Perplexing Metabolomes in Fungal-Insect Trophic Interactions: A Terra Incognita of Mycobiocontrol Mechanisms

Abstract

The trophic interactions of entomopathogenic fungi in different ecological niches viz., soil, plants, or insect themselves are effectively regulated by their maneuvered metabolomes and the plethora of metabotypes. In this article, we discuss a holistic framework of co-evolutionary metabolomes and metabotypes to model the interactions of biocontrol fungi especially with mycosed insects. Conventionally, the studies involving fungal biocontrol mechanisms are reported in the context of much aggrandized fungal entomotoxins while the adaptive response mechanisms of host insects are relatively overlooked. The present review asserts that the selective pressure exerted among the competing or interacting species drives alterations in their overall metabolomes which ultimately implicates in corresponding metabotypes. Quintessentially, metabolomics offers a most generic and tractable model to assess the fungal-insect antagonism in terms of interaction biomarkers, biosynthetic pathway plasticity, and their co-evolutionary defense. The fungi chiefly rely on a battery of entomotoxins viz., secondary metabolites falling in the categories of NRP’s (non-ribosomal peptides), PK’s (polyketides), lysine derive alkaloids, and terpenoids. On the contrary, insects overcome mycosis through employing different layers of immunity manifested as altered metabotypes (phenoloxidase activity) and overall metabolomes viz., carbohydrates, lipids, fatty acids, amino acids, and eicosanoids. Here, we discuss the recent findings within conventional premise of fungal entomotoxicity and the evolution of truculent immune response among host insect. The metabolomic frameworks for fungal–insect interaction can potentially transmogrify our current comprehensions of biocontrol mechanisms to develop the hypervirulent biocontrol strains with least environmental concerns. Moreover, the interaction metabolomics (interactome) in complementation with other -omics cascades could further be applied to address the fundamental bottlenecks of adaptive co-evolution among biological species.

Secondary metabolites from hypocrealean entomopathogenic fungi: novel bioactive compounds

“…Species from Beauveria along with Metarhizium (from the family Clavicipitaceae) provide the most important commercial strains of bio-insecticides; they are known to infect more than 200 species of different insects that are important agricultural pests or act as vectors for human and animal diseases. 4,16,17 Isaria fumosorosea is also commercially available for the biocontrol of pests such as whitefly. 17 For further information on the major entomopathogenic fungi, their host range and commercial formulations as biopesticides, the reader is referred to the recent review of Singh et al (2016).…”

“…4,16,17 Isaria fumosorosea is also commercially available for the biocontrol of pests such as whitefly. 17 For further information on the major entomopathogenic fungi, their host range and commercial formulations as biopesticides, the reader is referred to the recent review of Singh et al (2016). 4,16 Fungal SMs affect insect physiology and behavior in multiple ways.…”

“…1 Many of these Hypocrealean Entomopathogenic Fungi (HEF) have a long history of being investigated as biocontrol agents, 2,3 with about 170 strains belonging to 12 different species having been developed commercially and marketed so far. 4,5 HEF are also known to produce a large number of structurally diverse secondary metabolites (SMs) with a remarkable range of bioactivities and potential applications in human and veterinary medicine and agricultural production. 2,3,[6][7][8][9] For example, the immunosuppressant 7.…”

Early Life Exposure to Food Contaminants and Social Stress as Risk Factor for Metabolic Disorders Occurrence?—An Overview

“…BPA and phthalates were indicated as sources of epigenetic disruption [ 155 ]. Epigenetics are defined by alterations in gene expression and not in DNA sequences that lead to heritable phenotype.…”

A genome scan of diversifying selection in Ophiocordyceps zombie‐ant fungi suggests a role for enterotoxins in co‐evolution and host specificity

“…Many entomopathogenic fungi are also thought to deploy a plethora of metabolites and toxins within the bodies of their hosts (Schrank & Vainstein, 2010;Singh, Son, & Lee, 2016). The nature of these molecules probably differs between groups of insect-pathogenic fungi and remains to be precisely determined, but the principal molecules include polyketides (PKs) and nonribosomal peptides (NRPs) (Gallo, Ferrara, & Perrone, 2013).…”