Specific Mycoparasite-Fusarium Graminearum Molecular Signatures in Germinating Seeds Disabled Fusarium Head Blight Pathogen’s Infection

Abstract

Advances in Infrared (IR) spectroscopies have entered a new era of research with applications in phytobiome, plant microbiome and health. Fusarium graminearum 3-ADON is the most aggressive mycotoxigenic chemotype causing Fusarium head blight (FHB) in cereals; while Sphaerodes mycoparasitica is the specific Fusarium mycoparasite with biotrophic lifestyle discovered in cereal seeds and roots. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analyses depicted shifts in the spectral peaks related to mycoparasitism mainly within the region of proteins, lipids, also indicating a link between carbohydrates and protein regions, involving potential phenolic compounds. Especially, S. mycoparasitica contributes to significant changes in lipid region 3050–2800 cm−1, while in the protein region, an increasing trend was observed for the peaks 1655–1638 cm−1 (amide I) and 1549–1548 cm−1 (amide II) with changes in indicative protein secondary structures. Besides, the peak extending on the region 1520–1500 cm−1 insinuates a presence of aromatic compounds in presence of mycoparasite on the F. graminearum root sample. Monitoring shift in improved seed germination, fungus-fungus interface through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and FTIR molecular signatures combined with principal component analysis (PCA) proved useful tools to detect an early mycoparasitism as a vital asset of the preventive biocontrol strategy against plant pathogens.

Bioprotection of Zea mays L. from aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus by Loigolactobacillus coryniformis BCH-4

“…flavus treated maize grains) were interpreted within the spectral region of 4000–400 cm −1 . The absorption bands that appeared in the range of 3500–3000 cm −1 are assigned to be–OH and NH stretching [ 42 ] and the absorption band in the region of 2922 cm −1 can be assigned to be the -CH stretching. Absorption bands 1635 cm −1 and 1540 cm −1 showed the presence of carbonyl stretching (C = O) [ 35 ] while absorbance at 1043 cm -1 indicated the presence of C-O-C, C-C and C-O functional groups [ 42 , 43 ].…”

“…The absorption bands that appeared in the range of 3500–3000 cm −1 are assigned to be–OH and NH stretching [ 42 ] and the absorption band in the region of 2922 cm −1 can be assigned to be the -CH stretching. Absorption bands 1635 cm −1 and 1540 cm −1 showed the presence of carbonyl stretching (C = O) [ 35 ] while absorbance at 1043 cm -1 indicated the presence of C-O-C, C-C and C-O functional groups [ 42 , 43 ]. In the spectra, the–OH, NH, C = O stretching indicated the presence of peptides linkage (protein contents), CH stretching showed the presence of fatty acid contents while C-O-C, C-C and C-O stretching indicated the presence of carbohydrate contents.…”

Tremellomycetes Yeasts in Kernel Ecological Niche: Early Indicators of Enhanced Competitiveness of Endophytic and Mycoparasitic Symbionts against Wheat Pathobiota

“…An increased abundance of Vishniacozyma yeasts was measured inside kernels of the symbiotic plant host after it acquired an external Penicillium –PGP endophyte [ 5 ], which also coincided with a reduced CB index. Plant acquisition of the external Sphaerodes mycoparasite–BCA inoculant [ 53 ] resulted in a reduced FHB index, including Vishniacozyma mycoparasitic yeasts. The latter might be interpreted according to the guild hypothesis, which would entail close consideration of the competition between the two mycoparasites within kernel environmental niche.…”

Early transcriptomic response of the mycoparasite Sphaerodes mycoparasitica to the mycotoxigenic Fusarium graminearum 3-ADON, the cause of Fusarium head blight

“…Recent discoveries of fungal antagonists, including mycoparasitic fungi and mycoparasitism-related genes, have provided a basis for controlling Fusarium and improving phytoprotection (Moreno-Ruiz 2021 ; Kim et al 2021 ). Indeed, emerging new biocontrol approaches are expected to control diseases and improve breeding programs to increase crop yields and generate more microbe-optimized crops (Trivedi et al 2017 ; Vujanovic 2021 ).…”

“…Although the mycoparasite degrades DON, 3-ADON, 15-ADON, and ZEN (Kim and Vujanovic 2017 ) and inhibits their production in F. graminearum 3-ADON (Vujanovic and Chau 2012 ; Vujanovic et al 2012 ), the mechanism underlying mycoparasitism at the transcriptomic level is still unknown (Vujanovic 2021 ). In addition to transcripts associated with host recognition, attachment, and infection, several other differentially expressed transcripts during mycoparasitism are still unknown, suggesting that further research is needed to understand the biological processes contributing to effective biocontrol (Kim et al 2021 ; Zhao et al 2020 ). An important gap of transcriptomic knowledge exists about specific-biotrophic mycoparasitism, while the expression trends of some loci may greatly differ between S. mycoparasitica and other mycoparasitic taxa (Alfiky and Weisskopf 2021 ; Gupta et al 2014 ).…”