Zoochemical analyses and in vitro antimicrobial activity of crude methanolic extract of Perna viridis

@#<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Introduction:</strong> The rise of antibiotic resistance and superbugs drives the search for new antibiotics today. Meanwhile, the green mussel Perna viridis is a cultivated and marketed staple bivalve in the Philippines due to its fast repro-duction, high protein content, and tolerance to environmental variables. Although some studies have analyzed the antimicrobial activity of P. viridis, zoochemical analyses and further evaluation of its antimicrobial activity, such as determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), remains unexplored.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Objectives:</strong> The study evaluated the zoochemicals present in crude methanolic extract of P. viridis by qualitative screening and thin-layer chromatography analysis. It further evaluated the crude extract for its antimicrobial activity against common pathogenic bacteria and plant pathogenic fungi.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Materials and Methods:</strong> The zoochemicals in crude methanolic extract of P. viridis were screened using qualitative spotting methods and thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The antimicrobial activity of the extract was evaluated against the bacteria Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis, and the fungi Colletotrichum capsici, Lasiodiplodia theobromae, and Rhizopus sp. using disk diffusion assay and two-fold microdilution.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Results:</strong> Qualitative screening and thin-layer chromatography analysis of the crude extract revealed detectable amounts of alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids, sterols, and polyphenols. All of the tested bacteria were susceptible to the extract with P. aeruginosa (19.00±0.82 mm) and S. aureus (19.33±0.47 mm) as the most inhibited with MICs of 2.60±0.63 and 3.65±1.69 mg/mL, respectively. However, for the three fungi tested, only the growth of the fungus L. theobromae (7.33±0.94 mm) was inhibited with a MIC of 33.33±11.79 mg/mL.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Conclusion:</strong> It can be inferred that the zoochemicals detected in the crude extract of P. viridis contributed to its antimicrobial activity.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Key Words:</strong> Antibacterial agent, Antifungal agent, Green mussel, Plant pathogenic fungi, Secondary metabolites</p>

Antifungal potential of crude extracts of Trichoderma spp / Potencial antifúngico de extratos brutos de Trichoderma spp

Abstract Antibiosis is the mechanism by which certain microorganisms respond to the presence of others, secreting compounds or metabolites capable of inhibiting or impeding their development. The crude extract of Trichoderma contains a mixture of secondary compounds, which may show antibiotic effect, and has been used for the prospect of this fungus for biological control and other industrial purposes. Faced with the increasing demand of agriculture for ecologically compatible alternatives for the management of diseases, this work aimed to investigate the spectrum of action of Non-Volatile Metabolites (NVMs) of Trichoderma isolates against different plant pathogenic fungi. The antagonistic potential of NVMs was evaluated through the incorporation method of the filtered liquid extract in PDA medium. The assays showed that all the NVMs produced inhibited the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum similarly. On the other hand, strains CEN1245 and CEN1274, both belonging to the species Trichoderma brevicompactum, showed broad spectrum against Sclerotium rolfsii, Colletotrichum gloesporioides, Verticillium dahliae, Fusarium oxysporum and Cylindrocladium sp. The present study describes isolates producing non-volatile metabolites with broad spectrum of antifungal action, as well as pathogen-specific. The Trichoderma spp. NVMs obtained from different soil samples cultivated with vegetables, cassava and maize were efficient in inhibiting plant pathogenic fungi belonging to other patossystems, such as forest or fruit, which could increase their potential application in biological control of plant diseases. In addition, these antagonistic fungi should be studied in greater depth for the identification of bioactive molecules of industrial interest or in commercial formulations of products for biological control of plant pathogens.

Resumo Antibiose é um mecanismo pelo qual certos microrganismos respondem à presença de outros, secretando compostos ou metabólitos capazes de inibir ou impedir o seu desenvolvimento. O extrato bruto de Trichoderma contém uma mistura de compostos secundários e tem sido utilizado na prospecção deste fungo para o controle biológico e demais fins industriais. Diante da crescente demanda da agricultura por alternativas ecologicamente compatíveis para o manejo de doenças, este trabalho teve como objetivo investigar o espectro de ação de Metabólitos Não Voláteis (MNVs), produzidos por isolados de Trichoderma, contra diferentes fungos fitopatogênicos. O potencial antagônico dos MNVs foi avaliado através do método de incorporação do extrato líquido filtrado em meio BDA. Os ensaios mostraram que todos os MNVs produzidos inibiram de forma semelhante o fungo Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Por outro lado, os isolados CEN1245 e CEN1274, ambos Trichoderma brevicompactum, mostraram um amplo espectro de ação, atuando contra Sclerotium rolfsii, Colletotrichum gloesporioides, Verticillium dahliae, Fusarium oxysporum e Cylindrocladium sp. O presente estudo descreve isolados que produziram metabólitos não voláteis com amplo espectro de ação antifúngico, assim como patógeno-específico. Os MNVs de Trichoderma spp. obtidos de diferentes amostras de solo cultivadas com vegetais, mandioca e milho, foram eficientes na inibição de fungos fitopatogênicos pertencentes a outros patossistemas, como os de espécies florestais e frutíferas, o que poderia aumentar sua potencial aplicação no controle de doenças de plantas. Adicionalmente, estes fungos antagonistas devem ser mais bem estudados para identificação de moléculas bioativas de interesse industrial ou formulação de produtos para o controle biológico de patógenos de plantas.

Metabolism and antifungal activity of safrole, dillapiole, and derivatives against botryodiplodia theobromae and colletotrichum acutatum / Metabolismo y actividad antifúngica de safrol, dilapiol, y derivados contra botryodiplodia theobromae y colletotrichum acutatum

The direct in vitro fungitoxicity and metabolism of safrole and dillapiole (isolated from Piper auritum and Piper holtonii, respectively) by Botryodiplodia theobromae and Colletotrichum acutatum were investigated. Higher values of mycelial growth inhibition for both fungi were obtained for dillapiole, as compared with safrole. B. theobromae was able to metabolize both compounds to their respective vicinal diols, reaching 65 percent relative abundance during the biotransformation of dillapiole; while C. acutatum only transformed safrole to various metabolites with relative abundances under 5 percent. According to the low antifungal activity of the major metabolic products (< 5 percent for vicinal diols), a detoxification process was implied. Studies on the influence of some substituents in the aromatic ring of safrole and dillapiole on the antifungal activity against B. theobromae were also carried out. As result, the safrole nitrated derivative, 6-nitrosafrole, showed a fungitoxicity level similar to that displayed by the commercial fungicide Carbendazim® under the conditions used. In light of this, safrole and dillapiole could be suggested as feasible structural templates for developing new antifungal agents.

Se investigó la fungitoxicidad directa in vitro y el metabolismo de safrol y dilapiol (obtenidos desde Piper auritum and Piper holtonii, respectivamente) por Botryodiplodia theobromae y Colletotrichum acutatum. Los valores mayores de inhibición del crecimiento micelial de ambos hongos se obtuvieron para dilapiol, en comparación con safrol. B. theobromae metabolizó ambos compuestos a sus respectivos dioles vecinales, alcanzando abundancias relativas del 65 por ciento durante la biotransformación del dilapiol; mientras que C. acutatum solo transformó safrol en varios metabolitos con abundancias relativas menores al 5 por ciento. De acuerdo con la baja actividad antifúngica de los productos metabólicos mayoritarios (< 5 por ciento para los dioles vecinales), se sugiere un proceso de desintoxicación. Adicionalmente, se evaluó la influencia de algunos sustituyentes en el anillo aromático de safrol y dilapiol sobre la actividad antifúngica contra B. theobromae. Como resultado, el derivado nitrado del safrol, el 6–nitro safrol, presentó un nivel de fungitoxicidad similar al exhibido por el fungicida comercial Carbendazim® bajo las condiciones usadas. A la luz de lo anterior, safrol y dilapiol podrían ser sugeridos como plantillas estructurales adecuadas para el desarrollo de nuevos agentes antifúngicos.

Changes in hyphal morphology due to chitosan treatment in some fungal species

In this work, changes in the hyphal morphology due to chitosan treatment in some fungal species were studied. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations revealed that chitosans with molar fraction of acetyl groups (F A 0.16 and 0.18) and degree of polymerization (DP 1,089 and 1,242) had a direct effect on the morphology of the chitosan-treated fungi, reflecting its potential for causing a delay in the growth of Alternaria alternata (500 µg × mL-1), Botrytis cinerea (1,000 µg × mL-1), Penicillium expansum (1,000 µg × mL-1) and Rhizopus stolonifer (500 µg × mL-1). Mycelial aggregation and structural changes such as excessive branching, swelling of the cell wall and hyphae size reduction were observed in the micrographs.

Isolation and Identification of Antifungal Compounds from Bacillus subtilis C9 Inhibiting the Growth of Plant Pathogenic Fungi

Antagonistic microorganisms against Rhizoctonia solani were isolated and their antifungal activities were investigated. Two hundred sixteen bacterial isolates were isolated from various soil samples and 19 isolates were found to antagonize the selected plant pathogenic fungi with varying degrees. Among them, isolate C9 was selected as an antagonistic microorganism with potential for use in further studies. Treatment with the selected isolate C9 resulted in significantly reduced incidence of stem-segment colonization by R. solani AG2-2(IV) in Zoysia grass and enhanced growth of grass. Through its biochemical, physiological, and 16S rDNA characteristics, the selected bacterium was identified as Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis. Mannitol (1%) and soytone (1%) were found to be the best carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, for use in antibiotic production. An antibiotic compound, designated as DG4, was separated and purified from ethyl acetate extract of the culture broth of isolate C9. On the basis of spectral data, including proton nuclear magneric resonance (1H NMR), carbon nuclear magneric resonance (13C NMR), and mass analyses, its chemical structure was established as a stereoisomer of acetylbutanediol. Application of the ethyl acetate extract of isolate C9 to several plant pathogens resulted in dose-dependent inhibition. Treatment with the purified compound (an isomer of acetylbuanediol) resulted in significantly inhibited growth of tested pathogens. The cell free culture supernatant of isolate C9 showed a chitinase effect on chitin medium. Results from the present study demonstrated the significant potential of the purified compound from isolate C9 for use as a biocontrol agent as well as a plant growth promoter with the ability to trigger induced systemic resistance of plants.