Review on Research Progress and Prospects of Cicada Flower, Isaria cicadae (Ascomycetes).

Cicada flower, Isaria cicadae Miq., has been a traditional Chinese medicine for approximately 1600 years. Many works on its identification, bioactivities, and clinical use against some disorders have been published, but some inaccuracies and inconsistencies need to be further clarified. In combination with our > 20 years of research and application of cicada flower and examination of the literature and patents published in recent years, this article summarizes and reviews the life cycle and taxonomy, genome size and mating type, molecular systematic classification and cultivation, active ingredients, and pharmacological functions of I. cicadae.

[Population genetic structure of Isaria cicadae causing enzootic of cicadas nymphs]. / å¼•è‡´è‰è‹¥è™«åœ°æ–¹ç— çš„è‰æ£’æŸå­¢ç§ç¾¤é—ä¼ ç»“æž„.

The population genetic structure of Isaria cicadae, which caused enzootic of cicadas nymphs in three regions, was analyzed by ISSR marker. The results showed that all three enzootic populations showed high genetic diversity with the highest in the Jingtingshan population and the lowest in the Shitai population. The UPGMA clustering analysis revealed that different enzootic populations did not have a predominant lineage but were polyphyletic and heterogeneous. Genetic lineages had nothing to do with geographical origin. However, two subpopulations of Jingtingshan from different sampling periods were gathered into different clades, which exhibited remarkable temporal heterogeneity. The genetic differentiation (Gst) among populations (subpopulations) was 0.2153 and the gene flow was low at 0.9110 (Nm＜1), which indicated the low gene flow was one of the main reasons for the genetic variation in the population. Therefore, high heterogeneity and low dominance might be genetic structure characteristics of I. cicadae population causing enzootic of cicada nymphs.

Long-term preservation, regeneration, and cultivation of Paecilomyces tenuipes (Peck) Samson (Ascomycetes), an entomopathogenic fungus inoculated into the silkworm larva of Bombyx mori.

Paecilomyces tenuipes reportedly have anticancer and immune activities, along with various other medicinal uses. Cultured products with P. tenuipes are certified for use in food in South Korea, and processed goods containing this fungus have been developed in many countries, particularly South Korea, Japan, and China. Research on mass production technology-procured raw materials for the manufacture of P. tenuipes is very important; however, cultures of the fungus have been unstable. This study identified stable cultivation conditions, focusing on growth inhibition and revitalization. Moisture regulation and preservation of pupae inoculated with P. tenuipes were used to control growth inhibition and revitalization. When inoculated silkworm pupae were dehydrated to 4% moisture and preserved freeze-dried or at -70 degrees C, -20 degrees C, or 4 degrees C, the mycelia in their bodies were able to survive for 14 d. Inoculated silkworm pupae were rehydrated for 3 h and the mycelia within their bodies were recovered at 94.3-96.3%. Silkworm pupae at 4% moisture were able to survive for 135 d at temperatures < 4 degrees C and for 1 y after freeze-drying. Optimal conditions for synnemata induction were 25 degrees C and 100-300 1x.

[Genetic differentiation of Isaria farinosa populations in Anhui Province of East China].

Isaria farinosa is an important entomopathogenic fungus. By using ISSR, this paper studied the genetic heterogeneity of six I. farinosa populations at different localities of Anhui Province, East China. A total of 98.5% polymorphic loci were amplified with ten polymorphic primers, but the polymorphism at population level varied greatly, within the range of 59.6%-93.2%. The genetic differentiation index (G(st)) between the populations based on Nei's genetic heterogenesis analysis was 0.3365, and the gene flow (N(m)) was 0.4931. The genetic differentiation between the populations was lower than that within the populations, suggesting that the genetic variation of I. farinosa mainly come from the interior of the populations. The UPGMA clustering based on the genetic similarities between the isolates revealed that the Xishan population was monophylectic, while the other five populations were polyphylectic, with the Yaoluoping population being the most heterogenic and the Langyashan population being the least heterogenic. No correlations were observed between the geographic distance and the genetic distance of the populations. According to the UPGMA clustering based on the genetic distance between the populations, the six populations were classified into three groups, and this classification was accorded with the clustering based on geographic environment, suggesting the effects of environmental heterogeneity on the population heterogeneity.

[Population genetic structure of Beauveria bassiana from south and southwest Anhui sericultural regions: ISSR analysis].

White muscardine caused by Beauveria bassiana is an important factor affecting sericulture. In the present study, a total of 124 B. bassiana isolates were obtained from the silkworm cadavers, rearing rooms and appliances, surrounding mulberry orchards, pine plantations, and croplands in Jingxian County of south Anhui and Qishan County of southwest Anhui. Together with the mass production strains, the isolates were analyzed for population genetic structure by ISSR markers to trace the origin and the spreading track of the muscardine. The results showed that the two B. bassiana populations in Jingxian County and Qishan County were heterogenic, being monophyletic in Jingxian and polyphyletic in Qishan. Both the Jingxian population and the Qianshan predominant subpopulation were characterized typically by enzootic nature, i.e., low incidence and frequent occurrence, but the Qianshan non-predominant subpopulation could spread among some alternate hosts outside the rearing rooms. The groups prevailing in pine caterpillar populations in the pine plantations of Qianshan and Jingxian, the production strains, and the epizootic strain prevailing in surrounding mantids were all not associated to the silkworm muscardine, displaying safety to sericulture.