title: Fungal Volatiles Can Act as Carbon Sources and Semiochemicals to Mediate Interspecific Interactions Among Bark Beetle-Associated Fungal Symbionts.
abstract: Mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) has killed millions of hectares of pine forests in western North America. Beetle success is dependent upon a community of symbiotic fungi comprised of Grosmannia clavigera, Ophiostoma montium, and Leptographium longiclavatum. Factors regulating the dynamics of this community during pine infection are largely unknown. However, fungal volatile organic compounds (FVOCs) help shape fungal interactions in model and agricultural systems and thus may be important drivers of interactions among bark beetle-associated fungi. We investigated whether FVOCs can mediate interspecific interactions among mountain pine beetle's fungal symbionts by affecting fungal growth and reproduction. Headspace volatiles were collected and identified to determine species-specific volatile profiles. Interspecific effects of volatiles on fungal growth and conidia production were assessed by pairing physically-separated fungal cultures grown either on a carbon-poor or -rich substrate, inside a shared-headspace environment. Fungal VOC profiles differed by species and influenced the growth and/or conidia production of the other species. Further, our results showed that FVOCs can be used as carbon sources for fungi developing on carbon-poor substrates. This is the first report demonstrating that FVOCs can drive interactions among bark beetle fungal symbionts, and thus are important factors in beetle attack success.
authors: Department of Renewable Resources, 4-42 Earth Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E3, Canada.
authors: Jonathan A
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8902-2032
authors: JA
authors: Cale
authors: Department of Entomology, Entomology Building, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, United States of America.
authors: R Maxwell
authors: RM
authors: Collignon
authors: Department of Renewable Resources, 4-42 Earth Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E3, Canada.
authors: Jennifer G
authors: JG
authors: Klutsch
authors: Department of Renewable Resources, 4-42 Earth Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E3, Canada.
authors: Sanat S
authors: SS
authors: Kanekar
authors: Department of Renewable Resources, 4-42 Earth Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E3, Canada.
authors: Altaf
authors: A
authors: Hussain
authors: Department of Renewable Resources, 4-42 Earth Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E3, Canada.
authors: Nadir
authors: N
authors: Erbilgin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology*; D005658:Fungi / Q000502:physiology*; D013559:Symbiosis; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D002244:Carbon