Involvement of fengycin-type lipopeptides in the multifaceted biocontrol potential of Bacillus subtilis

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Methodologies for Studying B. subtilis Biofilms as a Model for Characterizing Small Molecule Biofilm Inhibitors
10:17

Methodologies for Studying B. subtilis Biofilms as a Model for Characterizing Small Molecule Biofilm Inhibitors

Published on: October 9, 2016

Marc Ongena1, Philippe Jacques, Yacine Touré

  • 1Centre Wallon de Biologie Industrielle, Université de Liège, Boulevard du Rectorat 29, Bâtiment B40, Liège 4000, Belgium. ongena.m@fsagx.ac.be

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
|March 3, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Bacillus subtilis strain M4 protects plants from fungal diseases using fengycin lipopeptides. This beneficial bacteria also primes plant defenses for enhanced disease resistance.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Plant Pathology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Fungal diseases pose significant threats to crop yields.
  • Biological control agents offer sustainable alternatives to chemical treatments.
  • Bacillus subtilis is a known beneficial bacterium with biocontrol potential.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the biocontrol capabilities of Bacillus subtilis strain M4 against fungal pathogens.
  • To elucidate the role of secreted lipopeptides, specifically fengycins, in the protective mechanisms of strain M4.
  • To explore the potential of strain M4 in inducing systemic resistance in host plants.

Main Methods:

  • In vitro and in vivo assays using different pathosystems (bean damping-off, apple gray mold).
  • Analysis of lipopeptide production and fengycin quantities in infected plant tissues.
  • Root pre-inoculation experiments to assess systemic resistance induction.

Main Results:

  • Bacillus subtilis strain M4 demonstrated significant protection against Pythium ultimum and gray mold.
  • Lipopeptide-enriched extracts and detected fengycins confirmed their role in direct antagonism.
  • Strain M4 pre-inoculation induced a more efficient host plant response to subsequent foliar pathogen infection, potentially via fengycin-mediated induction of plant phenolics.

Conclusions:

  • Bacillus subtilis strain M4 is an effective antagonist of fungal pathogens and an inducer of plant defense mechanisms.
  • Secreted fengycin lipopeptides are crucial for both direct antagonism and the induction of systemic resistance.
  • This study highlights the dual role of B. subtilis M4 in plant disease management through lipopeptide secretion.

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