Detection of Ophiocordyceps sinensis in the roots of plants in alpine meadows by nested-touchdown polymerase chain reaction

作者：Zhong, Xin; Peng, Qing yun; Li, Shao Song; Chen, Hai; Sun, Hong Xia; Zhang, Gu Ren; Liu, Xin^*

来源：Fungal Biology, 2014, 118(4): 359-363.

DOI：10.1016/j.funbio.2013.12.005

• Chinese caterpillar fungus
• Psychrophyte
• Entomopathogen
• Anamorph life cycle
• Rhizosphere

Ophiocordyceps sinensis, one of the most important income sources of rural Tibetan families, is an entomopathogenic fungus that parasitizes the ghost moth Thitarodes larvae, which live in alpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau and in the Himalayas. The annual yield of O. sinensis has gradually declined in recent years. However, there is no effective method to sustain or increase the yield of O. sinensis artificially because the life cycle of the O. sinensis anamorph remains unclear. Here we detected O. sinensis in alpine plant roots by nested-touchdown polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Forty-two alpine plant species were screened. The roots from 23 alpine plant species (54.76 %) tested positive including 13 families and 18 genera. The detection results indicate that O. sinensis is present in the plant roots during the anamorph life cycle, to deal with harsh conditions in alpine habitats and have an increased opportunity to infect the larvae. The finding provides new information regarding the biology and ecology of O. sinensis that may be used to sustain this valuable resource.

• 出版日期2014-4
• 单位中山大学