Antifungal peptides produced by actinomycetes and their biological activities against plant diseases

J Antibiot (Tokyo). 2020 May;73(5):265-282. doi: 10.1038/s41429-020-0287-4. Epub 2020 Mar 2.

Abstract

Antibacterial peptides are a class of naturally occurring peptides produced by eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Some of them exhibit broad-spectrum antifungal activity. Antifungal peptides (AFPs) can be developed as antibiotic to control fungal infections in agriculture due to their different antifungal mechanisms. As actinomycetes are still one of the most important sources of novel antibiotics, in this review, the mechanisms of action of AFPs are explained. Characterization of several AFPs produced by actinomycetes and their biological activities against plant diseases are summarized. Furthermore, the pathway for total synthesis of naturally occurring cyclodepsipeptide, valinomycin, is proposed. Finally, the pathway for biosynthesis of kutzneride 2 is proposed and the structure-activity relationship of kutznerides is discussed.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Actinobacteria / metabolism*
  • Antifungal Agents / chemistry
  • Antifungal Agents / isolation & purification
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / isolation & purification
  • Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology
  • Plant Diseases / prevention & control
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Valinomycin / isolation & purification
  • Valinomycin / pharmacology

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Peptides
  • Valinomycin