masoumeh kordi - Faculty of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, I. R. Iran
naser farrokhi - Faculty of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, I. R. Iran

Beauveria bassiana is an entomopathogenic fungus that acts as a biological control agent and attacks varieties of insects by degrading and penetrating their cuticles. The relevant molecular basis of this action was investigated by comparing the expression analyses of dipeptidyl peptidase and cytochrome P۴۵۰ monooxygenase, candidate genes involved in fungal pathogenesis, via Real-Time PCR. B. bassiana was grown in an artificial medium and in the cuticle extract media isolated from four species belonging to different insect orders. The expression of the two genes in the fungus was examined in different culture media. The results showed that dipeptidyl peptidase was upregulated in media containing insect cuticular extracts compared to the control synthetic medium, while Cytochrome P۴۵۰ monooxygenase showed reduced expression in abundance. The effect of cuticle types in inducing gene expression was compared and discussed. It seems likely; information from different reactions of this fungus against different insect cuticles can be helpful in producing specific pesticides.

Beauveria bassiana, Gene expression, Real-time PCR, transcript