The non-ribosomal peptide synthetase_C mediates abiotic stress tolerance and modulates DNA damage responses in Metarhizium anisopliae.

Authors

Zhongwei Chen, Yingchun Cao, Yujia Jiang, Yuxian Xia, Jiaqin Xie

Published in

Pest management science. Sep 21, 2026. Epub Sep 21, 2026.

Abstract

Abiotic stresses are a major limitation to the efficacy of entomopathogenic fungi in natural ecosystems and in biocontrol applications, yet the mechanisms that confer stress tolerance in Metarhizium anisopliae remain poorly understood. Non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) are key enzymes involved in fungal secondary metabolism and stress responses.
We examined the function of the non-ribosomal peptide synthetase condensation domain in M. anisopliae (MaNRPS_C) by constructing a deletion mutant (ΔMaNRPS_C), an overexpression strain (OE), and compared them with the wild type (WT). Deletion of MaNRPS_C did not affect pathogenicity toward Sogatella furcifera or Locusta migratoria manilensis, but it markedly reduced conidial germination, sporulation, and tolerance to ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation, heat stress, and several chemical stressors. Conversely, the OE strain displayed faster germination, higher conidial yields, and enhanced resistance to these abiotic challenges. Furthermore, MaNRPS_C positively regulated the expression of melanin-biosynthesis genes, resulting in increased pigment accumulation that protected conidia from UV-B-induced damage. In addition, MaNRPS_C upregulated key DNA repair genes (e.g., rad3, rad10) and heat-shock protein genes (e.g., hsp40, hsp70), suggesting enhanced DNA repair capacity and protein homeostasis under stress conditions.
These results identify MaNRPS_C as a key regulator of abiotic stress tolerance, particularly under UV-B and heat stress in M. anisopliae. Targeted manipulation of this gene may facilitate the development of more robust fungal biopesticides with improved field performance. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

PMID:
42765149
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 21 Sep 2026.

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