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Effect of Synthetic Polylysine on Fungi

D J Buchanan-Davidson, D C Deese, I Uritani

    Science (New York, N.Y.)
    |December 2, 1960
    PubMed

    Insights

    Polylysine, a synthetic poly-alpha-amino acid, demonstrates antifungal properties against various plant and human pathogens in vitro. However, its application in plant disease control is limited by phytotoxicity.

    Area of Science:

    • Biochemistry
    • Mycology
    • Plant Pathology
    • Antimicrobial Agents

    Background:

    • Poly-alpha-amino acids are synthetic polymers with diverse biological activities.
    • Antifungal agents are crucial for managing plant and human pathogenic infections.
    • Polylysine is a basic poly-alpha-amino acid with potential antimicrobial applications.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the in vitro antifungal activity of polylysine against plant and human pathogens.
    • To evaluate the efficacy of polylysine in inhibiting plant pathogen penetration and infection.
    • To assess the phytotoxicity of polylysine on host plants.

    Main Methods:

    • In vitro testing of polylysine against multiple strains of plant pathogens (Fusarium, Verticillium, Ceratocystis) and human pathogens (Trichophyton, Candida).
    • Assessing polylysine's effect on Ceratocystis fimbriata penetration on sweet potato tissue.
    • Evaluating polylysine's impact on Fusarium oxysporum f. lycopersici infection in tomato cuttings.

    Main Results:

    • Polylysine exhibited significant in vitro antifungal activity against all tested plant and human pathogenic fungi.
    • Polylysine successfully inhibited the penetration of Ceratocystis fimbriata on sweet potato slices.
    • While polylysine reduced Fusarium oxysporum f. lycopersici infection in tomato cuttings, it also demonstrated phytotoxicity.

    Conclusions:

    • Polylysine possesses broad-spectrum in vitro antifungal activity against key plant and human pathogens.
    • Polylysine shows potential for controlling specific plant fungal diseases by inhibiting pathogen penetration and infection.
    • The observed phytotoxicity of polylysine necessitates further research for safe and effective agricultural applications.

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