Endophytic Beauveria bassiana of Tomato Resisted the Damage from Whitefly Bemisia tabaci by Mediating the Accumulation of Plant-Specialized Metabolites

Abstract

Beauveria bassiana acts as an endophytic fungus that controls herbivorous pests by stimulating plant defenses and inducing systemic resistance. Through multiomics analysis, 325 differential metabolites and 1739 differential expressed genes were observed in tomatoes treated with B. bassiana by root irrigation; meanwhile, 152 differential metabolites and 1002 differential genes were observed in tomatoes treated by local leaf spraying. Among the upregulated metabolites were α-solanine, 5- O -caffeoylshikimic acid, clerodendrin A, and peucedanin, which demonstrated anti-insect activity. These differential metabolites were primarily associated with alkaloid biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, and tryptophan metabolism pathways. Furthermore, the gene silencing of UDP-glucose:sterol glucosyltransferase, a gene involved in α-solanine synthesis, indicated that B. bassiana could inhibit the reproduction of whiteflies by regulating α-solanine. This study highlighted the ability of B. bassiana to modulate plant secondary metabolites and emphasized the significance of understanding and harnessing multitrophic interactions of endophytic B. bassiana for sustainable agriculture.

The plant endomicrobiome: Structure and strategies to produce stress resilient future crop

“… Chilo suppressalis (Walker)/ Solanum lycopersicum cv. Hezuo Beauveria bassiana α-solanine, 5-O-caffeoylshikimic acid, clerodendrin A, and peucedanin Pest management Wang et al (2023) 2. Spongia officinalis Penicillium verruculosum Averufin Anti-cancerous activity Kaliaperumal et al (2023) 3.…”

“… Erythrina brucei Gluconobacter cerinus, Acinetobacter soli, Achromobacter xylosoxidans and Bacillus thuringiensis P mineralization activity on medium supplemented with aluminium phosphate (Al-P), iron phosphate (Fe-P) and Tri-Calcium Phosphate Improved E. brucei in both alkaline and acidic soils Berza et al (2022) 11. Kosteletzkya virginica Trichoderma viride ACC deaminase Enhanced plant growth parameters, chlorophyll contents, and antioxidants activities Wang et al (2023) 12. Cathamus oxycantha Trichoderma gamsii and Fusarium proliferatum ACC deaminase Manages plant health under drought stressed plants Rehman et al (2022) 13.…”

“…Endophytic fungus Beauveria bassiana upregulated metabolites activities as α-solanine, 5-O-caffeoylshikimic acid, clerodendrin, peucedanin related with alkaloid, flavonoids biosynthesis and tryptophan metabolism pathways. Additionally, gene silencing of UDP-glucose:sterol glucosyltransferase, a gene involved in α-solanine synthesis, indicated that B. bassiana efficiently inhibit the herbivore pest whitefly Bemisia tabaci by α-solanine ( Wang et al, 2023 ).…”

“…For example, one endophyte species may produce compounds that inhibit the growth of competing species or enhances the fitness of the host plant, leading to changes in the overall composition of endophyte communities ( Hordoim et al, 2015 ). Next generation genome sequencing, metagenomic profiling of microbiota exhibited endomicrobiome diversity and functional dynamics are dynamic and transform during plant parts and development stages ( Liang et al, 2024 ) as well as in environments ( Copeland and Schulze-Lefert, 2020 ; Wang et al, 2023 ) in multiple plants.…”

“…Multiple studies on plant-endomicrobiome community characterization, functional dynamics and their impact on growth, disease management, abiotic and biotic stress management, water retention and synthesis of beneficial regulating hormones reported with beneficial impact on plant and environmental health ( Khan et al, 2012 ; Deng et al, 2019 ; Liu et al, 2023 ). Moreover, beneficial endo-microbiome play dominant role in synthesis of novel metabolites, bio-active molecules as alkaloids, phenols, peptides synthesis, improved nutrient cycling, bio-degradation, bio-remediation and show promising bio-tool for future crop growth stimulator and widely applied in pharmaceuticals, industrial and agro-farming sectors ( Thomloudi et al 2021 ; Wang et al, 2023 ).…”