Jacob Eyal

Assessment ofBeauveria bassiana Nov. EO-1 strain, which produces a red pigment for microbial control

A new strain of the fungusBeauveria bassiana Nov. EO-1 (ATCC 74037), which produces a red pigment in solid and liquid culture, has been isolated from an infected whitefly. The red pigment was extracted and has been identified by mass spectrometry as oosporein, a potent dibenzoquinone mycotoxin.In order to assess the potential of this entomogenous fungi for microbial control purposes, a mycelium bead formulation was developed as a source for pathogenic conidial spores and oosporein production. The mycelium bead preparation was found to be a stable fungal carrier. Conidiation and germination studies have revealed the mycelium bead viability is 100% over a 1-yr period when stored at 4°C. Conidial spore production from the mycelium beads has been falling substantially per time from an initial value of 1.5 × 108 spores per bead to 3 × 105 spores per bead after a year storage at 4°C. However, the mycelium bead formulation continues to produce oosporein on agar media, at the same intensity throughout the 1 yr period.In in vitro and in vivo small scale greenhouse experimentsBeauveria bassiana Nov. EO-1 were compared with known entomogenous fungi,Beauveria sp. andPaceilomyces sp. Beauveria bassiana Nov. EO-1 was found to have a high pathogenicity against foliage insect pests (e.g., whiteflies and mealy bugs), and against soil insects (e.g., citrus root weevils). The utilization of a mycelium bead based on this strain,Beauveria bassiana Nov. EO-1, as a source of conidial spores and oosporein may have broad applications for the control of various insect pests.

Beauverolides L and La from Beauveria tenella and Paecilomyces fumosoroseus

New beauverolides L and La were isolated and identified from the entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria tenella and Paecilomyces fumosoroseus. Their structures, cyclo-[3-hydroxy-4-methyldecanoyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-alanyl-D-leucyl ], and cyclo-[3-hydroxy-4-methyldecanoyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-alanyl-D-allo-i soleucyl] were deduced from HPLC and GC-mass spectrometric analyses of their hydrolysates and NMR and mass spectral data.

Chemotaxonomic discrimination among the fungal genera Tolypocladium, beauveria and Paecilomyces

Fungi of the genera Beauveria and Paecilomyces were found to produce cyclotetradepsipeptides, beauverolides. Production of beauverolides was not detected at the genus Tolypocladium. Analysis of beauverolides therefore provides a very simple chemotaxonomic test which seems to be suitable for fast discrimination between the genera Beauveria vs Tolypocladium and complementing morphological examination. A GC-MS study of β-hydroxy acid distribution in the beauverolide hydrolyzates revealed that all strains prdouce γ-methyl-β-hydroxy acids only. Their occurrence thus cannot be used as a taxonomic marker of different species within the genera Beauveria and Paecilomyces.