Frontiers in Fungal Biology

Existing, emerging, and reemerging strains of phytopathogenic fungi pose a significant threat to agricultural productivity globally. This risk is further exacerbated by the lack of resistance source(s) in plants or a breakdown of resistance by pathogens through co-evolution. In recent years, attenuation of essential pathogen gene(s) via double-stranded (ds) RNA-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) in host plants, a phenomenon known as host-induced gene silencing, has gained significant attention as a way to combat pathogen attack. Yet, due to biosafety concerns regarding transgenics, country-specific GMO legislation has limited the practical application of desirable attributes in plants. The topical application of dsRNA/siRNA targeting essential fungal gene(s) through spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS) on host plants has opened up a transgene-free avenue for crop protection. However, several factors influence the outcome of RNAi, including but not limited to RNAi mechanism in plant/fungi, dsRNA/siRNA uptake efficiency, dsRNA/siRNA design parameters, dsRNA stability and delivery strategy, off-target effects, etc. This review emphasizes the significance of these factors and suggests appropriate measures to consider while designing in silico and in vitro experiments for successful RNAi in open-field conditions. We also highlight prospective nanoparticles as smart delivery vehicles for deploying RNAi molecules in plant systems for long-term crop protection and ecosystem compatibility. Lastly, we provide specific directions for future investigations that focus on blending nanotechnology and RNAi-based fungal control for practical applications.

Poonam Ray

Debashish Sahu

Raghavendra Aminedi

Divya Chandran

Concepts and considerations for enhancing RNAi efficiency in phytopathogenic fungi for RNAi-based crop protection using nanocarrier-mediated dsRNA delivery systems

Colletotrichum is a globally significant genus of plant pathogens known for causing anthracnose across a diverse array of hosts. Notably, Colletotrichum graminicola is a pathogen affecting maize. Annually, the global economic impact of this pathogen reaches billions of US dollars. C. graminicola produces conidia that have a characteristic falcate shape and are dispersed by rain. Upon attachment to maize leaves, these conidia develop melanized appressoria to penetrate the leaf surface to initiate disease. Recent findings have emphasized the existence of an adhesive strip on only one side of C. graminicola conidia. This strip colocalizes with an actin array, playing a crucial role in facilitating attachment and germination. This asymmetrical adhesive was postulated to enhance spore dispersal by assuring that some conidia do not attach to their initial deposition site. The extent of this asymmetric adhesive phenotype in other Colletotrichum species remains unknown, raising questions about its conservation within the genus. This study reveals the ubiquitous presence of an asymmetric adhesive on the conidia across nine isolates of Colletotrichum , representing eight species. Morphological differences in conidium shape and adhesive distribution were observed. Significantly, Colletotrichum truncatum is unique from other observed species by exhibiting an adhesive strip on both sides of its conidium. Furthermore, in C. graminicola , we noted a simultaneous development of the actin array and detachment from its mother cell after spore development. We posit that the study of other Colletotrichum members holds promise in elucidating the evolutionary trajectory of this phenotype. Furthermore, these insights may prove instrumental in understanding spore dispersal dynamics across diverse hosts, shedding light on the intricate web of host specificity within the genus.

Caleb Oliver Bedsole

Mary Cowser

Timothy Martin

Jillian Hamilton

Lucia Gonzalez Rodriguez

Thomas M. Chappell

Brian D. Shaw

Morphological variations and adhesive distribution: a cross-species examination in Colletotrichum conidia

形态变异与粘附分布：炭疽菌孢子的跨物种研究

Introduction The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) reported that numerous diseases can be traced back to the consumption of unsafe food contaminated with mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by toxigenic filamentous fungi. Mycotoxins reported to be of socio-economic concerns include aflatoxins, fumonisins, zearalenone, ochratoxin A, and deoxynivalenol. These mycotoxins are frequent contaminants of maize especially in the face of climate change and global food insecurity. South Africa is a leading exporter of maize in Africa, hence, it is crucial to evaluate exposure risks with respect to mycotoxin contamination of maize for consumers’ safety. Materials and method In total, 752 post-harvest maize samples collected from silos over a 3-year period were analysed using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the occurrence of mycotoxins. Results and discussion The overall mean values for all the quantified mycotoxins were within the South Africa regulatory limit as well as the individual samples, apart from DON and FB mycotoxins with 5% and 1% samples, respectively, above the limit. Citrinin was quantified in South African commercial maize for the first time. The presence of major mycotoxins in South African commercial maize even within safety limits is of public health concern, hence, continuous monitoring and evaluation is recommended.

Queenta Ngum Nji

Mulunda Mwanza

Three-year multi-mycotoxin analysis of South African commercial maize from three provinces

南非三个省份商业玉米三年多霉菌毒素分析

Jesús Adonai Maguey-González

Juan D. Latorre

Sergio Gomez-Rosales

Abraham Mendez-Albores

Editorial: Predicting, managing, and minimizing mycotoxicosis in farm animals

社论：预测、管理和减少畜禽霉菌毒素中毒

The application of microorganisms as bio-control agents against arthropod populations is a need in many countries, especially in tropical, subtropical, and neotropical endemic areas. Several arthropod species became agricultural pests of paramount economic significance, and many methods have been developed for field and urban applications to prevent their, the most common being the application of chemical insecticides. However, the indiscriminate treatment based upon those substances acted as a selective pressure for upcoming resistant phenotype populations. As alternative tools, microorganisms have been prospected as complementary tools for pest and vectorial control, once they act in a more specific pattern against target organisms than chemicals. They are considered environmentally friendly since they have considerably less off-target effects. Entomopathogenic fungi are organisms capable of exerting pathogenesis in many vector species, thus becoming potential tools for biological management. The entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium sp. have been investigated as a microbiological agent for the control of populations of insects in tropical regions. However, the development of entomopathogenic fungi as control tools depends on physiological studies regarding aspects such as mechanisms of pathogenicity, secreted enzymes, viability, and host-pathogen aspects. The following review briefly narrates current aspects of entomopathogenic fungi, such as physiology, cellular characteristics, host-pathogen interactions, and its previous applications against different insect orders with medical and economic importance. Approaches integrating new isolation, prospection, characterization, delivery strategies, formulations, and molecular and genetic tools will be decisive to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of EPFs and to develop more sustainable alternative pesticides.

Rodrigo Prado Rodrigues de Miranda

Talita Kellen dos Anjos Soares

Daniele Pereira Castro

Fernando Ariel Genta

General aspects, host interaction, and application of Metarhizium sp. in arthropod pest and vector control

球孢白僵菌在节肢动物害虫和媒介控制中的总体方面、宿主相互作用及应用

The filamentous fungus Stachybotrys chartarum is rich in meroterpenoid secondary metabolites, some of which carry o -dialdehyde moieties, which are readily derivatized to isoindolinones by addition of primary amines. The structural diversity of phenylspirodrimanes, in particular, is linked to a wide range of biological activities, making them ideal candidates for semi-synthetic modification. In this study, acetoxystachybotrydial acetate was reacted with l -tryptophan and tryptamine, resulting in the detection of both regiospecific isomeric structures - a rare and significant finding that enabled the examination of four novel reaction products. Besides their successful purification, a detailed report on their isomer-specific behavior with regard to chromatographic retention, UV-spectral specificities, nuclear magnetic resonances, and mass spectrometric fragmentation is given. Furthermore, a comprehensive insight into each compounds’ unique effect within the tested biological assays is provided, which include cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, their biological activity against serine proteases of the blood coagulation cascade, and in vitro hepatic metabolism, always in comparison to the non-derivatized substance. Ultimately, each isomer can be distinguished already during the purification process, which extends to the biological assays where we present one less cytotoxic, faster metabolized, and more active regio-isomeric phenylspirodrimane-derivative.

Alica Fischle

Ulrich Schreiber

Viola Haupt

Felix Schimang

Lina Schürmann

Matthias Behrens

Florian Hübner

Melanie Esselen

Dmitrii V. Kalinin

Svetlana A. Kalinina

Biological evaluation of semi-synthetic isoindolinone isomers produced by Stachybotrys chartarum

链格孢菌产生的半合成异吲哚酮异构体的生物学评价

Abbreviation	Front. Fungal Biol.
Journal Impact	2.00
Quartiles(Global)	MYCOLOGY(Q3)

ISSN	2673-6128
h-index	11

Publication Information	Publisher: Frontiers Media SA，Publishing cycle: ，Journal Type: journal，Open Access Journals: Yes
Basic data	Year of publication: 2020，Proportion of original research papers: 0.00%，Self Citation Rate:4.80%， Gold OA Rate: 100.00%
Journal Fees	$2125Details
Average review cycle	网友分享经验：13 Weeks

Frontiers in Fungal Biology

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Concepts and considerations for enhancing RNAi efficiency in phytopathogenic fungi for RNAi-based crop protection using nanocarrier-mediated dsRNA delivery systems

Morphological variations and adhesive distribution: a cross-species examination in Colletotrichum conidia

Three-year multi-mycotoxin analysis of South African commercial maize from three provinces

Editorial: Predicting, managing, and minimizing mycotoxicosis in farm animals

General aspects, host interaction, and application of Metarhizium sp. in arthropod pest and vector control

Morphological variations and adhesive distribution: a cross-species examination in Colletotrichum conidia

Three-year multi-mycotoxin analysis of South African commercial maize from three provinces

Biological evaluation of semi-synthetic isoindolinone isomers produced by Stachybotrys chartarum

General aspects, host interaction, and application of Metarhizium sp. in arthropod pest and vector control

Editorial: Predicting, managing, and minimizing mycotoxicosis in farm animals