1. Interaction between Metarhizium anisopliae and Its Host, the Subterranean Termite Coptotermes curvignathus during the Infection Process
- Author
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Wei Hong Lau, Ahmad Said Sajap, Rozi Mohamed, Samsuddin Ahmad Syazwan, Shiou Yih Lee, and Dzolkhifli Omar
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Population ,Biological pest control ,Metarhizium anisopliae ,Germ tube ,biological control ,01 natural sciences ,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology ,Microbiology ,Conidium ,03 medical and health sciences ,education ,lcsh:QH301-705.5 ,education.field_of_study ,General Immunology and Microbiology ,biology ,Host (biology) ,fungi ,entomopathogenic fungi ,Pathogenic fungus ,biology.organism_classification ,010602 entomology ,Biopesticide ,030104 developmental biology ,lcsh:Biology (General) ,SEM ,TEM ,General Agricultural and Biological Sciences ,termite proteome ,host–pathogen interaction - Abstract
Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchnikoff) Sorokin, a pathogenic fungus to insects, infects the subterranean termite, Coptotermes curvignathus Holmgren, a devastating pest of plantation trees in the tropics. Electron microscopy and proteomics were used to investigate the infection and developmental process of M. anisopliae in C. curvignathus. Fungal infection was initiated by germ tube penetration through the host’s cuticle as observed at 6 h post-inoculation (PI), after which it elongated into the host’s integumental tissue. The colonization process continued as seen from dissemination of blastospores in the hemocoel at 96 h PI. At this time point, the emergent mycelia had mummified the host and forty-eight hours later, new conidia were dispersed on the termites’ body surface. Meanwhile, hyphal bodies were observed in abundance in the intercellular space in the host’s body. The proteomes of the pathogen and host were isolated separately using inoculated termite samples withdrawn at each PI-time point and analyzed in two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) gels. Proteins expressed in termites showed evidence of being related to cell regulation and the immune response, while those expressed in M. anisopliae, to transportation and fungal virulence. This study provides new information on the interaction between termites and its entomopathogen, with potential utilization for developing future biopesticide to control the termite population.
- Published
- 2021
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