ARS | Publication request: ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MICROSATELLITE LOCI FOR THE ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGUS BEAUVERIA BASSIANA (ASCOMYCOTA: HYPOCREALES)

Submitted to: Molecular Ecology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: April 1, 2003
Publication Date: September 1, 2003
Citation: Rehner, S.A., Buckley, E.P. 2003. Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci for the entomopathogenic fungus beauveria bassiana (ascomycota: hypocreales). Molecular Ecology. Vol.#3 Issue. #3 Pg. 409-411

Interpretive Summary: Beauveria bassiana is a soil-borne fungus that is parasitic to many agricultural insect pests. The development of Beauveria for biological control of insects requires sensitive genetic methods for identifying genetically unique strains and to track individual strains in laboratory and field-based experiments. We developed eight microsatellite genetic markers, which are short, repeated segments of DNA that demonstrate high length variability among different individuals. These microsatellites were shown to differentiate strains from North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. These markers are useful to scientists performing basic research on Beauveria bassiana, to industry for genetically typing proprietary strains, and government agencies that regulate the introduction and release of non-native organisms for biological control.

Technical Abstract: Beauveria bassiana is a cosmopolitan, soil-borne entomopathogenic fungus used for the biological control of insects. Recent molecular phylogenetic data indicate that B. bassiana is a complex of morphologically cryptic species. In order to study the population genetics of B. bassiana , detail species boundaries, and to track the fate of experimental strains in field studies, sensitive genetic markers are required. We report an expedient method used to isolate and characterize eight microsatellite loci from B. bassiana. Primer pairs developed to these microsatellite loci were used to successfully amplify a panel of exemplar strains representative of the phylogenetic diversity in this complex. Six of eight loci were highly length polymorphic. These markers provide more discriminating tools for genetic characterization of B. bassiana strains and for investigating the population genetic structure of species in this complex.