Different contributions of the peroxisomal import protein Pex5 and Pex7 to development, stress response and virulence of insect fungal pathogen Beauveria bassiana

Aims Peroxins Pex5 and Pex7 belong to the peroxisomal import machinery and recognize proteins containing peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS) type 1 and type 2, respectively. This study seeks to characterize these two peroxins in the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. Methods and Results The orthologs of Pex5 and Pex7 in B. bassiana (BbPex5 and BbPex7) were functionally analyzed via protein localization and gene disruption. BbPex5 and BbPex7 were associated with peroxisome and specifically required for PTS1 and PTS2 pathways, respectively, which were demonstrated to be involved in development, tolerance to oxidative stress and virulence. Delta BbPex5 mutant displayed additionally defectives that were undetected in Delta BbPex7 in vegetative growth and resistance to osmotic and cell wall-perturbing stresses. Notably, Woronin body major protein Hex1 with PTS1 linked this organelle to the development and virulence of B. bassiana, which indicates that Woronin body is associated with the roles of PTS1 pathway. Conclusion Both PTS1 and PTS2 pathways are involved in broad physiological process, and the PTS1 pathway acts as a main peroxisomal import pathway. Significance and Impact of the Study This study shows the functional divergence of different peroxins and improves our understanding of organellar physiology involved in biocontrol potential of the entomopathogenic fungi.