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Mycoviruses: A novel approach for controlling mushroom pathogenic fungi.
Hatvani, Lorant Kondo, Hideki Shahi , Sabitree Suzuki, Nobuhiro Grogan, Helen
Hatvani, Lorant
Kondo, Hideki
Shahi , Sabitree
Suzuki, Nobuhiro
Grogan, Helen
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Abstract
The global production of button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) is severely affected by dry bubbles, caused by the filamentous fungus
Lecanicillium fungicola (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales, Ascomycota). The number of agrochemicals approved in mushroom cultivation for
disease control purposes is highly limited; however, numerous mycoviruses are known to induce hypovirulence in the range of plant
pathogenic fungi. Therefore, the aim of our study is to examine viruses in isolates of L. fungicola, focusing on the possibilities of biological
control. Based on their ITS (internal transcribed spacer) sequences, the majority of strains, originating from diseased mushrooms in
different countries, were confirmed as L. fungicola. In addition, strains representing different Akanthomyces and Simplicillium species were
also detected, which are mainly known as insect and nematode-pathogens. These species are genetically closely related to fungi possessing
the ability to produce different mycotoxins, therefore, despite the lack of data, their toxin-producing potential cannot be ruled out. Out
of 60 mushroom pathogenic strains, a total of 10 Lecanicillium and Akanthomyces spp. isolates were shown by cellulose column chromatography
to harbour double stranded (ds) RNA elements with different banding patterns, indicating RNA virus infection. The results of fruit body
infection and dual plate assays support the hypothesis of a potential association between the presence of mycoviruses and moderate
virulence of the pathogens. According to preliminary next-generation sequencing (NGS) data, in agreement with the results of dsRNA
gel analysis, viruses detected in a group of dsRNA-carrying fungal strains were found to be similar to the recently described chrysovirus
with a tetra-segmented dsRNA genome from the insect pathogenic fungus Isaria javanica, also belonging to the family Cordycipitaceae.
Our findings suggest that (1) certain insect pathogenic fungi can also cause dry bubble symptoms in mushroom cultivation, and (2)
mycoviruses might be promising candidates for studies aiming at biological or integrated pest management.