Fungal evasion of Drosophila immunity involves blocking the cathepsin-mediated cleavage maturation of the danger-sensing protease

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 122(3)

Опубликована: Янв. 16, 2025

Entomopathogenic fungi play a critical role in regulating insect populations, and representative species from the Metarhizium Beauveria genera have been developed as eco-friendly biocontrol agents for managing agricultural pests. Relative to advances understanding antifungal immune responses Drosophila , knowledge of how evade defenses remains limited. In this study, we report identification characterization virulence-required effector Fkp1 robertsii . Library screening protein pull-down analysis unveiled that targets cathepsin protease CtsK1 inhibit its cleavage maturation danger-sensing serine Persephone (Psh), thereby facilitating fungal evasion defenses. The -like gene is also required bassiana infection. Transgenic expression suppressed hemolymph cysteine activity down-regulated genes. can mask Psh site without interfering with ability bait subtilisin proteases. Given evident compensatory relationship, our data indicate cascade more crucial than molecular pattern pathway defending flies against infections. This work reveals evolved distinct effectors block dual recognition pathways sheds lights on mechanisms mediating microbe–animal interactions.

Язык: Английский

Fungal effector disables cathepsin-driven Toll immunity in insects

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 122(8)

Опубликована: Фев. 18, 2025

Язык: Английский