Abstract
Metarhizium robertsii, a vital entomopathogenic fungus for pest management, relies on various virulence-related proteins for infection. Identifying these proteins, especially those with unknown functions, can illuminate the fungus’s virulence mechanisms. Through RNA-seq, we discovered that the hypothetical protein MAA_07646 was significantly upregulated during appressorium formation in M. robertsii. In this study, we characterized MAA_07646, finding its presence in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. Surprisingly, it did not affect vegetative growth, conidiation, or chemical tolerance. However, it played a role in heat and UV radiation sensitivity. Notably, ΔMAA_07646 exhibited reduced virulence in Galleria mellonella larvae due to impaired appressorium formation and decreased expression of virulence-related genes. In conclusion, MAA_07646 contributes to thermotolerance, UV resistance, and virulence in M. robertsii. Understanding its function sheds light on the insecticidal potential of M. robertsii’s hypothetical proteins.
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This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31972332).
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Conceptualization, B.H.; methodology, M.C. and Y.Y.; validation, Y.T., H.W., J.Q., and Y.Y.; formal analysis, B.H.; data curation, B.H.; writing—review and editing, B.H.; supervision, B.H.; funding acquisition, B.H. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
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Chen, M., Yu, Y., Tong, Y. et al. Hypothetical protein MAA_07646 is required for stress resistance and pathogenicity in Metarhizium robertsii. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 40, 141 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-024-03934-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-024-03934-y