A lipophilic cation protects crops against fungal pathogens by multiple modes of action

Gero Steinberg; Martin Schuster; Sarah J. Gurr; Tina A. Schrader; Michael Schrader; Mark Wood; Andy Early; Sreedhar Kilaru

doi:10.1038/s41467-020-14949-y

A lipophilic cation protects crops against fungal pathogens by multiple modes of action

Gero Steinberg, Martin Schuster, Sarah J. Gurr, Tina A. Schrader, Michael Schrader, Mark Wood, Andy Early, Sreedhar Kilaru

University of Exeter

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Article number	1608
Number of pages	19
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	11
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-14949-y
Publication status	Published - 30 Mar 2020

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title = "A lipophilic cation protects crops against fungal pathogens by multiple modes of action",

abstract = "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.",

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AU - Steinberg, Gero

AU - Schuster, Martin

AU - Gurr, Sarah J.

AU - Schrader, Tina A.

AU - Schrader, Michael

AU - Wood, Mark

AU - Early, Andy

AU - Kilaru, Sreedhar

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AB - 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.

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A lipophilic cation protects crops against fungal pathogens by multiple modes of action

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