Identification of ophiostomatalean fungi associated with Tomicus pilifer infesting Pinus koraiensis in Northeastern China

Huimin Wang; Caixia Liu; Fangzheng Yue; Dong-Hui Yan; Quan Lu

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2022.919302

Frontiers in Microbiology (Sep 2022)

Identification of ophiostomatalean fungi associated with Tomicus pilifer infesting Pinus koraiensis in Northeastern China

Huimin Wang,
Caixia Liu,
Fangzheng Yue,
Dong-Hui Yan,
Quan Lu

Affiliations

Huimin Wang: Key Laboratory of Forest Protection of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
Caixia Liu: Key Laboratory of Forest Protection of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
Fangzheng Yue: Biological Disaster Control and Prevention Center, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Shenyang, China
Dong-Hui Yan: Key Laboratory of Forest Protection of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
Quan Lu: Key Laboratory of Forest Protection of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.919302
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 13

Abstract

Read online

Ophiostomatalean fungi usually facilitate bark beetles to infest tree hosts and seriously endanger the health of coniferous forests. Tomicus pilifer Spessivtsev is a common endemic bark beetle in Asia and primarily threatens Pinus koraiensis. Tomicus species have similar morphology; however, they can be differentiated by their genetic characteristics through phylogenetic analyses. To date, the 28S rDNA sequence of T. pilifer and the diversity of ophiostomatalean fungi associated with T. pilifer have not been reported. In this study, we aimed to clarify the taxonomic status of T. pilifer and identify ophiostomatalean fungi associated with T. pilifer infesting P. koraiensis in northeastern China. In total, 315 ophiostomatalean fungal strains were isolated from 62 adults of T. pilifer and 220 tissue samples from T. pilifer galleries in Jilin Province. Thirty-five representative strains were further identified by comparing their morphological and physiological characteristics and conducting the phylogenetic analysis of ITS, ITS2-LSU, TUB2, and TEF1-α. We identified nine species of ophiostomatalean fungi belonging to four genera, which included six novel species (Ceratocystiopsis changbaiensis sp. nov., Leptographium linjiangense sp. nov., Leptographium qieshaoense sp. nov., Ophiostoma piliferi sp. nov., Ophiostoma tonghuaense sp. nov., and Ophiostoma yaluense sp. nov.), two previously described species (Graphilbum interstitiale and Ophiostoma fuscum), and one undefined specie (Ceratocystiopsis sp. 1). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of G. interstitiale and O. fuscum in China and the fungal diversity of ophiostomatalean in T. pilifer. The dominant species were O. piliferi and L. qieshaoense, representing 39.37% and 35.87% of the isolates, respectively. The results of this study provide valuable information on the symbiotic relationship between bark beetles and ophiostomatalean fungi.

Published in Frontiers in Microbiology

ISSN: 1664-302X (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Microbiology
Website: http://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords