TY - JOUR

T1 - Mycoviruses Increase the Attractiveness of Fusarium graminearum for Fungivores and Suppress Production of the Mycotoxin Deoxynivalenol

AU - Schiwek, Simon

AU - Slonka, Matthäus

AU - Alhussein, Mohammad

AU - Knierim, Dennis

AU - Margaria, Paolo

AU - Rose, Hanna

AU - Richert-Pöggeler, Katja R.

AU - Rostás, Michael

AU - Karlovsky, Petr

PY - 2024/3/2

Y1 - 2024/3/2

N2 - RNA viruses of the genera Ambivirus, Mitovirus, Sclerotimonavirus, and Partitivirus were found in a single isolate of Fusarium graminearum. The genomes of the mitovirus, sclerotimonavirus, and partitivirus were assigned to previously described viruses, whereas the ambivirus genome putatively represents a new species, named Fusarium graminearum ambivirus 1 (FgAV1). To investigate the effect of mycoviruses on the fungal phenotype, the spontaneous loss of mycoviruses during meiosis and the transmission of mycoviruses into a new strain via anastomosis were used to obtain isogenic F. graminearum strains both with and without mycoviruses. Notable effects observed in mycovirus-harboring strains were (i) the suppression of the synthesis of trichothecene mycotoxins and their precursor trichodiene, (ii) the suppression of the synthesis of the defense compound aurofusarin, (iii) the stimulation of the emission of 2-methyl-1-butanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol, and (iv) the increased attractiveness of fungal mycelia for fungivorous collembolans. The increased attractiveness of mycovirus-infected filamentous fungi to animal predators opens new perspectives on the ecological implications of the infection of fungi with viruses.

AB - RNA viruses of the genera Ambivirus, Mitovirus, Sclerotimonavirus, and Partitivirus were found in a single isolate of Fusarium graminearum. The genomes of the mitovirus, sclerotimonavirus, and partitivirus were assigned to previously described viruses, whereas the ambivirus genome putatively represents a new species, named Fusarium graminearum ambivirus 1 (FgAV1). To investigate the effect of mycoviruses on the fungal phenotype, the spontaneous loss of mycoviruses during meiosis and the transmission of mycoviruses into a new strain via anastomosis were used to obtain isogenic F. graminearum strains both with and without mycoviruses. Notable effects observed in mycovirus-harboring strains were (i) the suppression of the synthesis of trichothecene mycotoxins and their precursor trichodiene, (ii) the suppression of the synthesis of the defense compound aurofusarin, (iii) the stimulation of the emission of 2-methyl-1-butanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol, and (iv) the increased attractiveness of fungal mycelia for fungivorous collembolans. The increased attractiveness of mycovirus-infected filamentous fungi to animal predators opens new perspectives on the ecological implications of the infection of fungi with viruses.

KW - aurofusarin

KW - Collembola

KW - deoxynivalenol

KW - Folsomia candida

KW - food preference

KW - fungivory

KW - Fusarium graminearum

KW - mycovirus

KW - trichothecenes

KW - VOC

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85188964098&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/toxins16030131

DO - 10.3390/toxins16030131

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85188964098

VL - 16

JO - TOXINS

JF - TOXINS

SN - 2072-6651

IS - 3

M1 - 131

ER -