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Beneficial Soil Fungus Kills Predatory Nematodes with Dehydropeptides Translocating into the Animal Gut

Hannah Büttner1, Johannes Rassbach1,2, Constanze Schultz3

  • 1Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany.

Journal of the American Chemical Society
|December 9, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Mortierella alpina mold produces malpinins, potent natural compounds that inhibit nematodes. These biosurfactants accumulate in the nematode gut, revealing their protective role in agriculture.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Agricultural Science
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Mortierella alpina is a soil fungus with potential as a biocontrol agent against nematode pests.
  • The specific mechanisms by which M. alpina protects plants from nematodes are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the mechanisms behind the protective traits of Mortierella alpina against nematode pests.
  • To identify and characterize the compounds responsible for the antifungal activity.

Main Methods:

  • Nematode inhibition assays using malpinin congeners and synthesized analogues.
  • Fluorescence microscopy and Raman microspectroscopy to visualize malpinin translocation.
  • Precursor-directed biosynthesis to generate alkyne-tagged malpinin probes.

Main Results:

  • Peptidic biosurfactants, malpinins A-D, were identified and showed strong nematode inhibitory activity.
  • A dehydro amino acid in malpinins is crucial for activity, while N-terminal residues affect lipophilicity.
  • Malpinins were observed to translocate and accumulate within the gut of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Conclusions:

  • Malpinins are key effectors of Mortierella alpina's biocontrol capabilities against nematodes.
  • Understanding malpinin's mechanism offers insights into agricultural pest management.
  • These findings support the use of M. alpina as a sustainable biocontrol agent.

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