Integrated chemical and genomic analysis of lipopeptides produced by Bacillus velezensis CMRP4489 with antifungal activity
TL;DR
The present study is the first to report the antifungal activity of bacillopeptins against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, a fungus responsible for white mold.
Abstract
Biological control by microorganisms is an increasingly interesting alternative for reducing crop losses caused by phytopathogens. The strain Bacillus velezensis CMRP4489 (LABIM40) stands out for its strong biotechnological potential for controlling fungal phytopathogens, and, according to in silico analyses, 12 significant gene clusters in its genome encode secondary metabolite biosynthetic pathways. The present study aimed to produce, extract, identify, and evaluate in vitro and in silico the antifungal metabolites produced by B. velezensis CMRP4489 with activity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, a fungus responsible for white mold. The compound with the highest activity was identified by high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS) analyses and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy as bacillopeptin, a molecule of the iturin family. As a result, we included comparative genomics of the iturin family and related cyclic lipopeptides and found at least three biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) associated with these compounds. To our knowledge, the present study is the first to report the antifungal activity of bacillopeptins against S. sclerotiorum.