scholarly journals Antimicrobial Activity of Pyrrocidines from Acremonium zeae Against Endophytes and Pathogens of Maize

2009 ◽  
Vol 99 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald T. Wicklow ◽  
Stephen M. Poling

Acremonium zeae produces pyrrocidines A and B, which are polyketide-amino acid-derived antibiotics, and is recognized as a seedborne protective endophyte of maize which augments host defenses against microbial pathogens causing seedling blights and stalk rots. Pyrrocidine A displayed significant in vitro activity against Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium verticillioides in assays performed using conidia as inoculum, with pyrrocidine A being more active than B. In equivalent assays performed with conidia or hyphal cells as inoculum, pyrrocidine A revealed potent activity against major stalk and ear rot pathogens of maize, including F. graminearum, Nigrospora oryzae, Stenocarpella (Diplodia) maydis, and Rhizoctonia zeae. Pyrrocidine A displayed significant activity against seed-rotting saprophytes A. flavus and Eupenicillium ochrosalmoneum, as well as seed-infecting colonists of the phylloplane Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium cladosporioides, and Curvularia lunata, which produces a damaging leaf spot disease. Protective endophytes, including mycoparasites which grow asymptomatically within healthy maize tissues, show little sensitivity to pyrrocidines. Pyrrocidine A also exhibited potent activity against Clavibacter michiganense subsp. nebraskense, causal agent of Goss's bacterial wilt of maize, and Bacillus mojaviense and Pseudomonas fluorescens, maize endophytes applied as biocontrol agents, but were ineffective against the wilt-producing bacterium Pantoea stewartii.

2011 ◽  
Vol 286 (41) ◽  
pp. 35358-35366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Todd A. Naumann ◽  
Donald T. Wicklow ◽  
Neil P. J. Price

Chitinase-modifying proteins (cmps) are proteases secreted by fungal pathogens that truncate the plant class IV chitinases ChitA and ChitB during maize ear rot. cmp activity has been characterized for Bipolaris zeicola and Stenocarpella maydis, but the identities of the proteases are not known. Here, we report that cmps are secreted by multiple species from the genus Fusarium, that cmp from Fusarium verticillioides (Fv-cmp) is a fungalysin metalloprotease, and that it cleaves within a sequence that is conserved in class IV chitinases. Protein extracts from Fusarium cultures were found to truncate ChitA and ChitB in vitro. Based on this activity, Fv-cmp was purified from F. verticillioides. N-terminal sequencing of truncated ChitA and MALDI-TOF-MS analysis of reaction products showed that Fv-cmp is an endoprotease that cleaves a peptide bond on the C-terminal side of the lectin domain. The N-terminal sequence of purified Fv-cmp was determined and compared with a set of predicted proteins, resulting in its identification as a zinc metalloprotease of the fungalysin family. Recombinant Fv-cmp also truncated ChitA, confirming its identity, but had reduced activity, suggesting that the recombinant protease did not mature efficiently from its propeptide-containing precursor. This is the first report of a fungalysin that targets a nonstructural host protein and the first to implicate this class of virulence-related proteases in plant disease.


Echinochloa crus-galli (commonly known as barnyard grass) is a noxious weed causing loss of several economically important field crops in tropical regions . An intensive work on the screening of the bio control agents was accomplished through in vitro epidemic study to control weed populations. The foliar disease symptoms on infected weed plant caused by fungal pathogens represented as round to irregular maroon spots with dark borders and the epidemic was indent fields as leaf spot disease. The pathogen allied with the infection of barnyard grass was isolated from infectious propagules by inoculation of leaf bites on a potato dextrose agar (PDA). The caused agent of leaf spot was confirmed as barnyard grass by Koch’s postulates. The mycoherbicide ability of Curvularia lunata to control barnyard grass has been examined through visual (standard are diagram) and statistical methods. The results revealed that the pathogen causes significantly severe infection on host weed and destructs the weed population by leaf spot diseases. The findings of the research suggested that the isolate barnyard grass is highly virulent and host specific and recommended for further studies as a promising bio- control agent against barnyard weed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (8) ◽  
pp. 633-644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Komal Kalani ◽  
Sarfaraz Alam ◽  
Vinita Chaturvedi ◽  
Shyam Singh ◽  
Feroz Khan ◽  
...  

Introduction: As a part of our drug discovery program for anti-tubercular agents, dihydroartemisinin (DHA-1) was screened against Mtb H37Rv, which showed moderate anti-tubercular activity (>25.0 µg/mL). These results prompted us to carry out the chemical transformation of DHA-1 into various derivatives and study their antitubercular potential. Materials and Methods: DHA-1 was semi-synthetically converted into four new acyl derivatives (DHA-1A – DHA-1D) and in-vitro evaluated for their anti-tubercular potential against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv virulent strain. The derivatives, DHA-1C (12-O-(4-nitro) benzoyl; MIC 12.5 µg/mL) and DHA-1D (12-O-chloro acetyl; MIC 3.12µg/mL) showed significant activity against the pathogen. Results: In silico studies of the most active derivative (DHA-1D) showed interaction with ARG448 inhibiting the mycobacterium enzymes. Additionally, it showed no cytotoxicity towards the Vero C1008 cells and Mouse bone marrow derived macrophages. Conclusion: DHA-1D killed 62% intracellular M. tuberculosis in Mouse bone marrow macrophage infection model. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first-ever report on the antitubercular potential of dihydroartemisinin and its derivatives. Since dihydroartemisinin is widely used as an antimalarial drug; these results may be of great help in anti-tubercular drug development from a very common, inexpensive, and non-toxic natural product.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (18) ◽  
pp. 1628-1639
Author(s):  
Sergi Gómez-Ganau ◽  
Josefa Castillo ◽  
Andrés Cervantes ◽  
Jesus Vicente de Julián-Ortiz ◽  
Rafael Gozalbes

Background: The Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) is a transmembrane protein that acts as a receptor of extracellular protein ligands of the epidermal growth factor (EGF/ErbB) family. It has been shown that EGFR is overexpressed by many tumours and correlates with poor prognosis. Therefore, EGFR can be considered as a very interesting therapeutic target for the treatment of a large variety of cancers such as lung, ovarian, endometrial, gastric, bladder and breast cancers, cervical adenocarcinoma, malignant melanoma and glioblastoma. Methods: We have followed a structure-based virtual screening (SBVS) procedure with a library composed of several commercial collections of chemicals (615,462 compounds in total) and the 3D structure of EGFR obtained from the Protein Data Bank (PDB code: 1M17). The docking results from this campaign were then ranked according to the theoretical binding affinity of these molecules to EGFR, and compared with the binding affinity of erlotinib, a well-known EGFR inhibitor. A total of 23 top-rated commercial compounds displaying potential binding affinities similar or even better than erlotinib were selected for experimental evaluation. In vitro assays in different cell lines were performed. A preliminary test was carried out with a simple and standard quick cell proliferation assay kit, and six compounds showed significant activity when compared to positive control. Then, viability and cell proliferation of these compounds were further tested using a protocol based on propidium iodide (PI) and flow cytometry in HCT116, Caco-2 and H358 cell lines. Results: The whole six compounds displayed good effects when compared with erlotinib at 30 μM. When reducing the concentration to 10μM, the activity of the 6 compounds depends on the cell line used: the six compounds showed inhibitory activity with HCT116, two compounds showed inhibition with Caco-2, and three compounds showed inhibitory effects with H358. At 2 μM, one compound showed inhibiting effects close to those from erlotinib. Conclusion: Therefore, these compounds could be considered as potential primary hits, acting as promising starting points to expand the therapeutic options against a wide range of cancers.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-159
Author(s):  
Tran Nguyen Minh An ◽  
Pham Thai Phuong ◽  
Nguyen Minh Quang ◽  
Nguyen Van Son ◽  
Nguyen Van Cuong ◽  
...  

: A series of novel 1,3-thiazole derivatives (5a-i) with a modified phenothiazine moiety were synthesized and tested against cancer cell line MCF-7 for their cytotoxicity. Most of them (5a-i) were less cytotoxic or had no activity against MCF-7 cancer cell line. Material and Methods: The IC50 value of compound (4) was 33.84 μM. The compounds (5a-i) were also evaluated for antimicrobial activities, but no significant activity was observed. The antioxidant activity was conducted for target compounds (5a-i). The IC50 value of compound (5b) was 0.151mM. Results: The total amount of energy, ACE (atomic contact energy), energy of receptor (PDB: 5G5J), and ligand interaction of structure (4) were found to be 22.448 Kcal.mol-1 , -247.68, and -91.91 Kcal.mol-1, respectively. The structure (4) is well binded with the receptor because the values of binding energy, steric energy, and the number of hydrogen bondings are -91.91, 22.448 kcal.mol-1, and 2, respectively. It shows that structure (4) has good cytotoxicity with MCF-7 in vitro. Conclusion: The increasing of docking ability of structures (5a-i) with the receptor is presented in increasing order as (5f)>(5e)>(5g)>(5a)>(5b)>(5d)>(5c)>(5i)>(5h). The structure bearing substitution as thiosemicarbazone (4), nitrogen heterocyclic (5f), halogen (5e), and azide (5g) showed good cytotoxicity activity in vitro.


2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. 1360-1369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rail Khaziev ◽  
Nikita Shtyrlin ◽  
Roman Pavelyev ◽  
Raushan Nigmatullin ◽  
Raylya Gabbasova ◽  
...  

Background: Adamantane derivatives possess multiple pharmacological activities such as antiviral, anticancer, antimycobacterial, antidiabetic, antiparkinsonian and others. The interest of medicinal chemists in adamantane compounds is due to their unique spatial structure, high lipophilicity, and carbon cage rigidity. As a result, these molecules can easily penetrate biological lipid membranes and often have unique target-specific activity profile. Another pharmacophore studied in this work is pyridoxine (vitamin B6). Pyridoxine plays highly important roles in living cells as a key cofactor of many enzymes. On the other hand, its molecular scaffold is a valuable structural platform which has led to the development of several launched drugs (Pyritinol, Pirisudanol, Cycletanine, Mangafodipir) and a wide number of preclinical and clinical drug candidates. Objective: The objective of this study is a synthesis of pyridoxine-adamantane and pyridoxinecyclooctane dipharmacophore molecules. The underlying idea was to assess the antibacterial and antiviral potential of such dipharmacophores, based on multiple examples of promising antiinfective agents which have in their structures adamantane and pyridoxine moieties. Another specific reason was to explore the ability of pyridoxine pharmacophore to suppress the potential of microbial pathogens to develop resistance to drug molecules. Methods: In this study, a series of pyridoxine-adamantane and pyridoxine-cyclooctane dipharmacophore molecules were synthesized based on reactions of three different cycloalkyl amines with the corresponding electrophilic derivatives of pyridoxine aldehydes, chlorides and acetates. All synthesized compounds have been tested for their in vitro activity against M. tuberculosis H37Rv strain and H3N2 (A/Aichi/2/68) influenza virus. Results: Series of pyridoxine-adamantane and pyridoxine-cyclooctane dipharmacophore molecules were synthesized based on reactions of three different cycloalkylamines with the corresponding electrophilic derivatives of pyridoxine aldehydes, chlorides and acetates. Reaction of cycloalkylamines with pyridoxine derivatives, in which meta-hydroxyl and ortho-hydroxymethyl groups are protected by acetyl groups, represents a useful alternative to reductive amination of aldehydes and nucleophilic substitution of alkyl halides. According to a tentative mechanism, it proceeds via paraand ortho-pyridinone methides which readily react with nucleophiles. None of the synthesized dipharmacophore compounds showed activity against M. tuberculosis H37Rv strain. At the same time, three compounds demonstrated some antiviral activity against H3N2 (A/Aichi/2/68) influenza virus (EC50 52-88 µg/mL) that was comparable to the activity of Amantadine, though lower than the activity of Rimantadine. The results of this work can be useful in the design of physiologically active derivatives of pyridoxine and adamantane. Conclusion: The results of this work can be useful in the design of physiologically active derivatives of pyridoxine and adamantane.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 439
Author(s):  
Tecla Ciociola ◽  
Walter Magliani ◽  
Tiziano De Simone ◽  
Thelma A. Pertinhez ◽  
Stefania Conti ◽  
...  

It has been previously demonstrated that synthetic antibody-derived peptides could exert a significant activity in vitro, ex vivo, and/or in vivo against microorganisms and viruses, as well as immunomodulatory effects through the activation of immune cells. Based on the sequence of previously described antibody-derived peptides with recognized antifungal activity, an in silico analysis was conducted to identify novel antifungal candidates. The present study analyzed the candidacidal and structural properties of in silico designed peptides (ISDPs) derived by amino acid substitutions of the parent peptide KKVTMTCSAS. ISDPs proved to be more active in vitro than the parent peptide and all proved to be therapeutic in Galleria mellonella candidal infection, without showing toxic effects on mammalian cells. ISDPs were studied by circular dichroism spectroscopy, demonstrating different structural organization. These results allowed to validate a consensus sequence for the parent peptide KKVTMTCSAS that may be useful in the development of novel antimicrobial molecules.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 2435
Author(s):  
Marzia Beccaccioli ◽  
Manuel Salustri ◽  
Valeria Scala ◽  
Matteo Ludovici ◽  
Andrea Cacciotti ◽  
...  

Fusarium verticillioides causes multiple diseases of Zea mays (maize) including ear and seedling rots, contaminates seeds and seed products worldwide with toxic chemicals called fumonisins. The role of fumonisins in disease is unclear because, although they are not required for ear rot, they are required for seedling diseases. Disease symptoms may be due to the ability of fumonisins to inhibit ceramide synthase activity, the expected cause of lipids (fatty acids, oxylipins, and sphingolipids) alteration in infected plants. In this study, we explored the impact of fumonisins on fatty acid, oxylipin, and sphingolipid levels in planta and how these changes affect F. verticillioides growth in maize. The identity and levels of principal fatty acids, oxylipins, and over 50 sphingolipids were evaluated by chromatography followed by mass spectrometry in maize infected with an F. verticillioides fumonisin-producing wild-type strain and a fumonisin-deficient mutant, after different periods of growth. Plant hormones associated with defense responses, i.e., salicylic and jasmonic acid, were also evaluated. We suggest that fumonisins produced by F. verticillioides alter maize lipid metabolism, which help switch fungal growth from a relatively harmless endophyte to a destructive necrotroph.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tongda Li ◽  
Ross Mann ◽  
Jatinder Kaur ◽  
German Spangenberg ◽  
Timothy Sawbridge

AbstractPaenibacillus species are Gram-positive bacteria that have been isolated from a diverse array of plant species and soils, with some species exhibiting plant growth-promoting (PGP) activities. Here we report two strains (S02 and S25) of a novel Paenibacillus sp. that were isolated from perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) seeds. Comparative genomics analyses showed this novel species was closely related to P. polymyxa. Genomic analyses revealed that strains S02 and S25 possess PGP genes associated with biological nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilisation and assimilation, as well as auxin production and transportation. Moreover, secondary metabolite gene cluster analyses identified 13 clusters that are shared by both strains and three clusters unique to S25. In vitro assays demonstrated strong bioprotection activity against phytopathogens (Colletotrichum graminicola and Fusarium verticillioides), particularly for strain S02. A transcriptomics analysis evaluating nitrogen fixation activity showed both strains carry an expressed nif operon, but strain S02 was more active than strain S25 in nitrogen-free media. Another transcriptomics analysis evaluating the interaction of strains with F. verticillioides showed strain S02 had increased expression of core genes of secondary metabolite clusters (fusaricidin, paenilan, tridecaptin and polymyxin) when F. verticillioides was present and absent, compared to S25. Such bioactivities make strain S02 a promising candidate to be developed as a combined biofertiliser/bioprotectant.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. S421-S422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth V I Rolston ◽  
Bahgat Gerges ◽  
Issam Raad ◽  
Samuel L Aitken ◽  
Ruth Reitzel ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) are now the predominant cause of bacterial infection in cancer patients (CP). Many GNB are problematic because they have become resistant to commonly used antibiotics. Cefiderocol (CFDC), a novel siderophore cephalosporin, is active against a wide spectrum of GNB. We evaluated its in vitro activity and that of eleven comparator agents against GNB isolated from CP. Methods A total of 341 recent GNB blood isolates from CP were tested using CLSI approved methods for MIC determination by broth microdilution. Comparator agents were amikacin (A), aztreonam (AZ), ceftazidime (CZ), ceftazidime/avibactam (CAV), cefepime (CEF), ciprofloxacin (CIP), colistin (CL), meropenem (MR), ceftolozane/tazobactam (C/T), tigecycline (TG), and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (T/S). Results CFDC MIC90s as mg/L were: S. maltophilia [50 isolates] 0.25, E. coli (ESBL−) [50 isolates] 0.5, E. coli (ESBL+) [51 isolates] 2.0, K. pneumoniae (ESBL− and +) [60 isolates] 0.5; K. pneumoniae (CRE) [22 isolates] 2.0; P. aeruginosa (MDR) [32 isolates] 1.0; E. cloacae [27 isolates] 4.0; Achromobacter spp. [15 isolates] 0.12. CFDC inhibited P. agglomerans, Burkholderia spp., Sphingomonas spp., Ochrobactrum spp. at ≤1 mg/L [23 total isolates] and Elizabethkingia spp. and R. radiobacter at ≤8 mg/L [11 total isolates]. Among comparator agents, only T/S had consistent activity against S. maltophilia. For E. coli (ESBL− and +) MR, TG, CAV, CL were most active. For K. pneumoniae (ESBL–and +) MR, CAV were most active. For K. pneumoniae (CRE) and P. aeruginosa (MDR), none of the comparators had significant activity. For E. cloacae, MR, A, CAV, TG were most active. Among the uncommon organisms, MR and TG had the greatest activity. Conclusion Although susceptibility breakpoints have yet to be determined, CFDC has significant activity (≤4 mg/L) against most problematic Gram-negative organisms causing infections in CP based on available pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic data. In particular, its activity against S. maltophilia was superior to the comparators. Also, it was the most active agent against P. aeruginosa (MDR) and K. pneumoniae (CRE). Based on our results, CFDC warrants clinical evaluation for the treatment of blood stream infections caused by GNB in CP. Disclosures K. V. I. Rolston, Merck: Investigator, Research grant; JMI Laboratories: Investigator, Research grant; Shionogi (Japan): Investigator, Research grant. B. Gerges, Shionogi: Collaborator, Research support. S. L. Aitken, Shionogi: Scientific Advisor, Consulting fee; Merck: Scientific Advisor, Consulting fee; Medicines Co: Scientific Advisor, Consulting fee; Achaogen: Scientific Advisor, Consulting fee; Zavante: Scientific Advisor, Consulting fee; R. Prince, Shionogi: Investigator, Research support. Merck: Investigator, Research support.


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