Entomopathogenic fungi produces endochitianses, involved in the degradation of insect chitin to facilitate the infection process. Endochitinases (
Chit1
) gene of family 18 glycosyl hydrolyses were amplified, cloned and characterized from genomic DNA of two isolates of
Metarhizium anisopliae.
Catalytic motif of family 18 glycosyl hydrolyses was found in
Chit1
of
M. anisopliae
, while no signal peptide was found in any isolate, whereas substrate-binding motif was found in
Chit1
of both isolates. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the evolutionary relationship among the fungal chitinases of
Metarhizium
. The
Chit1
amplified were closely related to the family 18 glycosyl hydrolyses. Transient expressions of
Chit1
in cotton plants using Geminivirus-mediated gene silencing vector of
Cotton Leaf Crumple Virus
(CLCrV) revealed the chitinase activity of
Chit1
genes amplified from both of the isolates of
M. anisopliae
when compared with the control. Transformed cotton plants were virulent against fourth instar nymphal and adult stages of
Bemisia tabaci
which resulted in the mortality of both fourth instar nymphal and adult
B. tabaci.
Thus, the fungal chitinases expressed in cotton plants played a vital role in plant defence against
B. tabaci
. However, further studies are required to explore the comparative effectiveness of chitinases from different fungal strains against economically important insect pests.
Matching the global food demand by 2050 and to ensure the stability of food security in over than 99 countries, it is necessary to scale up the production of food such as sorghum, wheat, rice, maize and sugarcane which are however natural hosts of Cochliobolus species. Cochliobolus species major epidemics such as the Great Bengal famine, Southern corn leaf blight, and Northern leaf spot blight were associated with substantial economic losses in the past decades. Thus, there is an urgent need to establish a specific coordinated global surveillance program for the migration of invasive Cochliobolus species, planning contextual control programs engaging all agricultural stakeholders and information sharing in real time for prevention of disastrous Cochliobolus disease outbreak effects. We discuss pertinent outcome of interactions of cash crops with Cochliobolus species having devastating impact on the livelihood of farmers and food security. While post-genomic era elucidated prominent differences among Cochliobolus heterostrophus, C. carbonum, C. victoriae, C. lunatus and C. miyabeanus, their destructive potentials and implications in food losses remained unearthed. Intriguingly, the annual colossal losses caused by Cochliobolus species in the production perspective of sorghum, wheat, rice, maize, cassava and soybean is estimated over 10 billion USD worldwide. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the invasive Cochliobolus species distribution and diversity, evolving pathogenicity, persistent diseases, threats and epidemics, consequences on food crops production and increasing global food insecurity issues.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.