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Memariani M, Memariani H. Antifungal properties of cathelicidin LL-37: current knowledge and future research directions. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 40:34. [PMID: 38057654 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-023-03852-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
The threat of fungal diseases is substantially underestimated worldwide, but they have serious consequences for humans, animals, and plants. Given the limited number of existing antifungal drugs together with the emergence of drug-resistant strains, many researchers have actively sought alternatives or adjuvants to antimycotics. The best way to tackle these issues is to unearth potential antifungal agents with new modes of action. Antimicrobial peptides are being hailed as a promising source of novel antimicrobials since they exhibit rapid and broad-spectrum microbicidal activities with a reduced likelihood of developing drug resistance. Recent years have witnessed an explosion in knowledge on microbicidal activity of LL-37, the sole human cathelicidin. Herein, we provide a summary of the current understanding about antifungal properties of LL-37, with particular emphasis on its molecular mechanisms. We further illustrate fruitful areas for future research. LL-37 is able to inhibit the growth of clinically and agronomically relevant fungi including Aspergillus, Candida, Colletotrichum, Fusarium, Malassezia, Pythium, and Trichophyton. Destruction of the cell wall integrity, membrane permeabilization, induction of oxidative stress, disruption of endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis, formation of autophagy-like structures, alterations in expression of numerous fungal genes, and inhibition of cell cycle progression are the key mechanisms underlying antifungal effects of LL-37. Burgeoning evidence also suggests that LL-37 may act as a potential anti-virulence peptide. It is hoped that this review will not only motivate researchers to conduct more detailed studies in this field, but also inspire further innovations in the design of LL-37-based drugs for the treatment of fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojtaba Memariani
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamed Memariani
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Sheikh TMM, Zhou D, Ali H, Hussain S, Wang N, Chen S, Zhao Y, Wen X, Wang X, Zhang J, Wang L, Deng S, Feng H, Raza W, Fu P, Peng H, Wei L, Daly P. Volatile Organic Compounds Emitted by the Biocontrol Agent Pythium oligandrum Contribute to Ginger Plant Growth and Disease Resistance. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0151023. [PMID: 37534988 PMCID: PMC10433877 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01510-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The oomycete Pythium oligandrum is a potential biocontrol agent to control a wide range of fungal and oomycete-caused diseases, such as Pythium myriotylum-caused rhizome rot in ginger, leading to reduced yields and compromised quality. Previously, P. oligandrum has been studied for its plant growth-promoting potential by auxin production and induction of disease resistance by elicitors such as oligandrin. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play beneficial roles in sustainable agriculture by enhancing plant growth and resistance. We investigated the contribution of P. oligandrum-produced VOCs on plant growth and disease suppression by initially using Nicotiana benthamiana plants for screening. P. oligandrum VOCs significantly enhanced tobacco seedling and plant biomass contents. Screening of the individual VOCs showed that 3-octanone and hexadecane promoted the growth of tobacco seedlings. The total VOCs from P. oligandrum also enhanced the shoot and root growth of ginger plants. Transcriptomic analysis showed a higher expression of genes related to plant growth hormones and stress responses in the leaves of ginger plants exposed to P. oligandrum VOCs. The concentrations of plant growth hormones such as auxin, zeatin, and gibberellic acid were higher in the leaves of ginger plants exposed to P. oligandrum VOCs. In a ginger disease biocontrol assay, the VOC-exposed ginger plants infected with P. myriotylum had lower levels of disease severity. We conclude that this study contributes to understanding the growth-promoting mechanisms of P. oligandrum on ginger and tobacco, priming of ginger plants against various stresses, and the mechanisms of action of P. oligandrum as a biocontrol agent. IMPORTANCE Plant growth promotion plays a vital role in enhancing production of agricultural crops, and Pythium oligandrum is known for its plant growth-promoting potential through production of auxins and induction of resistance by elicitors. This study highlights the significance of P. oligandrum-produced VOCs in plant growth promotion and disease resistance. Transcriptomic analyses of leaves of ginger plants exposed to P. oligandrum VOCs revealed the upregulation of genes involved in plant growth hormone signaling and stress responses. Moreover, the concentration of growth hormones significantly increased in P. oligandrum VOC-exposed ginger plants. Additionally, the disease severity was reduced in P. myriotylum-infected ginger plants exposed to P. oligandrum VOCs. In ginger, P. myriotylum-caused rhizome rot disease results in severe losses, and biocontrol has a role as part of an integrated pest management strategy for rhizome rot disease. Overall, growth enhancement and disease reduction in plants exposed to P. oligandrum-produced VOCs contribute to its role as a biocontrol agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taha Majid Mahmood Sheikh
- Key Lab of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province—State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Dongmei Zhou
- Key Lab of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province—State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Haider Ali
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Sarfraz Hussain
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, China
| | - Nan Wang
- Key Lab of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province—State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Siqiao Chen
- Key Lab of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province—State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
- Fungal Genomics Laboratory (FungiG), Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab of Organic Solid Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yishen Zhao
- Key Lab of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province—State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, China
| | - Xian Wen
- Key Lab of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province—State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- Key Lab of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province—State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Jinfeng Zhang
- Key Lab of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province—State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Lunji Wang
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, China
| | - Sheng Deng
- Key Lab of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province—State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui Feng
- Key Lab of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province—State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Waseem Raza
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Pengxiao Fu
- Jiangsu Coastal Ecological Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China
| | - Hao Peng
- Jiangsu Coastal Ecological Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China
| | - Lihui Wei
- Key Lab of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province—State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Paul Daly
- Key Lab of Food Quality and Safety of Jiangsu Province—State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
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Wang N, Yin Z, Wu Y, Yang J, Zhao Y, Daly P, Pei Y, Zhou D, Dou D, Wei L. A Pythium myriotylum Small Cysteine-Rich Protein Triggers Immune Responses in Diverse Plant Hosts. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2023; 36:283-293. [PMID: 37022145 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-09-22-0187-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The oomycete Pythium myriotylum is a necrotrophic pathogen that infects many crop species worldwide, including ginger, soybean, tomato, and tobacco. Here, we identified a P. myriotylum small cysteine-rich protein, PmSCR1, that induces cell death in Nicotiana benthamiana by screening small, secreted proteins that were induced during infection of ginger and did not have a predicted function at the time of selection. Orthologs of PmSCR1 were found in other Pythium species, but these did not have cell death-inducing activity in N. benthamiana. PmSCR1 encodes a protein containing an auxiliary activity 17 family domain and triggers multiple immune responses in host plants. The elicitor function of PmSCR1 appears to be independent of enzymatic activity, because the heat inactivation of PmSCR1 protein did not affect PmSCR1-induced cell death or other defense responses. The elicitor function of PmSCR1 was also independent of BAK1 and SOBIR1. Furthermore, a small region of the protein, PmSCR186-211, is sufficient for inducing cell death. A pretreatment using the full-length PmSCR1 protein promoted the resistance of soybean and N. benthamiana to Phytophthora sojae and Phytophthora capsici infection, respectively. These results reveal that PmSCR1 is a novel elicitor from P. myriotylum, which exhibits plant immunity-inducing activity in multiple host plants. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Wang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhiyuan Yin
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yingke Wu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jishuo Yang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
- Life Science and Food Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huaian, China
| | - Yaning Zhao
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Paul Daly
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Yong Pei
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dongmei Zhou
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Daolong Dou
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lihui Wei
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
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Volatile Organic Compounds from Pythium oligandrum Play a Role in Its Parasitism on Plant-Pathogenic Pythium myriotylum. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0203622. [PMID: 36744963 PMCID: PMC9973004 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02036-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The oomycete Pythium oligandrum is a soil-inhabiting parasite and predator of both fungi and oomycetes, and uses hydrolytic enzymes extensively to penetrate and hydrolyze its host or prey. Other mechanisms have been studied less, and we investigated the contribution of P. oligandrum-produced volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to parasitism. The growth-inhibiting activity of P. oligandrum VOCs was tested on Pythium myriotylum-a host or prey of P. oligandrum-coupled with electron microscopy, and biochemical and transcriptomic analyses. The P. oligandrum-produced VOCs reduced P. myriotylum growth by 80% and zoospore levels by 60%. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified 23 VOCs, and methyl heptenone, d-limonene, 2-undecanone, and 1-octanal were potent inhibitors of P. myriotylum growth and led to increased production of reactive oxygen species at a concentration that did not inhibit P. oligandrum growth. Exposure to the P. oligandrum VOCs led to shrinkage of P. myriotylum hyphae and lysis of the cellular membranes and organelles. Transcriptomics of P. myriotylum exposed to the P. oligandrum VOCs at increasing levels of growth inhibition initially showed a strong upregulation of putative detoxification-related genes that was not maintained later. The inhibition of P. myriotylum growth continued immediately after the exposure to the VOCs was discontinued and led to the reduced infection of its plant hosts. The VOCs produced by P. oligandrum could be another factor alongside hydrolytic enzymes contributing to its ecological role as a microbial parasite in particular ecological niches such as in soil, and may also contribute to the biocontrol of diseases using P. oligandrum commercial preparations. IMPORTANCE Microbe-microbe interactions in nature are multifaceted, with multiple mechanisms of action, and are crucial to how plants interact with microbes. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have diverse functions, including contributing to parasitism in ecological interactions and potential applications in biocontrol. The microbial parasite P. oligandrum is well known for using hydrolytic enzymes as part of its parasitism. We found that P. oligandrum VOCs reduced the growth of, and caused major damage to, the hyphae of P. myriotylum (a host or prey of P. oligandrum). Transcriptomic analyses of P. myriotylum exposed to the VOCs revealed the upregulation of genes potentially involved in an attempt to detoxify the VOCs. The inhibitory effects of the VOCs had a knock-on effect by reducing the virulence of P. myriotylum toward its plant hosts. The P. oligandrum VOCs could contribute to its ecological role as a microbial parasite. The VOCs analyzed here may also contribute to the biocontrol of diseases using P. oligandrum commercial preparations.
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