The aim of this study was to identify volatile and agar-diffusible antifungal metabolites produced by Bacillus sp. G341 with strong antifungal activity against various phytopathogenic fungi. Strain G341 isolated from four-year-old roots of Korean ginseng with rot symptoms was identified as Bacillus velezensis based on 16S rDNA and gyrA sequences. Strain G341 inhibited mycelial growth of all phytopathogenic fungi tested. In vivo experiment results revealed that n-butanol extract of fermentation broth effectively controlled the development of rice sheath blight, tomato gray mold, tomato late blight, wheat leaf rust, barley powdery mildew, and red pepper anthracnose. Two antifungal compounds were isolated from strain G341 and identified as bacillomycin L and fengycin A by MS/MS analysis. Moreover, volatile compounds emitted from strain G341 were found to be able to inhibit mycelial growth of various phytopathogenic fungi. Based on volatile compound profiles of strain G341 obtained through headspace collection and analysis on GC-MS, dimethylsulfoxide, 1-butanol, and 3-hydroxy-2-butanone (acetoin) were identified. Taken together, these results suggest that B. valezensis G341 can be used as a biocontrol agent for various plant diseases caused by phytopathogenic fungi.
Cancer cells in poorly vascularized solid tumors are constantly or intermittently exposed to stressful microenvironments, including glucose deprivation, hypoxia, and other forms of nutrient starvation. These tumor-specific conditions, especially glucose deprivation, activate a signaling pathway called the unfolded protein response (UPR), which enhances cell survival by induction of the stress proteins. We have established a screening method to discover anticancer agents that could preferentially inhibit tumor cell viability under glucose-deprived conditions. Here we identify arctigenin (ARC-G) as an active compound that shows selective cytotoxicity and inhibits the UPR during glucose deprivation. Indeed, ARC-G blocked expression of UPR target genes such as phosphorylated-PERK, ATF4, CHOP, and GRP78, which was accompanied by enhanced phosphorylation of eIF2 alpha during glucose deprivation. The UPR inhibition led to apoptosis involving a mitochondrial pathway by activation of caspase-9 and -3. Furthermore, ARC-G suppressed tumor growth of colon cancer HT-29 xenografts. Our results demonstrate that ARC-G can be served as a novel type of antitumor agent targeting the UPR in glucose-deprived solid tumors.
Two new pregnane glycosides, kidjoranine 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-α-L-cymaropyranosyl-(1 → 4)-β-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1→4)-α-L-diginopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-β-D-cymaropyranoside (5) and caudatin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-α-L-cymaropyranosyl-(1 → 4)-β-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1 → 4)-α-L-diginopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-β-D-cymaropyranoside (6), were isolated from the roots of Cynanchum wilfordii along with four known compounds (1-4). The antifungal activities of the six compounds against barley powdery mildew caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei were compared to the antifungal activity of polyoxin B. The caudatin glycosides (1, 4, and 6) showed stronger antifungal activities than polyoxin B, whereas kidjoranine glycosides (2, 3, and 5) had weaker activities than polyoxin B. A wettable powder-type formulation (C. wilfordii-WP20) of the ethyl acetate extract from C. wilfordii roots prohibited the development of barley powdery mildew much more effectively than the commercial fungicide polyoxin B-WP10. In addition, C. wilfordii-WP20 effectively controlled strawberry powdery mildew caused by Sphaerotheca humuli under greenhouse conditions. Thus, the crude extract containing the pregnane glycosides can be used as a botanical fungicide for the environmentally benign control of powdery mildews.
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