Contribution
The parasite fungus Metarhizium anisopliae modulates seeking behavior in its host Sogatella furcifera
Mu, Hanqing; Wang, Yirong; Wang, Lei; Tang, Jifeng; Han, Lijuan; Zhou, Lin; Xia, Yuxian; Xie, Jiaqin
Entomologia Generalis Volume 45 Number 3 (2025), p. 699 - 709
publié: Aug 19, 2025
publication en ligne: Jun 27, 2025
manuscrit accepté: Apr 1, 2025
révision final du manuscrit reçu: Feb 26, 2025
révision du manuscrit demandée: Feb 3, 2025
manuscrit reçu: Dec 9, 2024
ArtNo. ESP146004503009, Prix: 29.00 €
Abstract
The intricate relationships between parasites and their hosts, which can influence the behavioral traits of the host through various mechanisms, remain complex and incompletely understood. In this study, our observations revealed that the parasitic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae altered the feeding behavior of Sogatella furcifera, prompting a shift in preference from specific virus-infected rice plants to random feeding. Examination of S. furcifera’s antennae using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) unveiled several major types of sensilla, including sensilla auricillica, sensilla trichoidea type A, sensilla trichoidea type B, and Sensilla chaetica, with no distinctions between males and females. Additionally, we noted that infection by M. anisopliae resulted in decreased expression of olfactory-related genes in S. furcifera, which correlated with the observed change in feeding behavior, suggesting a potential olfactory response to the fungus infection. Moreover, knocking down specific genes, including chemosensory proteins (CSP1) and sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMP2), led to inhibited preference in S. furcifera for the odor of virus-infected rice plants, similar to the response following fungal infection. These findings imply that the parasitic fungus may impact the insect host’s olfactory behavior towards plant volatile attractants by suppressing target’s olfactory genes, providing new insights into understanding parasite-host interactions. Furthermore, this study proposes potential strategies for controlling target insect pests using a combination of fungus and chemical odorants.
Mots-clefs
entomopathogenic fungus • parasite • olfactory • interaction • planthopper