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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, September 2009, p. 5563-5569, Vol. 75, No. 17
0099-2240/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.00711-09
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Sporicidal Activity of Synthetic Antifungal Undecapeptides and Control of Penicillium Rot of Apples {triangledown}

Esther Badosa,1 Rafael Ferré,2 Jesús Francés,1 Eduard Bardají,2 Lidia Feliu,2 Marta Planas,2 and Emilio Montesinos1*

Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology-CIDSAV-XaRTA,1 LIPPSO, Department of Chemistry, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, 17071 Girona, Spain2

Received 26 March 2009/ Accepted 8 July 2009

The antifungal activity of cecropin A(2-8)-melittin(6-9) hybrid undecapeptides, previously reported as active against plant pathogenic bacteria, was studied. A set of 15 sequences was screened in vitro against Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium expansum, Aspergillus niger, and Rhizopus stolonifer. Most compounds were highly active against F. oxysporum (MIC < 2.5 µM) but were less active against the other fungi. The best peptides were studied for their sporicidal activity and for Sytox green uptake in F. oxysporum microconidia. A significant inverse linear relationship was observed between survival and fluorescence, indicating membrane disruption. Next, we evaluated the in vitro activity against P. expansum of a 125-member peptide library with the general structure R-X1KLFKKILKX10L-NH2, where X1 and X10 corresponded to amino acids with various degrees of hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity and R included different N-terminal derivatizations. Fifteen sequences with MICs below 12.5 µM were identified. The most active compounds were BP21 {Ac,F,V} and BP34 {Ac,L,V} (MIC < 6.25 µM), where the braces denote R, X1, and X10 positions and where Ac is an acetyl group. The peptides had sporicidal activity against P. expansum conidia. Seven of these peptides were tested in vivo by evaluating their preventative effect of inhibition of P. expansum infection in apple fruits. The peptide Ts-FKLFKKILKVL-NH2 (BP22), where Ts is a tosyl group, was the most active with an average efficacy of 56% disease reduction, which was slightly lower than that of a commercial formulation of the fungicide imazalil.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology-CIDSAV-XaRTA, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, 17071 Girona, Spain. Phone: 34-972-418427. Fax: 34-972-418399. E-mail: emonte{at}intea.udg.edu

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 17 July 2009.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, September 2009, p. 5563-5569, Vol. 75, No. 17
0099-2240/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.00711-09
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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