Isolation and characterization of endophytic actinomycetes from Chinese cabbage roots as antagonists to Plasmodiophora brassicae.

This study was conducted to select endophytic actinomycetes as biocontrol agents against Chinese cabbage clubroot caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae. A total of 81 endophytic actinomycetes were isolated from surface-sterilized roots of Chinese cabbage that was grown on paddy field and upland soils collected from various locations in Korea. By using 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) gene sequencing, they were classified to 8 actinobacterial genera. The genus Microbispora (67%) was most frequently isolated, followed by Streptomyces (12%) and Micromonospora (11%). Three of the 81 isolates, when inoculated in germinated Chinese cabbage seeds and then transplanted to pots, effectively suppressed the occurrence of a post-inoculated strain of P. brassicae in the pots. They showed control values of 58% for strain A004, 33% for strain A004, and 42% for strain A018. Based on cell wall components, morphological characteristics, and phylogenetic analyses, the three antagonistic isolates were identified as Microbispora rosea subsp. rosea (A004 and A011) and Streptomyces olivochromogenes (A018). Further researches on the field efficacy and action modes of the three actinomycetes are in progress.

Fumigant activity of essential oils and components of Illicium verum and Schizonepeta tenuifolia against Botrytis cinerea and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides.

To develop a natural fungicide against Botrytis cinerea and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, a total of 25 essential oils were tested for their fumigant activity against post-harvest pathogens. The vaporous phases of oils were treated to each fungus on potato dextrose agar medium in half-plate separated Petri plates at 10 microg per plate. The essential oil of Illicium verum strongly inhibited the mycelial growth of both B. cinerea and C. gloeosporioides by over 90%. On the other hand, the essential oil of Schizonepeta tenuifolia showed inhibitory activity against mycelial growth of only B. cinerea by over 90%. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and bioassay indicated trans-anethole in I. verum and menthone in S. tenuifolia as a major antifungal constituent. The essential oils of I. verum and S. tenuifolia and their major constituents could be used to manage post-harvest diseases caused by B. cinerea and C. gloeosporioides.

Isolation and antifungal activity of lignans from Myristica fragrans against various plant pathogenic fungi.

BACKGROUND: In a search for plant extracts with potent in vivo antifungal activity against various plant diseases, we found that treatment with a methanol extract of Myristica fragrans Houttyn (nutmeg) seeds reduced the development of various plant diseases. The objectives of the present study were to isolate and determine antifungal substances from My. fragrans and to evaluate their antifungal activities. RESULTS: Three antifungal lignans were isolated from the methanol extract of My. fragrans seeds and identified as erythro-austrobailignan-6 (EA6), meso-dihydroguaiaretic acid (MDA) and nectandrin-B (NB). In vitro antimicrobial activity of the three lignans varied according to compound and target species. Alternaria alternata, Colletotrichum coccodes, C. gloeosporioides, Magnaporthe grisea, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Acidovorax konjaci and Burkholderia glumae were relatively sensitive to the three lignans. In vivo, all three compounds effectively suppressed the development of rice blast and wheat leaf rust. In addition, EA6 and NB were highly active against the development of barley powdery mildew and tomato late blight, respectively. Both MDA and NB also moderately inhibited the development of rice sheath blight. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to demonstrate the in vitro and in vivo antifungal activities of the three lignans from My. fragrans against plant pathogenic fungi.

Strictly polyphosphate-dependent glucokinase in a polyphosphate-accumulating bacterium, Microlunatus phosphovorus.

ATP-dependent glucokinase is suggested to have evolved from a hypothetical polyphosphate (polyP)-dependent glucokinase (polyP-GK) via a bifunctional polyP/ATP glucokinase (polyP/ATP-GK). Here we showed that polyP-GK is present in a polyP-accumulating bacterium, Microlunatus phosphovorus. The polyP-GK produced glucose-6-P(i) from glucose and polyP, but it could not phosphorylate glucose with ATP. The polyP-GK was most closely related to the polyP/ATP-GK of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Cloning and characterization of extracellular metal protease gene of the algicidal marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp. strain A28.

The gene (empI) encoding an extracellular metal protease was isolated from a Pseudoalteromonas sp. strain A28 DNA library. The recombinant EmpI protein was expressed in E. coli and purified. Paper-disk assays showed that the purified protease had potent algicidal activity. A skim milk-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis protease assay showed that the 38-kDa band of protease activity, which co-migrated with purified EmpI and was sensitive to 1,10-phenathroline, was detected in the extracellular supernatant of A28.