Assistant Professor Oumi Nishi and his research group have identified a fungal species capable of predating on a pathogenic fungus that infects tomato plants.

The underlying mechanism of action was elucidated, offering promising prospects for the development of biological fungicides.

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Points

• The research identified the biosynthetic gene cluster responsible for the production of deoxyphomenone, an antimicrobial compound secreted by the mycoparasitic fungus Hansfordia pulvinata, which targets Cladosporium fulvum, the causative agent of tomato leaf mold--a major threat to tomato cultivation.
• The study revealed that the biosynthetic gene cluster responsible for deoxyphomenone production was horizontally transferred*1 from fungi of the genus Aspergillus, including A. oryzae, to the mycoparasitic fungus.
• Originally, this compound functioned to promote sporulation in Aspergillus species; however, in the mycoparasitic fungus, it has evolutionarily adapted to serve as an antimicrobial agent against plant pathogenic fungi.
• Expected to be developed as an environmentally sustainable biopesticide.

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Abstract

A research group led by Associate Professor Yuichiro Iida from the Department of Agricultural Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Setsunan University (President: Yasuyuki Kubo), including second-year doctoral student Kazuya Maeda and second-year master's student Eishin Iwao, along with Professor Yoshiaki Nishiya from the Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Lecturer Takuya Sumita from the University of Shiga Prefecture, Assistant Professor Oumi Nishi from Kyushu University, Senior Researcher Hiroyuki Nakagawa and Researcher Hirotoshi Sushida (at the time) from the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), and Assistant Professor Tomoko Suzuki (at the time) from Japan Women's University, has discovered that the mycoparasitic fungus Hansfordia pulvinata has acquired the ability to synthesize a compound originally used by other fungi for spore formation. This acquisition appears to have facilitated its adaptation for parasitism on pathogenic fungi. These findings are expected to contribute to the development of novel biopesticides and promote environmentally sustainable crop protection technologies.

The results of this study were published on April 9, 2025, in mBio, an international journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
Furthermore, the article was selected as an Editor's Pick, highlighting it as a particularly noteworthy contribution.

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Glossary

*1 Horizontal Transfer: A phenomenon in which genetic material, such as a gene or a set of genes, is transferred between different individuals or species, rather than being inherited through traditional vertical transmission from parent to offspring.

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Paper Information

Journal: Adaptive evolution of sesquiterpene deoxyphomenone in mycoparasitism by Hansfordia pulvinata associated with horizontal gene transfer from Aspergillus species
(Adaptive Evolution of Deoxyphomenone in the Mycoparasitism of Hansfordia pulvinata Associated with Horizontal Gene Transfer from Aspergillus Species)
Authors: Kazuya Maeda, Takuya Sumita, Oumi Nishi, Hirotoshi Sushida, Yumiko Higashi, Hiroyuki Nakagawa, Tomoko Suzuki, Eishin Iwao, Much Zaenal Fanani, Yoshiaki Nishiya, Yuichiro Iida
Journal: mBio
DOI：10.1128/mbio.04007-24

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For Research-related inquiries

Oumi Nishi, Assistant Professor