The biotransformation of a mixture of resveratrol and pterostilbene was performed by the protein secretome of Botrytis cinerea. Several reaction conditions were tested to overcome solubility issues and to improve enzymatic activity. Using MeOH as co-solvent, a series of unusual methoxylated compounds was generated. The reaction was scaled-up and the resulting mixture purified by semi-preparative HPLC-PDA-ELSD-MS. Using this approach, 15 analogues were isolated in one step. Upon full characterization by NMR and HRMS analyses, eight of the compounds were new. The antibacterial activities of the isolated compounds were evaluated in vitro against the opportunistic pathogens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. The selectivity index (SI) was calculated based on cytotoxic assays performed against human liver carcinoma cells (HepG2) and human breast epithelial cell line (MCF10A). Some compounds revealed remarkable antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant strains of S. aureus on the background of the moderate human cell line cytotoxicity.

Fungal co-cultivation has emerged as a promising way for activating cryptic biosynthetic pathways and discovering novel antimicrobial metabolites. For the success of such studies, a key element remains the development of standardized co-cultivation methods compatible with high-throughput analytical procedures. To efficiently highlight induction processes, it is crucial to acquire a holistic view of intermicrobial communication at the molecular level. To tackle this issue, a strategy was developed based on the miniaturization of fungal cultures that allows for a concomitant survey of induction phenomena in volatile and non-volatile metabolomes. Fungi were directly grown in vials, and each sample was profiled by head space solid phase microextraction gas chromatography mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS), while the corresponding solid culture medium was analyzed by liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) after solvent extraction. This strategy was implemented for the screening of volatile and non-volatile metabolite inductions in an ecologically relevant fungal co-culture of Eutypa lata (Pers.) Tul. & C. Tul. (Diatrypaceae) and Botryosphaeria obtusa (Schwein.) Shoemaker (Botryosphaeriaceae), two wooddecaying fungi interacting in the context of esca disease of grapevine. For a comprehensive evaluation of the results, a multivariate data analysis combining Analysis of Variance and Partial Least Squares approaches, namely AMOPLS, was used to explore the complex LC-HRMS and GC-MS datasets and highlight dynamically induced compounds. A time-series study was carried out over 9 days, showing characteristic metabolite induction patterns in both volatile and non-volatile dimensions. Relevant links between the dynamics of expression of specific metabolite production were observed. In addition, the antifungal activity of 2-nonanone, a metabolite incrementally produced over time in the volatile fraction, was assessed against Eutypa lata and Botryosphaeria obtusa in an adapted bioassay set for volatile compounds. This compound has shown antifungal activity on both fungi and was found to be co-expressed with a known

The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the “critical priority pathogens” due to its multidrug resistance to a wide range of antibiotics. Its ability to invade and damage host tissues is due to the use of quorum sensing (QS) to collectively produce a plethora of virulence factors. Inhibition of QS is an attractive strategy for new antimicrobial agents because it disrupts the initial events of infection without killing the pathogen. Highly diverse microorganisms as endophytes represent an under-explored source of bioactive natural products, offering opportunities for the discovery of novel QS inhibitors (QSI). In the present work, the objective was to explore selective QSIs within a unique collection of fungal endophytes isolated from the tropical palm Astrocaryum sciophilum. The fungi were cultured, extracted, and screened for their antibacterial and specific anti-QS activities against P. aeruginosa. The endophytic strain Lasiodiplodia venezuelensis was prioritized for scaled-up fractionation for its selective activity, leading to the isolation of eight compounds in a single step. Among them, two pyran-derivatives were found to be responsible for the QSI activity, with an effect on some QS-regulated virulence factors. Additional non-targeted metabolomic studies on P. aeruginosa documented their effects on the production of various virulence-related metabolites.

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Aims</strong>: The development of a rapid and reliable direct PCR method to detect fungal propagules in grapevine tissues without prior DNA purification steps, and illustration of its potential use with different examples.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Methods and results</strong>: Different grapevine samples crushed in the presence of polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) were used as templates for direct PCR amplification with primers specifie for <em>Erysiphe necator</em>, <em>Plasmopara viticola</em>, <em>Botrytis cinerea</em> and <em>Vitis vinifera</em>. Sequencing of the PCR products confirmed the specificity of the amplifications. The sensitivity tested using conidia/sporangia dilution series was high, ranging from five sporangia for <em>P. viticola</em> to one conidium for <em>E. necator</em>. The potential of this technique is illustrated through the study of four epidemiological questions. Fungal propagules were observed in dormant buds using microscopy, but the responsible species could not be identified. Direct PCR revealed the presence of <em>E. necator</em> and<em> B. cinerea</em> in 29 % and 65 % of the buds, respectively. Downy mildew could be detected in asymptomatic leaves sampled in fields after potentially infectious events. In bunch, microscopic analysis of rachis sections showed the presence of hyphae growing in the green tissue. Direct PCR identified the presence of <em>P. viticola</em>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Conclusion</strong>: A direct PCR method without DNA purification was demonstrated to be a simple and reliable method for the detection and identification of fungal pathogens in grapevine tissues. This method, together with microscopy, is a very interesting tool that can be used to study various epidemiological problems in the grapevine, including important unanswered questions such as the route of infection that leads to brown rot caused by downy mildew.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Significance and impact of the study</strong>: Direct PCR was shown to be a simple and versatile technique for the study of epidemiological questions in the grapevine. This technique could be extended to other pathosystems with minor adaptations.</p>

The Wnt signaling pathway controls multiple events during embryonic development of multicellular animals and is carcinogenic when aberrantly activated in adults. Breast cancers are dependent on Wnt pathway overactivation mostly through dysregulation of pathway component protein expression, which necessitates the search for therapeutically relevant compounds targeting them. Highly diverse microorganisms as endophytes represent an underexplored field in the therapeutic natural products research. In the present work, the objective was to explore the chemical diversity and presence of selective Wnt inhibitors within a unique collection of fungi isolated as foliar endophytes from the long-lived tropical palm Astrocaryum sciophilum. The fungi were cultured, extracted with ethyl acetate, and screened for their effects on the Wnt pathway and cell proliferation. The endophytic strain Lasiodiplodia venezuelensis was prioritized for scaled-up fractionation based on its selective activity. Application of geometric transfer from analytical HPLC conditions to semi-preparative scale and use of dry load sample introduction enabled the isolation of 15 pure compounds in a single step. Among the molecules identified, five are original natural products described for the first time, and six are new to this species. An active fraction obtained by semi-preparative HPLC was re-purified by UHPLC-PDA using a 1.7 µm phenyl column. 75 injections of 8 µg were necessary to obtain sufficient amounts of each compound for structure elucidation and bioassays. Using this original approach, in addition to the two major compounds, a third minor compound identified as (R)-(-)-5-hydroxymellein (18) was obtained, which was found to be responsible for the significant Wnt inhibition activity recorded. Further studies of this compound and its structural analogs showed that only 18 acts in a highly specific manner, with no acute cytotoxicity. This compound is notably selective for upstream components of the Wnt pathway and is able to inhibit the proliferation of three triple negative breast cancer cell lines. In addition to the discovery of Wnt inhibitors of interest, this study contributes to better characterize the biosynthetic potential of L. venezuelensis.