Metarhizium sp. BCC 4849 isolate:BCC 4849 Genome sequencing and assembly. Metarhizium sp. BCC 4849 isolate:BCC 4849

The spider mite is a destructive pest of various crops during warm and dry conditions in tropical countries, including Thailand. The pest is difficult to control despite synthetic acaricide use. In the field, insect populations gradually develop resistance to synthetic pesticides over long-term use. The use of entomopathogenic fungi is more human- and environmentally friendly. We searched and identified a potential fungal isolate from a culture collection, focusing on the genus Metarhizium. Metarhizium sp. BCC 4849 not only controls the spider mite but also plays a significant role as a natural regulator of other insect pests. Here, we investigated its infection process on the mite, optimized a conidial formulation for extended shelf life, and conducted toxicological assays in animals to assess its biosafety in humans. The fungal genome has been sequenced. The genomic data indicated that oxidoreduction proteins; zinc-, heme-, and iron-binding proteins; and transmembrane transporters are abundant in the genome.

叶螨（spider mite）是热带国家（包括泰国）暖干条件下危害多种作物的毁灭性害虫。尽管使用合成杀螨剂，该害虫仍难以防控。田间长期施用合成农药会导致昆虫种群逐渐产生抗药性。而昆虫病原真菌（entomopathogenic fungi）的使用对人类和环境更为友好。本研究从菌种保藏库中筛选并鉴定出一株具有应用潜力的真菌菌株，研究重点为绿僵菌属（Metarhizium）。绿僵菌属菌株BCC 4849（Metarhizium sp. BCC 4849）不仅可防控叶螨，还可作为天然调节剂对其他昆虫害虫发挥显著调控作用。本研究探究了该菌株对叶螨的侵染过程，优化了分生孢子制剂以延长货架期，并通过动物毒理学试验评估了其对人类的生物安全性。目前该真菌的全基因组已完成测序。基因组数据分析显示，该基因组中富集了氧化还原蛋白、锌结合蛋白、血红素结合蛋白、铁结合蛋白以及跨膜转运蛋白。