Differential expression of bio-active metabolites produced by chitosan polymers-based Bacillus amyloliquefaciens...

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain PPL shows a potential for the control of phytopathogenic fungi. In the present study, upon growing the strain PPL on various forms of chitosan (0.5 % powder, 0.1 % soluble, and 0.15 % colloidal) as the carbon source, the antifungal activity on tomato Fusarium wilt correlated with the activity of chitosanase and β-1,3-glucanase. The colloidal substrate-based strain PPL fermentation displayed the highest degree of spore germination inhibition (79.5 %) and biocontrol efficiency (76.0 %) in tomato by increased biofilm formation. The colloidal culture upregulated the expression of chitosanase gene (5.9-fold), and the powder attributed to the expression of cyclic lipopeptides-genes (2.5-5.7 fold). Moreover, the three chitosan cultures induced the morphological changes of Fusarium oxysporum. These results suggest that the choice of growth substrate synergistically affects the production of secondary metabolites by PPL strain, and consequently its antifungal activity.