Bioactive Compounds with Pesticide Activities Derived from Aged Cultures of Green Microalgae
The excessive use of synthetic pesticides has caused environmental problems and human health risks and increased the development of resistance in several organisms. Allelochemicals, secondary metabolites produced as part of the defense mechanisms in plants and microorganisms, are an attractive alter...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Biology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/12/8/1149 |
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| author | Alethia A. Brito-Bello Damar Lopez-Arredondo |
| author_facet | Alethia A. Brito-Bello Damar Lopez-Arredondo |
| author_sort | Alethia A. Brito-Bello |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The excessive use of synthetic pesticides has caused environmental problems and human health risks and increased the development of resistance in several organisms. Allelochemicals, secondary metabolites produced as part of the defense mechanisms in plants and microorganisms, are an attractive alternative to replace synthetic pesticides to remediate these problems. Microalgae are natural producers of a wide range of allelochemicals. Thus, they provide new opportunities to identify secondary metabolites with pesticide activities and an alternative approach to discover new modes of action and circumvent resistance. We screened 10 green microalgae strains belonging to the Chlorophyta phylum for their potential to inhibit the growth of photosynthetic and nonphotosynthetic organisms. Bioassays were established to assess microalgae extracts’ effectiveness in controlling the growth of <i>Chlorella sorokiniana</i>, <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>, <i>Amaranthus palmeri</i>, and the model nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>. All tested strains exhibited herbicidal, nematocidal, or algicidal activities. Importantly, methanol extracts of a <i>Chlamydomonas</i> strain effectively controlled the germination and growth of a glyphosate-resistant <i>A. palmeri</i> biotype. Likewise, some microalgae extracts effectively killed <i>C. elegans</i> L1 larvae. Comprehensive metabolic profiling using LC-MS of extracts with pesticide activities showed that the metabolite composition of <i>Chlamydomonas</i>, <i>Chlorella</i>, and <i>Chloroidium</i> extracts is diverse. Molecules such as fatty acids, isoquinoline alkaloids, aldehydes, and cinnamic acids were more abundant, suggesting their participation in the pesticide activities. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:55:23Z |
| format | Article |
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| issn | 2079-7737 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:55:23Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-7da69bf8b4ac444fb65ccdc05585c9842023-12-01T01:41:22ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372023-08-01128114910.3390/biology12081149Bioactive Compounds with Pesticide Activities Derived from Aged Cultures of Green MicroalgaeAlethia A. Brito-Bello0Damar Lopez-Arredondo1Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USAInstitute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USAThe excessive use of synthetic pesticides has caused environmental problems and human health risks and increased the development of resistance in several organisms. Allelochemicals, secondary metabolites produced as part of the defense mechanisms in plants and microorganisms, are an attractive alternative to replace synthetic pesticides to remediate these problems. Microalgae are natural producers of a wide range of allelochemicals. Thus, they provide new opportunities to identify secondary metabolites with pesticide activities and an alternative approach to discover new modes of action and circumvent resistance. We screened 10 green microalgae strains belonging to the Chlorophyta phylum for their potential to inhibit the growth of photosynthetic and nonphotosynthetic organisms. Bioassays were established to assess microalgae extracts’ effectiveness in controlling the growth of <i>Chlorella sorokiniana</i>, <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>, <i>Amaranthus palmeri</i>, and the model nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>. All tested strains exhibited herbicidal, nematocidal, or algicidal activities. Importantly, methanol extracts of a <i>Chlamydomonas</i> strain effectively controlled the germination and growth of a glyphosate-resistant <i>A. palmeri</i> biotype. Likewise, some microalgae extracts effectively killed <i>C. elegans</i> L1 larvae. Comprehensive metabolic profiling using LC-MS of extracts with pesticide activities showed that the metabolite composition of <i>Chlamydomonas</i>, <i>Chlorella</i>, and <i>Chloroidium</i> extracts is diverse. Molecules such as fatty acids, isoquinoline alkaloids, aldehydes, and cinnamic acids were more abundant, suggesting their participation in the pesticide activities.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/12/8/1149green microalgaeallelochemicalsbiopesticidesChlorophytanontargeted metabolomics |
| spellingShingle | Alethia A. Brito-Bello Damar Lopez-Arredondo Bioactive Compounds with Pesticide Activities Derived from Aged Cultures of Green Microalgae Biology green microalgae allelochemicals biopesticides Chlorophyta nontargeted metabolomics |
| title | Bioactive Compounds with Pesticide Activities Derived from Aged Cultures of Green Microalgae |
| title_full | Bioactive Compounds with Pesticide Activities Derived from Aged Cultures of Green Microalgae |
| title_fullStr | Bioactive Compounds with Pesticide Activities Derived from Aged Cultures of Green Microalgae |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bioactive Compounds with Pesticide Activities Derived from Aged Cultures of Green Microalgae |
| title_short | Bioactive Compounds with Pesticide Activities Derived from Aged Cultures of Green Microalgae |
| title_sort | bioactive compounds with pesticide activities derived from aged cultures of green microalgae |
| topic | green microalgae allelochemicals biopesticides Chlorophyta nontargeted metabolomics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/12/8/1149 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alethiaabritobello bioactivecompoundswithpesticideactivitiesderivedfromagedculturesofgreenmicroalgae AT damarlopezarredondo bioactivecompoundswithpesticideactivitiesderivedfromagedculturesofgreenmicroalgae |