Guest Editors
Isabele Angelo
Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Veterinária, Departamento de Epidemiologia e Saúde Pública
Dr. Isabele Angelo is a PhD in Science in 2011 (UFRRJ, Brazil). She has worked with alterations in the protein and lipid profile in the hemolymph and fat body of Rhipicephalus microplus after a challenge with Metarhizium and Beauveria. Recently she has been working with different propagules of entomopathogenic fungi, associated or not with essential oil of plants, in the control of Aedes aegypti, in the search to identify more virulent isolates in a better understanding of the interaction between entomopathogenic fungi - A. aegypti. Her research also focuses on the study of these insects' cellular and humoral immune responses after the fungal infection.
Nicolás Pedrini
Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata
Nicolas Pedrini’s interest is centered on the biological, biochemical, and molecular interactions between entomopathogenic fungi and their hosts. Focusing on the cuticle of insects as a new target for their control, his lab is devoted to studying the fungal metabolic pathways involved in insect lipid degradation and the mechanisms developed by fungi as alternative modes to entry and infect insects. The fungal genes involved in pathogenesis, cell differentiation, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites and the different immune response signaling pathways triggered by insects after fungal infection are also studied.
Patricia Golo
Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Veterinária, Departamento de Parasitologia Animal
Since 2015, Patrici has been a faculty member (professor) at the Department of Animal Parasitology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Brazil. She obtained her PhD degree from the same University in 2014. Her Ph.D. focused on the biological control of cattle ticks using entomopathogenic fungi under the supervision of Dr. Vânia Bittencourt and Dr. Everton Fernandes. During her Ph.D. (2012-2013), Patricia was also a visiting scholar at Utah State University, USA, under the supervision of Dr. Donald Roberts, where she deepened her knowledge of entomopathogenic fungal toxins and detected for the first time the presence of these toxins in entomopathogenic fungus-endophytically colonized plants. In 2021 Patricia received the Early Career Award from the Society of Invertebrate Pathology. Her research interests focus mainly on the immune response of ticks challenged with entomopathogenic fungi and the endophytic role of these fungi.
Collection Overview
Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are characterized by their ability to colonize and often kill arthropod hosts after contact, especially with their cuticle. These fungi are considered safe for vertebrates and can be isolated from soil samples and infected arthropods. EPF has been successfully commercialized to control plant arthropod pests and arises as a safe and sustainable alternative for controlling other arthropods such as ticks and mosquitos. One of their significant advantages is that EPF propagules can be easily mass-produced and applied the same way as synthetic pesticides. However, abiotic factors such as high or low temperatures, low humidity, and solar irradiation can negatively influence the survival of these fungal propagules. Accordingly, different adjuvant types are usually formulated with EPF to weaken the negative impacts caused by the abiotic factors and improve the fungus’ virulence.
The goal of this Methods Collection is to share standardized protocols to 1) produce different EPF propagules (i.e., conidia, blastospores microsclerotia, and mycelial pellets); 2) produce formulations based on EPF for arthropod control; 3) share information about arthropod-treatment techniques using EPF, and 4) spread information about the use of EPF to control arthropod pests. Therefore, the Collection will contribute to disseminating methods for fungal production and treatment techniques.
