A lipophilic cation protects crops against fungal pathogens by multiple modes of action.
Gero SteinbergMartin SchusterSarah J GurrTina A SchraderMichael SchraderMark WoodAndy EarlySreedhar KilaruPublished in: Nature communications (2020)
The emerging resistance of crop pathogens to fungicides poses a challenge to food security and compels discovery of new antifungal compounds. Here, we show that mono-alkyl lipophilic cations (MALCs) inhibit oxidative phosphorylation by affecting NADH oxidation in the plant pathogens Zymoseptoria tritici, Ustilago maydis and Magnaporthe oryzae. One of these MALCs, consisting of a dimethylsulfonium moiety and a long alkyl chain (C18-SMe2+), also induces production of reactive oxygen species at the level of respiratory complex I, thus triggering fungal apoptosis. In addition, C18-SMe2+ activates innate plant defense. This multiple activity effectively protects cereals against Septoria tritici blotch and rice blast disease. C18-SMe2+ has low toxicity in Daphnia magna, and is not mutagenic or phytotoxic. Thus, MALCs hold potential as effective and non-toxic crop fungicides.
Keyphrases
- ionic liquid
- gram negative
- reactive oxygen species
- climate change
- antimicrobial resistance
- cell wall
- oxidative stress
- immune response
- human health
- multidrug resistant
- endoplasmic reticulum stress
- small molecule
- cell death
- candida albicans
- hydrogen peroxide
- high throughput
- risk assessment
- public health
- nitric oxide
- cell proliferation
- respiratory tract
- protein kinase
- plant growth
- pi k akt