{"title":"Phylogenetic classification and physiological and ecological traits of Metarhizium spp.","authors":"Oumi Nishi","doi":"10.47371/mycosci.2024.07.001","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"</p><p>The genus <i>Metarhizium</i> (<i>Hypocreales</i>: <i>Clavicipitaceae</i>) is mostly composed of entomopathogenic fungal species. Many of these species are anamorphic and difficult to distinguish morphologically. Furthermore, most isolates of this genus have a broad host range, making classification based on host-insect species uncertain. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on DNA sequence information distinguishes these species well and revises the taxonomy of <i>Metarhizium</i>. However, in the revisions, the major groups within the genus, such as <i>M. anisopliae</i> complex, were classified regardless of their phenotypic differentiation. Therefore, the characteristics of the individual species remain unclear. To explore the species-specific characteristics of <i>Metarhizium</i> spp., the author performed a phylogenetic analysis and characterization of <i>Metarhizium</i> spp. in Japan. The results showed that strains of the <i>M. brunneum</i> and <i>M. pemphigi</i> clades exhibited cold-active growth characteristics and preferred forested environments over <i>M. pingshaense</i>. In the <i>M. majus</i> clade, a specialist of scarab beetles, isolates from different Scarabaeidae species, including the coconut rhinoceros beetle (<i>Oryctes</i> spp.) and flower chafer beetle (<i>Protaetia orientalis</i>), formed separate subclades and showed strong virulence against their original hosts. This review describes the current state of understanding of the taxonomy and species-specific characteristics of the genus <i>Metarhizium</i>, and includes the author’s own previous study.</p>\n<p></p>","PeriodicalId":18780,"journal":{"name":"Mycoscience","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Mycoscience","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.47371/mycosci.2024.07.001","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"MYCOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The genus Metarhizium (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) is mostly composed of entomopathogenic fungal species. Many of these species are anamorphic and difficult to distinguish morphologically. Furthermore, most isolates of this genus have a broad host range, making classification based on host-insect species uncertain. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on DNA sequence information distinguishes these species well and revises the taxonomy of Metarhizium. However, in the revisions, the major groups within the genus, such as M. anisopliae complex, were classified regardless of their phenotypic differentiation. Therefore, the characteristics of the individual species remain unclear. To explore the species-specific characteristics of Metarhizium spp., the author performed a phylogenetic analysis and characterization of Metarhizium spp. in Japan. The results showed that strains of the M. brunneum and M. pemphigi clades exhibited cold-active growth characteristics and preferred forested environments over M. pingshaense. In the M. majus clade, a specialist of scarab beetles, isolates from different Scarabaeidae species, including the coconut rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes spp.) and flower chafer beetle (Protaetia orientalis), formed separate subclades and showed strong virulence against their original hosts. This review describes the current state of understanding of the taxonomy and species-specific characteristics of the genus Metarhizium, and includes the author’s own previous study.
期刊介绍:
Mycoscience is the official English-language journal of the Mycological Society of Japan and is issued bimonthly. Mycoscience publishes original research articles and reviews on various topics related to fungi including yeasts and other organisms that have traditionally been studied by mycologists. The research areas covered by Mycoscience extend from such purely scientific fields as systematics, evolution, phylogeny, morphology, ecology, physiology, biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology, to agricultural, medical, and industrial applications. New and improved applications of well-established mycological techniques and methods are also covered.