Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2021 Feb;130(2):570-581.
doi: 10.1111/jam.14503. Epub 2019 Dec 2.

Root colonization by endophytic insect-pathogenic fungi

S Hu  1 , M J Bidochka  1
Affiliations
Review

Root colonization by endophytic insect-pathogenic fungi

S Hu et al. J Appl Microbiol. 2021 Feb.

Abstract

Several ascomycetous insect-pathogenic fungi, including species in the genera Beauveria and Metarhizium, are plant root symbionts/endophytes and are termed as endophytic insect-pathogenic fungi (EIPF). The endophytic capability and insect pathogenicity of Metarhizium are coupled to provide an active method of insect-derived nitrogen transfer to plant hosts via fungal mycelia. In exchange for the insect-derived nitrogen, the plant provides photosynthate to the fungus. This symbiotic interaction offers other benefits to the plant-EIPF can improve plant growth, they are antagonistic to plant pathogens and herbivores and can enhance the plant tolerance to abiotic stresses. The mechanisms and underlying biochemical and genetic features of insect pathogenesis are generally well-established. However, there is a paucity of information regarding the underlying mechanisms in this plant-symbiotic association. Here we review five aspects of EIPF interactions with host plant roots: (i) rhizosphere colonization, (ii) signalling factors from the plant and EIPF, (iii) modulation of plant defence responses, (iv) nutrient exchange and (v) tripartite interactions with insects and other micro-organisms. The elucidation of these interactions is fundamental to understanding this symbiotic association for effective application of EIPF in an agricultural setting.

Keywords: Beauveria; Metarhizium; endophytic fungus-plant root interactions; entomopathogenic fungi; plant endophytes.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Ahmed, A.S., Sánchez, C.P. and Candela, M.E. (2000) Evaluation of induction of systemic resistance in pepper plants (Capsicum Annuum) to Phytophthora capsici using Trichoderma harzianum and its relation with capsidiol accumulation. Eur J Plant Pathol 106, 817-824.
    1. Akello, J., Dubois, T., Gold, C.S., Coyne, D., Nakavuma, J. and Paparu, P. (2007) Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin as an endophyte in tissue culture banana (Musa spp.). J Invertebr Pathol 96, 34-42.
    1. Allegrucci, N., Velazquez, M.S., Russo, M.L., Perez, E. and Scorsetti, A.C. (2018) Endophytic colonisation of tomato by the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana: the use of different inoculation techniques and their effects on the tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). J Plant Prot Res 331-337.
    1. Amor, B.B., Shaw, S.L., Oldroyd, G.E.D., Maillet, F., Penmetsa, R.V., Cook, D., Long, S.R., Dénarié, J. et al. (2003) The NFP locus of Medicago truncatula controls an early step of nod factor signal transduction upstream of a rapid calcium flux and root hair deformation. Plant J 34, 495-506.
    1. Angelone, S., Piña-Torres, I.H., Padilla-Guerrero, I.E. and Bidochka, M.J. (2018) “Sleepers” and “Creepers”: a theoretical study of colony polymorphisms in the fungus Metarhizium related to insect pathogenicity and plant rhizosphere colonization. Insects 9, 104.

LinkOut - more resources