Conifer-killing bark beetles locate fungal symbionts by detecting volatile fungal metabolites of host tree resin monoterpenes
Kandasamy, Dineshkumar LU
; Zaman, Rashaduz
; Nakamura, Yoko
; Zhao, Tao
; Hartmann, Henrik
; Andersson, Martin N.
LU
; Hammerbacher, Almuth
and Gershenzon, Jonathan
(2023)
In PLoS Biology
21(2).
- Abstract
Outbreaks of the Eurasian spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) have decimated millions of hectares of conifer forests in Europe in recent years. The ability of these 4.0 to 5.5 mm long insects to kill mature trees over a short period has been sometimes ascribed to two main factors: (1) mass attacks on the host tree to overcome tree defenses and (2) the presence of fungal symbionts that support successful beetle development in the tree. While the role of pheromones in coordinating mass attacks has been well studied, the role of chemical communication in maintaining the fungal symbiosis is poorly understood. Previous evidence indicates that I. typographus can distinguish fungal symbionts of the genera Grosmannia, Endoconidiophora, and... (More)
Outbreaks of the Eurasian spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) have decimated millions of hectares of conifer forests in Europe in recent years. The ability of these 4.0 to 5.5 mm long insects to kill mature trees over a short period has been sometimes ascribed to two main factors: (1) mass attacks on the host tree to overcome tree defenses and (2) the presence of fungal symbionts that support successful beetle development in the tree. While the role of pheromones in coordinating mass attacks has been well studied, the role of chemical communication in maintaining the fungal symbiosis is poorly understood. Previous evidence indicates that I. typographus can distinguish fungal symbionts of the genera Grosmannia, Endoconidiophora, and Ophiostoma by their de novo synthesized volatile compounds. Here, we hypothesize that the fungal symbionts of this bark beetle species metabolize spruce resin monoterpenes of the beetle's host tree, Norway spruce (Picea abies), and that the volatile products are used as cues by beetles for locating breeding sites with beneficial symbionts. We show that Grosmannia penicillata and other fungal symbionts alter the profile of spruce bark volatiles by converting the major monoterpenes into an attractive blend of oxygenated derivatives. Bornyl acetate was metabolized to camphor, and α- and β-pinene to trans-4-thujanol and other oxygenated products. Electrophysiological measurements showed that I. typographus possesses dedicated olfactory sensory neurons for oxygenated metabolites. Both camphor and trans-4-thujanol attracted beetles at specific doses in walking olfactometer experiments, and the presence of symbiotic fungi enhanced attraction of females to pheromones. Another co-occurring nonbeneficial fungus (Trichoderma sp.) also produced oxygenated monoterpenes, but these were not attractive to I. typographus. Finally, we show that colonization of fungal symbionts on spruce bark diet stimulated beetles to make tunnels into the diet. Collectively, our study suggests that the blends of oxygenated metabolites of conifer monoterpenes produced by fungal symbionts are used by walking bark beetles as attractive or repellent cues to locate breeding or feeding sites containing beneficial microbial symbionts. The oxygenated metabolites may aid beetles in assessing the presence of the fungus, the defense status of the host tree and the density of conspecifics at potential feeding and breeding sites.
(Less)
- author
- Kandasamy, Dineshkumar
LU
; Zaman, Rashaduz
; Nakamura, Yoko
; Zhao, Tao
; Hartmann, Henrik
; Andersson, Martin N.
LU
; Hammerbacher, Almuth
and Gershenzon, Jonathan
- organization
- publishing date
- 2023-02
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- PLoS Biology
- volume
- 21
- issue
- 2
- article number
- e3001887
- pages
- 36 pages
- publisher
- Public Library of Science (PLoS)
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:36802386
- scopus:85148391785
- ISSN
- 1545-7885
- DOI
- 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001887
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 7c354edd-3c21-49d0-8405-72e88727b6fc
- date added to LUP
- 2023-03-06 10:28:51
- date last changed
- 2024-06-11 08:13:09
@article{7c354edd-3c21-49d0-8405-72e88727b6fc,
abstract = {{<p>Outbreaks of the Eurasian spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) have decimated millions of hectares of conifer forests in Europe in recent years. The ability of these 4.0 to 5.5 mm long insects to kill mature trees over a short period has been sometimes ascribed to two main factors: (1) mass attacks on the host tree to overcome tree defenses and (2) the presence of fungal symbionts that support successful beetle development in the tree. While the role of pheromones in coordinating mass attacks has been well studied, the role of chemical communication in maintaining the fungal symbiosis is poorly understood. Previous evidence indicates that I. typographus can distinguish fungal symbionts of the genera Grosmannia, Endoconidiophora, and Ophiostoma by their de novo synthesized volatile compounds. Here, we hypothesize that the fungal symbionts of this bark beetle species metabolize spruce resin monoterpenes of the beetle's host tree, Norway spruce (Picea abies), and that the volatile products are used as cues by beetles for locating breeding sites with beneficial symbionts. We show that Grosmannia penicillata and other fungal symbionts alter the profile of spruce bark volatiles by converting the major monoterpenes into an attractive blend of oxygenated derivatives. Bornyl acetate was metabolized to camphor, and α- and β-pinene to trans-4-thujanol and other oxygenated products. Electrophysiological measurements showed that I. typographus possesses dedicated olfactory sensory neurons for oxygenated metabolites. Both camphor and trans-4-thujanol attracted beetles at specific doses in walking olfactometer experiments, and the presence of symbiotic fungi enhanced attraction of females to pheromones. Another co-occurring nonbeneficial fungus (Trichoderma sp.) also produced oxygenated monoterpenes, but these were not attractive to I. typographus. Finally, we show that colonization of fungal symbionts on spruce bark diet stimulated beetles to make tunnels into the diet. Collectively, our study suggests that the blends of oxygenated metabolites of conifer monoterpenes produced by fungal symbionts are used by walking bark beetles as attractive or repellent cues to locate breeding or feeding sites containing beneficial microbial symbionts. The oxygenated metabolites may aid beetles in assessing the presence of the fungus, the defense status of the host tree and the density of conspecifics at potential feeding and breeding sites.</p>}},
author = {{Kandasamy, Dineshkumar and Zaman, Rashaduz and Nakamura, Yoko and Zhao, Tao and Hartmann, Henrik and Andersson, Martin N. and Hammerbacher, Almuth and Gershenzon, Jonathan}},
issn = {{1545-7885}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{2}},
publisher = {{Public Library of Science (PLoS)}},
series = {{PLoS Biology}},
title = {{Conifer-killing bark beetles locate fungal symbionts by detecting volatile fungal metabolites of host tree resin monoterpenes}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3001887}},
doi = {{10.1371/journal.pbio.3001887}},
volume = {{21}},
year = {{2023}},
}