2. Academic Validation
  3. The secretory protein COA1 enables Metarhizium robertsii to evade insect immune recognition during cuticle penetration

The secretory protein COA1 enables Metarhizium robertsii to evade insect immune recognition during cuticle penetration

  • Commun Biol. 2024 Sep 30;7(1):1220. doi: 10.1038/s42003-024-06827-w.
Qiangqiang Zhang 1 2,  Xuanlian Wei 3,  Weiguo Fang 4,  Xuenian Huang 1 2,  Xing Zhang 5
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, Shandong, China.
  • 2 Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao, 266101, China.
  • 3 Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266101, Shandong, China.
  • 4 MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
  • 5 Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266101, Shandong, China. zhangxing_hubu@163.com.
PMID: 39349686 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06827-w
Abstract

The interplay between the insect immune system and entomopathogenic fungi during cuticle penetration is not yet fully understood. Here, we show that a secretory protein COA1 (coat of appressorium 1) from Metarhizium robertsii, an entomopathogenic fungus causing diseases in a wide range of insects, is required to avoid host immune recognition during cuticle penetration. COA1 is highly expressed on the cuticle and translocated to the cell surface, where it directly binds with and masks Carbohydrates of the Fungal cell wall to avoid provoking the host's intense immune response. Deletion of Coa1 results in a robust immune response, leading to a reduction in Bacterial load in both the gut and hemocoel and ultimately attenuating Fungal virulence. Our work reveals a novel cell surface protein indispensable for Fungal pathogenicity via masking cell wall Carbohydrates to avert a hypersensitive response from the host.

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