The infection structures, trophism, and ecological character of nematophagous fungi are reviewed in this article on the basis of data extracted from the literature and the most recent experiments conducted in this area. Traditionally, nematophagous fungi are classifi ed into four groups according to their modes of attacking nematodes: nematode-trapping fungi using adhesive or mechanical hyphal ...

The fungal pathogen Hirsutella thompsonii produces an insecticidal protein named hirsutellin A (HtA), which has been described to be toxic to several species of mites, insect larvae, and cells. On the other hand, on the basis of an extensive biochemical and structural characterization, HtA has been considered to be a member of the ribotoxins family. Ribotoxins are fungal extracellular ribonucle...

Single molecule, real-time (SMRT) sequencing was used to characterize mitochondrial (mt) genome of Ophiocordyceps sinensis and to analyze the mt genome-wide pattern of epigenetic DNA modification. The complete mt genome of O. sinensis, with a size of 157,539 bp, is the fourth largest Ascomycota mt genome sequenced to date. It contained 14 conserved protein-coding genes (PCGs), 1 intronic protei...

Drechmeria coniospora is an obligate fungal pathogen that infects nematodes via the adhesion of specialized spores to the host cuticle. D. coniospora is frequently found associated with Caenorhabditis elegans in environmental samples. It is used in the study of the nematode’s response to fungal infection. Full understanding of this bi-partite interaction requires knowledge of the pathogen’s gen...

The nematophagous fungus Hirsutella rhossiliensis Minter and Brady produces adhesive spores that ge rmina te direct ly through the cuticle of host nematodes (3). When juveni les o f the plant-parasi t ic nematode Criconemella xenoplax (Raski) Luc and Raski were inoculated with spores of this fungus and incubated in water, only a small pe rcen tage became infec ted (3). Nematodes that were heat ...

To enhance nucleoside production in Hirsutella sinensis, the biosynthetic pathways of purine and pyrimidine nucleosides were constructed and verified. The differential expression analysis showed that purine nucleoside phosphorylase, inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase, and guanosine monophosphate synthase genes involved in purine nucleotide biosynthesis were significantly upregulated 16.56-fold...

The caterpillar fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis (previously called Cordyceps sinensis) has been used for centuries in Asia as a tonic to improve health and longevity. Recent studies show that O. sinensis produces a wide range of biological effects on cells, laboratory animals and humans, including anti-fatigue, anti-infection, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-tumor activities. In view of...

Potential Entomopathogenic Fungi a. Metarhizium spp. b. Beauveria spp. c. Verticillium lecanii d. Nomuraea rileyi e. Hirsutella spp. f. Paecilomyces spp. Genetic Improvement of EPF a) Chemical mutagenesis b) Parasexual cycle c) Protoplast fusion d) Direct genetic manipulation Mutagen In genetics, a mutagen is a physical or chemical agent that changes the genetic material, usually DNA, of an org...

The transcription factor SKN7 is a highly conserved protein among fungi and was initially recognized as a response regulator that protects cells from oxidative stress and maintains cell wall integrity in yeast. Orthologs of SKN7 are extensively present in biocontrol agents of plant pathogens, but they had not been functionally characterized. Here, we identified and characterized the transcripti...