Abstract
The entomopathogenic fungi encounter hypoxic conditions in both nature and artificial culture. Alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs) are a group of oxidoreductases that occur in many organisms. Here we demonstrate that an alcohol dehydrogenase I, MaADH1, in the locust-specific fungal pathogen, Metarhizium acridum, functions in acetaldehyde detoxification mechanism under hypoxic conditions in growth and sporulation. The MaADH1 was highly expressed in sporulation stage under hypoxic conditions. Compared with a wild-type strain, the ΔMaADH1 mutant showed inhibited growth and sporulation under hypoxic conditions, but no impairment under normal conditions. Under hypoxic conditions, ΔMaADH1 mutant produced significant decreased alcohol, but significant increased acetaldehyde compared to wild type. M. acridum was sensitive to exogenous acetaldehyde, exhibiting an inhibited growth and sporulation with acetaldehyde added in the medium. MaADH1 did not affect virulence. Our results indicated that the MaADH1 was critical to growth and sporulation under hypoxic stress by detoxification of acetaldehyde in M. acridum.
Highlights
Entomopathogenic fungi are one of the widespread organisms belonging to different systematic groups
Our results showed that MaADH1 had inhibited growth and sporulation under hypoxic conditions, while it had no impairment under normal oxygen conditions
Phylogenic analysis indicated that MaADH1 protein was closely related to ADH1 from the entomopathogenic fungi M. anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana (Supplementary Figure S1B)
Summary
Entomopathogenic fungi are one of the widespread organisms belonging to different systematic groups. In 1/4 SDY liquid medium, the MaADH1 had significantly increased transcription under low DO condition, with up to 10 times higher as compared to normal oxygen condition (Figure 1B). 2 days of growth under hypoxic condition, while normal oxygen condition had slight effect on MaADH1 transcription in this period (Figure 1B).
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