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Conifer-killing bark beetles locate fungal symbionts by detecting volatile fungal metabolites of host tree resin monoterpenes
Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany; Max Planck Center for next Generation Insect Chemical Ecology (nGICE), Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany.
Department of Natural Product Biosynthesis, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany; Research Group Biosynthesis/NMR, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany.
Örebro University, School of Science and Technology.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-5909-2841
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2023 (English)In: PLoS biology, ISSN 1544-9173, E-ISSN 1545-7885, Vol. 21, no 2, article id e3001887Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

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.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Public Library of Science (PLoS) , 2023. Vol. 21, no 2, article id e3001887
National Category
Ecology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-104417DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001887ISI: 000988256100001PubMedID: 36802386Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85148391785OAI: oai:DiVA.org:oru-104417DiVA, id: diva2:1738619
Funder
Swedish Research Council Formas, 217-2014-689 2018-01444The Crafoord Foundation
Note

Funding agencies:

Max Planck Society Foundation CELLEX

Royal Physiographic Society in Lund

Foundation in Memory of Oscar and Lily Lamm

Available from: 2023-02-22 Created: 2023-02-22 Last updated: 2023-06-02Bibliographically approved

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