CRISPR-Mediated Mycovirus Gene Insertion in Sugarcane Pathogen

• Grant number: 25/12695-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: November 01, 2025
• End date: October 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Molecular Genetics and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Márcio de Castro Silva Filho
• Grantee: Maressa de Oliveira Henrique
• Supervisor: Professor Dr Ioly Kotta-Loizou
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Hertfordshire, England
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/10468-4 - How and why does Diatraea saccharalis 'smell' the odor of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by fungal-infected plants?, BP.PD

Abstract

The borer-rot complex in sugarcane, involving Diatraea saccharalis and fungal pathogens Fusarium verticillioides and Colletotrichum falcatum, causes significant agricultural losses. Fungicide resistance, necessitating sustainable alternatives, challenges current control methods. Preliminary work identified a novel mycoviruses - Fusarium verticillioides partitivirus 1 (FvPV1) and Colletotrichum falcatum victorivirus 1 (CfVV1) - with potential to alter fungal volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and insect behavior. This proposal seeks to investigate mycoviruses as ecological modulators in this pathosystem. At Imperial College London, leveraging their expertise in fungal-viral interactions from Aspergillus studies, we will investigate the underexplored role of mycoviruses in the sugarcane red-rot borer disease complex. We will: (1) generating isogenic virus-free/virus-infected fungal strains, (2) CRISPR-Cas9 engineering of viral genes, and (3) pull-down protein-protein interaction (PPI) screening. The findings can contribute to unveiling the mycovirus's role in the borer-rot complex and provide insights for developing targeted biocontrol strategies to mitigate sugarcane yield losses. (AU)