Tracing the coevolution between Triatoma infestans and its fungal pathogen Beauveria bassiana

Abstract

The chemical control of Triatoma infestans, the major Chagas disease vector in southern South America, has been threatened in the last years by the emergence of pyrethroid-resistant bug populations. As an alternative approach, the efficacy of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana to control T. infestans populations (regardless their pyrethroid susceptibility) has been demonstrated. Growing research efforts on the interaction between T. infestans and B. bassiana by molecular, ecological, biochemical and behavioral traits has allowed framing such interaction as an evolutionary arms race. This review will focus on the relationships established in this particular host-pathogen system, compiling available data on the relevance of fungal pathogenesis, insect behavior, population dynamics and human intervention to favor fungal dissemination in bug populations. The current snapshot shows the fungus ahead in the evolutionary arms race and predicts a promissory landscape for the biological control of Chagas disease vectors.

Isolation of Beauveria bassiana from the Chagas Disease Vector Triatoma infestans in the Gran Chaco Region of Argentina: Assessment of Gene Expression during Host–Pathogen Interaction

“…Targeted fungal genes were those encoding for enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of some secondary metabolites [13]; i.e., tenellin synthetase (BbtenS), beauvericin synthetase (BbbeaS) and bassianolide synthetase (BbbslS). Insect genes assayed were a limpet transcription factor (Tilimpet-2) and three defensin genes (Tidef-1, Tidef-2, and Tidef-6) regulated by limpet [23]. Primers used are listed in Table 1.…”

“…However, there is abundant information about T. infestans-B. bassiana interaction [13,[18][19][20][21][22], even from a coevolutive perspective [23].…”

Efecto de beauveria bassiana balsamo, 1835 (hipocreales: clavicipitaceae) en la reproducción de meccus pallidipennis stal, 1872 (heteroptera: reduviidae)

“…al., 2018). La interacción que mantiene este hongo con los triatomas huéspedes ya ha sido descrita como una carrera armamentista evolutiva que en definitiva aventaja B. bassiana, esto nos aporta un panorama promisorio para el control biológico de los vectores de la enfermedad de Chagas (Martí et al, 2005;Mannino et. al., 2018) Efecto de beauveria bassiana balsamo, 1835 (hipocreales: clavicipitaceae) en la reproducción de meccus pallidipennis stal, 1872 (heteroptera: reduviidae)…”

The limpet transcription factors of Triatoma infestans regulate the response to fungal infection and modulate the expression pattern of defensin genes

“…For several years, pyrethroid residual spraying was a successful tool for triatomines control; however, an increasing number of highly resistant T. infestans populations in the Gran Chaco region were identified posing a challenge in vector control (Mougabure-Cueto and Picollo, 2016). Biological control is a worldwide strategy used as a part of integrated pest management programs, and in the last decade the ability of the hypocrealean entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana to colonize and kill T. infestans has been an active topic of research in our laboratory (Forlani et al, 2015;2011;Mannino et al, 2018;Pedrini et al, 2009). Beauveria bassiana penetrates the host through the cuticle and proliferates inside the hemocoel, triggering the T. infestans immune response (Lobo et al, Pedrini, 2018).…”