambrosia beetles. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0236653. [PMID: 32956411 PMCID: PMC7505430 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Symbiosis can facilitate the development of specialized organs in the host body to maintain relationships with beneficial microorganisms. To understand the developmental and genetic mechanisms by which such organs develop, it is critical to first investigate the morphology and developmental timing of these structures during the onset of host development. We utilized micro-computed tomography (μCT) to describe the morphology and development of mycangia, a specialized organ, in the Asian ambrosia beetle species Euwallacea validus which maintains a mutualistic relationship with the Ascomycete fungus, Fusarium oligoseptatum. We scanned animals in larval, pupal and adult life stages and identified that mycangia develop during the late pupal stage. Here we reconcile preliminary evidence and provide additional morphological data for a second paired set of structures, including the superior, medial mycangia and an inferior, lateral pair of pouch-like structures, in both late-stage pupae and adult female beetles. Furthermore, we report the possible development of rudimentary, or partially developed pairs of medial mycangia in adult male beetles which has never been reported for any male Xyleborini. Our results illustrate the validity of μCT in observing soft tissues and the complex nature of mycangia morphology and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellie Spahr
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America
| | - Matt T. Kasson
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America
| | - Teiya Kijimoto
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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16
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Lovett B, Macias A, Stajich JE, Cooley J, Eilenberg J, de Fine Licht HH, Kasson MT. Behavioral betrayal: How select fungal parasites enlist living insects to do their bidding. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008598. [PMID: 32555716 PMCID: PMC7302443 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Brian Lovett
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America
| | - Angie Macias
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America
| | - Jason E. Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology and Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, United States of America
| | - John Cooley
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Jørgen Eilenberg
- Department of Plant and Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Henrik H. de Fine Licht
- Department of Plant and Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Matt T. Kasson
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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17
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Macias AM, Geiser DM, Stajich JE, Łukasik P, Veloso C, Bublitz DC, Berger MC, Boyce GR, Hodge K, Kasson MT. Evolutionary relationships among Massospora spp. (Entomophthorales), obligate pathogens of cicadas. Mycologia 2020; 112:1060-1074. [PMID: 32412847 DOI: 10.1080/00275514.2020.1742033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The fungal genus Massospora (Zoopagomycota: Entomophthorales) includes more than a dozen obligate, sexually transmissible pathogenic species that infect cicadas (Hemiptera) worldwide. At least two species are known to produce psychoactive compounds during infection, which has garnered considerable interest for this enigmatic genus. As with many Entomophthorales, the evolutionary relationships and host associations of Massospora spp. are not well understood. The acquisition of M. diceroproctae from Arizona, M. tettigatis from Chile, and M. platypediae from California and Colorado provided an opportunity to conduct molecular phylogenetic analyses and morphological studies to investigate whether these fungi represent a monophyletic group and delimit species boundaries. In a three-locus phylogenetic analysis including the D1-D2 domains of the nuclear 28S rRNA gene (28S), elongation factor 1 alpha-like (EFL), and beta-tubulin (BTUB), Massospora was resolved in a strongly supported monophyletic group containing four well-supported genealogically exclusive lineages, based on two of three methods of phylogenetic inference. There was incongruence among the single-gene trees: two methods of phylogenetic inference recovered trees with either the same topology as the three-gene concatenated tree (EFL) or a basal polytomy (28S, BTUB). Massospora levispora and M. platypediae isolates formed a single lineage in all analyses and are synonymized here as M. levispora. Massospora diceroproctae was sister to M. cicadina in all three single-gene trees and on an extremely long branch relative to the other Massospora, and even the outgroup taxa, which may reflect an accelerated rate of molecular evolution and/or incomplete taxon sampling. The results of the morphological study presented here indicate that spore measurements may not be phylogenetically or diagnostically informative. Despite recent advances in understanding the ecology of Massospora, much about its host range and diversity remains unexplored. The emerging phylogenetic framework can provide a foundation for exploring coevolutionary relationships with cicada hosts and the evolution of behavior-altering compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angie M Macias
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University , Morgantown, West Virginia 26506
| | - David M Geiser
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park , Pennsylvania 16802
| | - Jason E Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology and Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California , Riverside, California 92521
| | - Piotr Łukasik
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University , 30-387 Kraków, Poland.,Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana , Missoula, Montana 59812
| | - Claudio Veloso
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Science Faculty, University of Chile , Santiago, Chile
| | - DeAnna C Bublitz
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana , Missoula, Montana 59812
| | - Matthew C Berger
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University , Morgantown, West Virginia 26506
| | - Greg R Boyce
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University , Morgantown, West Virginia 26506
| | - Kathie Hodge
- Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University , Ithaca, New York 14853
| | - Matt T Kasson
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University , Morgantown, West Virginia 26506
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18
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Wong VL, Hennen DA, Macias AM, Brewer MS, Kasson MT, Marek P. Natural history of the social millipede Brachycybe lecontii Wood, 1864. Biodivers Data J 2020; 8:e50770. [PMID: 32296285 PMCID: PMC7148388 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.8.e50770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The millipede Brachycybe lecontii Wood, 1864 is a fungivorous social millipede known for paternal care of eggs and forming multi-generational aggregations. We investigated the life history, paternal care, chemical defence, feeding and social behaviour of B. lecontii and provided morphological and anatomical descriptions, using light and scanning electron microscopy. Based on observations of B. lecontii from 13 locations throughout its distribution, we report the following natural history aspects. The oviposition period of B. lecontii lasted from mid-April to late June and the incubation period lasted 3-4 weeks. Only males cared for the eggs and subsequent care of juveniles was not observed. In one case, the clutches of two males became combined and they were later cared for by only one of the males. The defensive compound of B. lecontii is stored in large glands occupying a third of the paranotal volume and were observed only in stadia II millipedes and older. We observed B. lecontii feeding on fungi of the order Polyporales and describe a cuticular structure on the tip of the labrum that may relate to fungivory. We found that their stellate-shaped aggregations (pinwheels) do not form in the absence of fungus and suggest the aggregation is associated with feeding. We describe and illustrate a previously undescribed comb-like structure on the tibia and tarsi of the six anterior-most leg-pairs and measure the colour and spectral reflectance of the B. lecontii exoskeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria L Wong
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, United States of America Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg United States of America
| | - Derek A Hennen
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, United States of America Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg United States of America
| | - Angie M Macias
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, United States of America Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University Morgantown United States of America
| | - Michael S Brewer
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, United States of America Department of Biology, East Carolina University Greenville United States of America
| | - Matt T Kasson
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, United States of America Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University Morgantown United States of America
| | - Paul Marek
- Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, United States of America Virginia Tech Blacksburg United States of America.,Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, United States of America Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg United States of America
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19
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Swift JE, Lovett B, Koltermann CE, Beck CL, Kasson MT. From Hashtag to High School: How Viral Tweets Are Inspiring Young Scientists To Embrace STEM. J Microbiol Biol Educ 2020; 21:jmbe-21-67. [PMID: 33294094 PMCID: PMC7669281 DOI: 10.1128/jmbe.v21i3.2133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Social media is an increasingly important professional tool for scientists. In particular, scientists use their social media profiles to communicate science and build communities with like-minded scientists and nonscientists. These networks include journalists who can amplify social media science communication, disseminating it to new audiences on- and offline. Our experience with an outreach project where Peeps marshmallows were inoculated with diverse fungi, which we called #FungalPeeps, has demonstrated that these networks can be an effective conduit between researchers and high school students. Following popular science journalism, #FungalPeeps, a project initiated at West Virginia University, inspired a mycology research project in Notre Dame High School in San Jose, California. Herein, we describe how this connection between academia, journalists, and the high school classroom happened, and how everyone involved benefited from this educational collaboration. We further suggest ways that modern social media networks could be leveraged to incorporate more such practical learning experiences into progressive science curricula to better cultivate young STEM scientists.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian Lovett
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506
| | | | | | - Matt T. Kasson
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506
- Corresponding author. Mailing address: G103 South Agricultural Sciences Building, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506. Phone: 304-293-8837. E-mail:
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20
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Carrillo JD, Rugman-Jones PF, Husein D, Stajich JE, Kasson MT, Carrillo D, Stouthamer R, Eskalen A. Members of the Euwallacea fornicatus species complex exhibit promiscuous mutualism with ambrosia fungi in Taiwan. Fungal Genet Biol 2019; 133:103269. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2019.103269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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21
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Macias AM, Marek PE, Morrissey EM, Brewer MS, Short DP, Stauder CM, Wickert KL, Berger MC, Metheny AM, Stajich JE, Boyce G, Rio RVM, Panaccione DG, Wong V, Jones TH, Kasson MT. Diversity and function of fungi associated with the fungivorous millipede, Brachycybe lecontii. FUNGAL ECOL 2019; 41:187-197. [PMID: 31871487 PMCID: PMC6927558 DOI: 10.1016/j.funeco.2019.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Fungivorous millipedes (subterclass Colobognatha) likely represent some of the earliest known mycophagous terrestrial arthropods, yet their fungal partners remain elusive. Here we describe relationships between fungi and the fungivorous millipede, Brachycybe lecontii. Their fungal community is surprisingly diverse, including 176 genera, 39 orders, four phyla, and several undescribed species. Of particular interest are twelve genera conserved across wood substrates and millipede clades that comprise the core fungal community of B. lecontii. Wood decay fungi, long speculated to serve as the primary food source for Brachycybe species, were absent from this core assemblage and proved lethal to millipedes in pathogenicity assays while entomopathogenic Hypocreales were more common in the core but had little effect on millipede health. This study represents the first survey of fungal communities associated with any colobognath millipede, and these results offer a glimpse into the complexity of millipede fungal communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angie M. Macias
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Paul E. Marek
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Ember M. Morrissey
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Michael S. Brewer
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | | | - Cameron M. Stauder
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Kristen L. Wickert
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Matthew C. Berger
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Amy M. Metheny
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Jason E. Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology and Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Greg Boyce
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Rita V. M. Rio
- Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Daniel G. Panaccione
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Victoria Wong
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Tappey H. Jones
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, VA, 24450, USA
| | - Matt T. Kasson
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
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22
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Boyce GR, Gluck-Thaler E, Slot JC, Stajich JE, Davis WJ, James TY, Cooley JR, Panaccione DG, Eilenberg J, De Fine Licht HH, Macias AM, Berger MC, Wickert KL, Stauder CM, Spahr EJ, Maust MD, Metheny AM, Simon C, Kritsky G, Hodge KT, Humber RA, Gullion T, Short DPG, Kijimoto T, Mozgai D, Arguedas N, Kasson MT. Psychoactive plant- and mushroom-associated alkaloids from two behavior modifying cicada pathogens. FUNGAL ECOL 2019; 41:147-164. [PMID: 31768192 PMCID: PMC6876628 DOI: 10.1016/j.funeco.2019.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Entomopathogenic fungi routinely kill their hosts before releasing infectious spores, but a few species keep insects alive while sporulating, which enhances dispersal. Transcriptomics- and metabolomics-based studies of entomopathogens with post-mortem dissemination from their parasitized hosts have unraveled infection processes and host responses. However, the mechanisms underlying active spore transmission by Entomophthoralean fungi in living insects remain elusive. Here we report the discovery, through metabolomics, of the plant-associated amphetamine, cathinone, in four Massospora cicadina-infected periodical cicada populations, and the mushroom-associated tryptamine, psilocybin, in annual cicadas infected with Massospora platypediae or Massospora levispora, which likely represent a single fungal species. The absence of some fungal enzymes necessary for cathinone and psilocybin biosynthesis along with the inability to detect intermediate metabolites or gene orthologs are consistent with possibly novel biosynthesis pathways in Massospora. The neurogenic activities of these compounds suggest the extended phenotype of Massospora that modifies cicada behavior to maximize dissemination is chemically-induced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greg R Boyce
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Emile Gluck-Thaler
- Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Jason C Slot
- Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Jason E Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology and Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - William J Davis
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Tim Y James
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - John R Cooley
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Hartford, CT, 06103, USA
| | - Daniel G Panaccione
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Jørgen Eilenberg
- Department of Plant and Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Angie M Macias
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Matthew C Berger
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Kristen L Wickert
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Cameron M Stauder
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Ellie J Spahr
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Matthew D Maust
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Amy M Metheny
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Chris Simon
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, 06269, USA
| | - Gene Kritsky
- Department of Biology, Mount St. Joseph University, Cincinnati, OH, 45233, USA
| | - Kathie T Hodge
- Plant Pathology & Plant-Microbe Biology, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Richard A Humber
- Plant Pathology & Plant-Microbe Biology, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.,USDA-ARS-NAA-BioIPM, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Terry Gullion
- Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | | | - Teiya Kijimoto
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Dan Mozgai
- Cicadamania.com, Sea Bright, New Jersey, 07760, USA
| | | | - Matt T Kasson
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
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23
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Kasson MT, Kasson LR, Wickert KL, Davis DD, Stajich JE. Genome Sequence of a Lethal Vascular Wilt Fungus, Verticillium nonalfalfae, a Biological Control Used Against the Invasive Ailanthus altissima. Microbiol Resour Announc 2019; 8:e01619-18. [PMID: 30701257 PMCID: PMC6346206 DOI: 10.1128/mra.01619-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Verticillium nonalfalfae, a cosmopolitan soil-borne phytopathogen, causes vascular wilt in agricultural crops and perennial woody plants. Select strains of V. nonalfalfae can cause lethal disease in the invasive tree Ailanthus altissima and several have since been utilized as a biological control (biocontrol) against this widespread invader. Here, we report the genome sequence and annotation of V. nonalfalfae strain VnAa140/NRRL 66861.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt T. Kasson
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Lindsay R. Kasson
- School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Kristen L. Wickert
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Donald D. Davis
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jason E. Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology and Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
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24
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Aoki T, Kasson MT, Berger MC, Freeman S, Geiser DM, O'Donnell K. Fusarium oligoseptatum sp. nov., a mycosymbiont of the ambrosia beetle Euwallacea validus in the Eastern U.S. and typification of F. ambrosium. Fungal Syst Evol 2018; 1:23-39. [PMID: 32490361 PMCID: PMC7259240 DOI: 10.3114/fuse.2018.01.03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Fusarium oligoseptatum sp. nov. was isolated from the invasive Asian ambrosia beetle Euwallacea validis (Coleoptera, Scolytinae, Xyleborini) and from the galleries that females had constructed in dying Ailanthus altissima (tree-of-heaven) symptomatic for Verticillium wilt in south-central Pennsylvania, USA. This ambrosia fungus was cultivated by Euwallacea validis as the primary source of nutrition together with a second symbiont, Raffaelea subfusca . Female beetles transport their fungal symbionts within and from their natal galleries in paired pre-oral mycangia. Fusarium oligoseptatum was distinguished phenotypically from the 11 other known members of the Ambrosia Fusarium Clade (AFC) by uniquely producing mostly 1–2 septate clavate sporodochial conidia that were swollen apically. Phylogenetic analysis of multilocus DNA sequence data resolved F. oligoseptatum as a genealogically exclusive species-level lineage but evolutionary relationships with other members of the AFC were unresolved. Published studies have shown that F. oligoseptatum can be identified via phylogenetic analysis of multilocus DNA sequence data or a PCR multiplex assay employing species-specific oligonucleotide primers. In addition, to provide nomenclatural stability, an epitype was prepared from an authentic strain of F. ambrosium that was originally isolated from a gallery constructed in Chinese tea (Camellia sinensis ) by E. fornicatus in India, together with its lectotypification based on a published illustration.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Aoki
- Genetic Resources Center, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 2-1-2 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8602, Japan
| | - M T Kasson
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - M C Berger
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - S Freeman
- Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
| | - D M Geiser
- Department of Plant Pathology & Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - K O'Donnell
- Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research Unit, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 1815 North University Street, Peoria, IL 61604, USA
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Abstract
Species of Geosmithia are cosmopolitan but understudied fungi, and most are associated with phloem-feeding bark beetles on various woody hosts. We surveyed 207 bark and ambrosia beetles from 37 species in the eastern USA for associated fungi. The community is dominated by species in the G. pallida species complex (GPSC) and included several Geosmithia isolates that appear to be new to science. The new Geosmithia isolates exhibited the characteristic brownish-colored colonies typical for the G. pallida species complex and were phylogenetically resolved as two genealogically exclusive lineages based on a concatenated multilocus data set based on the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of the nuc rDNA (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 = ITS), and the translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1-α), β-tubulin (TUB2), and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) genes. Two new Geosmithia species, G. brunnea and G. proliferans, are proposed, and their morphological traits and phylogenetic placements are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y-T Huang
- a School of Forest Resources and Conservation , University of Florida , Gainesville , Florida 32611
| | - M Kolařík
- b Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences , Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague 4, Czechia
| | - M T Kasson
- c Division of Plant and Soil Sciences , West Virginia University , Morgantown , West Virginia 26506
| | - J Hulcr
- a School of Forest Resources and Conservation , University of Florida , Gainesville , Florida 32611.,d Entomology and Nematology Department , University of Florida , Gainesville , Florida 32611
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Kasson MT, O'Neal ES, Davis DD. Expanded Host Range Testing for Verticillium nonalfalfae: Potential Biocontrol Agent Against the Invasive Ailanthus altissima. Plant Dis 2015; 99:823-835. [PMID: 30699540 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-04-14-0391-re] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The naturally occurring Verticillium nonalfalfae has been proposed as a biocontrol agent against the highly invasive Ailanthus altissima in the eastern United States. We tested 71 nontarget woody species for susceptibility to the potential biocontrol agent. In the field, only devil's walkingstick (17% incidence) and striped maple (3%) acquired infections through natural spread from infected A. altissima (100%). Staghorn sumac (16% incidence) also exhibited wilt in close proximity to diseased Ailanthus, although V. nonalfalfae was never recovered. Stem inoculations, which are highly artificial in that they bypass root defenses and flood the xylem with millions of conidia, induced varying levels of wilt and mortality in 10 nontarget species from which V. nonalfalfae was reisolated, although recovery and crown rebuilding occurred following initial wilt in several species including sassafras and northern catalpa. Thirty-seven of the 71 inoculated species exhibited vascular discoloration, although 23 of these species exhibited no outward symptoms (wilt, dieback) for up to 6 years postinoculation. However, V. nonalfalfae was reisolated from three of the 23 species, indicating a tolerant host response. Our results suggest that V. nonalfalfae is generally host-adapted to A. altissima with 78 of 78 A. altissima seed sources from 26 states and Canada showing susceptibility, and offers support for adoption and dissemination of V. nonalfalfae to combat the highly invasive A. altissima.
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Affiliation(s)
- M T Kasson
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802
| | - E S O'Neal
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802
| | - D D Davis
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802
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Kasson MT, Pollok JR, Benhase EB, Jelesko JG. First Report of Seedling Blight of Eastern Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) by Colletotrichum fioriniae in Virginia. Plant Dis 2014; 98:995. [PMID: 30708914 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-09-13-0946-pdn] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Colletotrichum fioriniae is a member of the large cosmopolitan C. acutatum species complex (2). Known agricultural hosts of C. acutatum include apple, European blueberry, grape, olive, papaya, and strawberry (2). In contrast, the life history of C. fioriniae ranges from an epizootic of certain scale insect populations to an endophyte of plants (3,4). The present study extends the phytopathology of C. fioriniae to include poison ivy seedlings. Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) drupes were collected from solitary lianas in Roanoke and Montgomery counties, Virginia. These drupes were subjected to experiments aimed at producing sterile seedlings (1); however, there was extensive blighting and wilting in the germinated seedlings. Associated with the drupes and seedlings was a fungus with white to pale olivaceous grey mycelium with orange blister-like conidiomata and sclerotial masses enclosing the drupe mesocarp as well as conidiomata emerging from blighted, necrotic leaves. Condiomata were plated onto acidified potato dextrose agar (APDA) and oatmeal agar (OA). This consistently yielded colonies identical to those described from diseased tissues and were putatively identified as C. acutatum based on the presence of acervuli containing hyaline, smooth-walled, aseptate conidia with acute ends, the absence of setae, and formation of red pigments in culture (2). Conidial dimensions of four isolates most closely aligned with reported measurements for C. fioriniae (4): mean length ± SD × width ± SD = 15.1 ± 1.7 × 4.9 ± 0.3 μm, L/W ratio = 3.04 on OA. Fungal DNA was isolated and used as template in PCR reactions using oligonucleotide primer pairs corresponding to the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, and a portion of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) genes. The resulting PCR fragments were sequenced and used as queries in BLASTN searches of the GenBank NR database. All of the amplified ITS DNA sequences (497 bp KF944356 and KF944357) were identical to Glomerella/Colletotrichum fioriniae (JN121190 and KF278459). Similarly, the amplified (672 bp) GAPDH sequences (KF944354 and KF944355) were 99.6% similar over the 254 bp overlapping with C. fioriniae (JQ948622). Pathogenicity of two randomly chosen C. fioriniae isolates, TR-123 and TR-126, was confirmed by placing 4.75 mm diam. inoculated agar plugs from 8-day-old fungal cultures or a sterile plug (negative control) at the base of an axenic young seedling ~1.5 to 6.5 cm in height with at least one set of true leaves (1). Each treatment was replicated five times. Acute wilt and blighting of leaves and production of orange acervuli on cotyledons disease symptoms developed by 3 weeks post inoculation (WPI). By 7 WPI all but one of the Colletotrichum-inoculated plants were dead, whereas all of the control plants were healthy with significantly lower area under the disease progress curve values. Colletotrichum was consistently re-isolated, and confirmed morphologically and molecularly, from six of seven diseased seedlings, whereas two of two randomly chosen control seedlings remained asymptomatic and did not yield Colletotrichum. In summary, C. fioriniae may represent a natural biocontrol agent against poison ivy and scale insect herbivores thereof. References: (1) E. Benhase and J. Jelesko. HortScience 48:1, 2013. (2) U. Damm et al. Stud. Mycol. 73:37, 2012. (3) J. Marcelino et al. J. Insect Sci. 9:25, 2009. (4) R. Shivas et al. Fungal Divers. 39:111.
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Affiliation(s)
- M T Kasson
- Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
| | - J R Pollok
- Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
| | - E B Benhase
- Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
| | - J G Jelesko
- Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
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Kasson MT, Short DPG, O'Neal ES, Subbarao KV, Davis DD. Comparative pathogenicity, biocontrol efficacy, and multilocus sequence typing of Verticillium nonalfalfae from the invasive Ailanthus altissima and other hosts. Phytopathology 2014; 104:282-292. [PMID: 24134719 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-06-13-0148-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Verticillium wilt, caused by Verticillium nonalfalfae, is currently killing tens of thousands of highly invasive Ailanthus altissima trees within the forests in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia and is being considered as a biological control agent of Ailanthus. However, little is known about the pathogenicity and virulence of V. nonalfalfae isolates from other hosts on Ailanthus, or the genetic diversity among V. nonalfalfae from confirmed Ailanthus wilt epicenters and from locations and hosts not associated with Ailanthus wilt. Here, we compared the pathogenicity and virulence of several V. nonalfalfae and V. alfalfae isolates, evaluated the efficacy of the virulent V. nonalfalfae isolate VnAa140 as a biocontrol agent of Ailanthus in Pennsylvania, and performed multilocus sequence typing of V. nonalfalfae and V. alfalfae. Inoculations of seven V. nonalfalfae and V. alfalfae isolates from six plant hosts on healthy Ailanthus seedlings revealed that V. nonalfalfae isolates from hosts other than Ailanthus were not pathogenic on Ailanthus. In the field, 100 canopy Ailanthus trees were inoculated across 12 stands with VnAa140 from 2006 to 2009. By 2011, natural spread of the fungus had resulted in the mortality of >14,000 additional canopy Ailanthus trees, 10,000 to 15,000 Ailanthus sprouts, and nearly complete eradication of Ailanthus from several smaller inoculated stands, with the exception of a few scattered vegetative sprouts that persisted in the understory for several years before succumbing. All V. nonalfalfae isolates associated with the lethal wilt of Ailanthus, along with 18 additional isolates from 10 hosts, shared the same multilocus sequence type (MLST), MLST 1, whereas three V. nonalfalfae isolates from kiwifruit shared a second sequence type, MLST 2. All V. alfalfae isolates included in the study shared the same MLST and included the first example of V. alfalfae infecting a non-lucerne host. Our results indicate that V. nonalfalfae is host adapted and highly efficacious against Ailanthus and, thus, is a strong candidate for use as a biocontrol agent.
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Rebbeck J, Malone MA, Short DPG, Kasson MT, O'Neal ES, Davis DD. First Report of Verticillium Wilt Caused by Verticillium nonalfalfae on Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) in Ohio. Plant Dis 2013; 97:999. [PMID: 30722582 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-01-13-0062-pdn] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Verticillium wilt of the highly invasive tree-of-heaven [Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle], caused by Verticillium nonalfalfae Interbitzin et al. (1), formerly classified as V. albo-atrum Reinke and Berthold, has been reported in the United States from two states: Pennsylvania (2) and Virginia (3). Infected A. altissima in both states exhibited similar symptoms of wilt, premature defoliation, terminal dieback, yellow vascular discoloration, and mortality. In June 2012, the second author observed dead and dying A. altissima trees in southern Ohio (Pike County) that exhibited symptoms similar to those on diseased A. altissima trees in Pennsylvania and Virginia. Samples were collected from stems of three symptomatic A. altissima trees and sent to Penn State for morphological and molecular identification. Immediately upon arrival, samples were surface-disinfected and plated onto plum extract agar (PEA), a semi-selective medium for Verticillium spp., amended with neomycin and streptomycin (2). The samples yielded six isolates, two from each of the three symptomatic trees, all of which were putatively identified as V. nonalfalfae based on the presence of verticillate conidiophores and formation of melanized hyphae. DNA was extracted from three isolates and molecular analyses performed using known primers (1) coding for elongation factor 1-alpha (EF), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPD), and tryptophan synthase (TS). A BLAST search generated sequences that revealed 100% similarity to V. nonalfalfae for all three protein coding genes among the three Ohio isolates and reference sequences from Ailanthus, including isolates VnAaPA140 (GenBank Accession Nos. KC307764, KC307766, and KC307768) and VnAaVA2 (KC307758, KC307759, and KC307760), as well as isolate PD592 from potato (JN188227, JN188163, and JN188035), thereby confirming taxonomic placement of the Ohio Ailanthus isolates among those recovered from Ailanthus in Pennsylvania and Virginia. Aligned sequences from one representative isolate, VnAaOH1, were deposited into GenBank as accessions KC307761 (EF), KC307762 (GPD), and KC307763 (TS). In August 2012, the pathogenicity of all six isolates was confirmed by root-dipping 10 healthy 3-week-old A. altissima seedlings (seeds collected in University Park, PA) into conidial suspensions of 1 × 107 cfu/ml, wherein all inoculated seedlings wilted and died within 4 and 9 weeks, respectively. V. nonalfalfae was reisolated from all inoculated seedlings; control seedlings inoculated with distilled water remained asymptomatic. Ohio is the third state from which V. nonalfalfae has been reported to be pathogenic on A. altissima. If V. nonalfalfae proves to be widespread, it may represent a natural biocontrol for the invasive A. altissima. Also, since USDA APHIS evaluates and regulates new potential biocontrol agents on a state-by-state basis, it is important to document each state in which V. nonalfalfae is killing A. altissima, so that in-state inoculum can be used for biocontrol efforts, simplifying the regulatory process. References: (1) P. Inderbitzin et al. 2011 PLoS ONE, 6, e28341, 2011. (2) M. J. Schall and D. D. Davis. Plant Dis. 93:747, 2009. (3) A. L. Snyder et al. Plant Dis. 96:837, 2013.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - M A Malone
- F & W Forestry Services, Chillicothe, OH
| | - D P G Short
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California at Davis, Salinas
| | - M T Kasson
- Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg
| | - E S O'Neal
- The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, University Park
| | - D D Davis
- The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, University Park
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Snyder AL, Kasson MT, Salom SM, Davis DD, Griffin GJ, Kok LT. First Report of Verticillium Wilt of Ailanthus altissima in Virginia Caused by Verticillium nonalfalfae. Plant Dis 2013; 97:837. [PMID: 30722642 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-05-12-0502-pdn] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, commonly known as tree-of-heaven, is an invasive tree species that has spread throughout the United States since its introduction in 1784 (2). During a survey in July 2009, approximately 1,100 A. altissima trees were observed at two locations in western Virginia (a roadside in Montgomery Co. and a wooded area adjacent to a railroad in Bedford Co.) exhibiting foliar wilt symptoms, defoliation, yellowish vascular discoloration, or death at an incidence of ~77%. Similar symptoms on A. altissima were reported in Roanoke, VA in the early 1930s and after 2005 in Pennsylvania, attributed to a Verticillium sp. (1,2). To identify the causal agent, discolored xylem tissue samples were excised from 10 symptomatic A. altissima trees at both locations, soaked in 1% NaOCl for 2 min, rinsed with sterilized distilled water for 5 min, and placed onto plum extract agar. Cultures were incubated in the dark at 22°C for 7 to 14 days. The resultant colonies (three to four per location) were subcultured and identified putatively as a Verticillium sp. closely related to Verticillium albo-atrum Reinke and Berthold (3), based on melanized, thick-walled, resting mycelia and phialides arranged in verticillate whorls that amassed round, oval-shaped conidia (5.1 ± 1.2 μm × 2.8 ± 0.4 μm, n = 100). Molecular identification of two fungal isolates (one per location) was determined by amplification of the protein coding genes elongation factor 1-alpha (EF), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPD), and tryptophan synthase (TS), using PCR primers developed recently for Verticillium (3). A BLAST search on the edited contigs revealed 100% sequence similarity for all three protein coding genes among the two isolates and reference sequences of isolates PD592 (GenBank Accessions JN188227, JN188163, and JN188035 for EF, GPD, and TS, respectively) and VnAaPA140 (KC307764, KC307766, and KC307768 for EF, GPD, and TS, respectively) of the newly-proposed species, V. nonalfalfae (formerly V. albo-atrum). Aligned sequences from one representative isolate, VnAaVA2 (Bedford Co.), were deposited into GenBank as KC307758 (EF), KC307759 (GPD), and KC307760 (TS). To confirm pathogenicity to A. altissima, the two molecularly characterized isolates (one per location) were inoculated into 18 10-week old A. altissima stems that were grown in an environmental chamber at 24°C, 60% RH, and a 12-h photoperiod from seeds collected in Blacksburg, VA. A conidial suspension of each isolate was injected into each stem (0.1 ml of 1 × 108 CFU/ml/stem). All 36 seedlings inoculated with the proposed V. nonalfalfae isolates developed wilting of leaflets within 2 weeks post-inoculation (WPI), defoliation of leaflets by 6 WPI, and were dead by 9 WPI. Eighteen control seedlings were inoculated similarly with distilled water, and remained asymptomatic. Fungi resembling the proposed species V. nonalfalfae were reisolated from all inoculated stems except the control plants, and the species confirmed morphologically as described above. V. nonalfalfae is a recently proposed species that can infect a variety of plant species (3). To our knowledge, this is the first report of this proposed species on A. altissima in Virginia. New state reports of this pathogen on A. altissima are important for regulatory issues associated with using this pathogen as a potential biological control agent. References: (1) G. F. Gravatt and R. B. Clapper. Plant Dis. Rep. 16:96, 1932. (2) M. J. Schall and D. D. Davis. Plant Dis. 93:747, 2009. (3) P. Inderbitzin et al. PLoS ONE, 6, e28341, 2011.
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Affiliation(s)
- A L Snyder
- Virginia Tech, Department of Entomology, Blacksburg, VA
| | - M T Kasson
- Virginia Tech, Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science, Blacksburg, VA
| | - S M Salom
- Virginia Tech, Department of Entomology
| | - D D Davis
- The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Plant Pathology, University Park, PA
| | - G J Griffin
- Virginia Tech, Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science
| | - L T Kok
- Virginia Tech, Department of Entomology
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