1887

Abstract

The evolution of host specialization in pathogens is a topic of considerable interest, particularly since it can represent a decisive step in the emergence of infectious diseases. is an opportunistic fungus capable of infecting a wide variety of hosts, including plants, insects and mammals, although with low virulence. Here the derivation of an strain that exhibits severe host restriction is reported. This strain exhibited a severe diminution or a complete lack of conidial production on a variety of standard agar media and on various plant species. However, it retained its ability to infect insects from various orders and to re-emerge from and adequately conidiate on the insect cadavers as a culmination of the pathogenic life cycle. This strain, demonstrating insect-dependent conidiation, was discovered to be a cysteine/methionine auxotroph due to an inability to reduce sulfate to sulfite. However, other auxotrophs tested for plant and insect host range failed to show insect-dependent conidiation. An association between this specific auxotroph and a decreased host range is shown, emphasizing the role of nutrition in the host–pathogen relationship with respect to host restriction and evolution towards obligate pathogenesis.

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2006-01-01
2024-03-28
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