
In Europe as in North America, elms are devastated by Dutch elm disease (DED), caused by the alien ascomycete Ophiostoma novo-ulmi. Pathogen dispersal and transmission are ensured by local species of bark beetles, which established a novel association with the fungus. Elm bark beetles also transport the Geosmithia fungi genus that is found in scolytids' galleries colonized by O. novo-ulmi. Widespread horizontal gene transfer between O. novo-ulmi and Geosmithia was recently observed. In order to define the relation between these two fungi in the DED pathosystem, O. novo-ulmi and Geosmithia species from elm, including a GFP-tagged strain, were grown in dual culture and mycelial interactions were observed by light and fluorescence microscopy. Growth and sporulation of O. novo-ulmi in the absence or presence of Geosmithia were compared. The impact of Geosmithia on DED severity was tested in vivo by co-inoculating Geosmithia and O. novo-ulmi in elms. A close and stable relation was observed between the two fungi, which may be classified as mycoparasitism by Geosmithia on O. novo-ulmi. These results prove the existence of a new component in the complex of organisms involved in DED, which might be capable of reducing the disease impact.
Gene Transfer, Horizontal, Ulmus, Genes, Fungal, Hyphae, Ophiostoma, Coleoptera, Fungal Proteins, Ascomycota, Biological Control Agents, Hypocreales, Animals, Microbial Interactions, Biological control . Dutch elmdisease (DED) . Fungus-fungus interaction . Geosmithia spp. . Mycoparasite . Ophiostoma novo-ulmi, DNA, Fungal, Biological control; Dutch elm disease (DED); Fungus-fungus interaction; Geosmithia spp.; Mycoparasite; Ophiostoma novo-ulmi, parassitismo tra specie fungine, grafiosi dell'olmo, geosmithia, ophiostoma novo ulmi, Fungal Microbiology, Plant Diseases
Gene Transfer, Horizontal, Ulmus, Genes, Fungal, Hyphae, Ophiostoma, Coleoptera, Fungal Proteins, Ascomycota, Biological Control Agents, Hypocreales, Animals, Microbial Interactions, Biological control . Dutch elmdisease (DED) . Fungus-fungus interaction . Geosmithia spp. . Mycoparasite . Ophiostoma novo-ulmi, DNA, Fungal, Biological control; Dutch elm disease (DED); Fungus-fungus interaction; Geosmithia spp.; Mycoparasite; Ophiostoma novo-ulmi, parassitismo tra specie fungine, grafiosi dell'olmo, geosmithia, ophiostoma novo ulmi, Fungal Microbiology, Plant Diseases
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