A new polymycovirus infecting a clinical isolate of the entomopathogenic and fungicolous fungus Lecanicillium aphanocladii affects pigmentation, sporulation, and antifungal susceptibility of its host

Edis G., AKATA I., Gundogdu N., Kaya E., ŞAHİN E.

Virus Genes, cilt.61, sa.6, ss.713-723, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 61 Sayı: 6
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s11262-025-02193-9
  • Dergi Adı: Virus Genes
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, Chemical Abstracts Core, MEDLINE, Veterinary Science Database
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.713-723
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Polymycovirus, Viral diversity, <italic>Lecanicillium</italic> sp., Phenotypic effects, Antifungal susceptibility
  • Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

The Polymycoviridae family is an expanding group of mycoviruses, generally characterized by atypical capsids and segmented double-stranded (ds) RNA genomes. Polymycoviruses have been associated with various changes in their hosts’ traits, such as shifts in spore production, changes in pigmentation, and alterations in growth and virulence, either enhancing or reducing them. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of a polymycovirus identified in an entomopathogenic, fungicolous, and keratinophilic, filamentous ascomycete species Lecanicillium aphanocladii, isolated from a patient with foot dermatophytosis (Tinea pedis). The virus, denominated Lecanicillium aphanocladii polymycovirus 1 (LaPmV1), has six genomic dsRNA segments. Phylogenetic analysis of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) sequences revealed that LaPmV1 is closely related to the previously reported Beauveria bassiana polymycovirus 4. Virus-curing studies revealed that LaPmV1 regulates pigmentation and decreases sporulation in its host while not affecting mycelial growth in vitro. LaPmV1 has also been shown to slightly increase the host’s susceptibility to certain common antifungals, including itraconazole, voriconazole, and posaconazole.