Antifungal Activity of Ageritin, a Ribotoxin-like Protein from <i>Cyclocybe aegerita</i> Edible Mushroom, against Phytopathogenic Fungi
Ageritin from poplar mushrooms is a specific endonuclease that hydrolyzes a single phosphodiester bond located in the sarcin-ricin loop (SRL) of the large rRNA, thereby blocking protein synthesis. Considering the possible biotechnological use of this enzyme, here we report its antifungal activity ag...
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Toxins |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/15/9/578 |
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| author | Sara Ragucci Stefany Castaldi Nicola Landi Rachele Isticato Antimo Di Maro |
| author_facet | Sara Ragucci Stefany Castaldi Nicola Landi Rachele Isticato Antimo Di Maro |
| author_sort | Sara Ragucci |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ageritin from poplar mushrooms is a specific endonuclease that hydrolyzes a single phosphodiester bond located in the sarcin-ricin loop (SRL) of the large rRNA, thereby blocking protein synthesis. Considering the possible biotechnological use of this enzyme, here we report its antifungal activity against virulent fungi affecting crops of economic interest. Our results show that ageritin (200 µg/plug; ~13.5 nmole) inhibits the growth of <i>Botrytis cinerea</i> (57%), <i>Colletotrichum truncatum</i> (42%), and <i>Alternaria alternata</i> (57%), when tested on potato dextrose agar plates. At the same time, no effect was observed against <i>Trichoderma harzianum</i> (a fungus promoting beneficial effects in plants). To verify whether the antifungal action of ageritin against <i>B. cinerea</i> and <i>T. harzianum</i> was due to ribosome damage, we tested ageritin in vitro on partially isolated <i>B. cinerea</i> and <i>T. harzianum</i> ribosomes. Interestingly, ageritin was able to release the Endo’s fragment from both tested fungal ribosomes. We therefore decided to test the antifungal effect of ageritin on <i>B. cinerea</i> and <i>T. harzianum</i> using a different growth condition (liquid medium). Differently from the result in solid medium, ageritin can inhibit both <i>B. cinerea</i> and <i>T. harzianum</i> fungal growth in liquid medium in a concentration-dependent manner up to 35.7% and 38.7%, respectively, at the highest concentration tested (~200 µg/mL; 12 µM), and the analysis of RNA isolated from ageritin-treated cells revealed the presence of Endo’s fragment, highlighting its ability to cross the fungal cell wall and reach the ribosomes. Overall, these data highlight that the efficacy of antifungal treatment to prevent or treat a potential fungal disease may depend not only on the fungal species but also on the conditions of toxin application. |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:54:00Z |
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| spelling | doaj.art-cda14766c74e43309ca909031b30de7d2023-11-19T13:16:18ZengMDPI AGToxins2072-66512023-09-0115957810.3390/toxins15090578Antifungal Activity of Ageritin, a Ribotoxin-like Protein from <i>Cyclocybe aegerita</i> Edible Mushroom, against Phytopathogenic FungiSara Ragucci0Stefany Castaldi1Nicola Landi2Rachele Isticato3Antimo Di Maro4Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DiSTABiF), University of Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, ItalyDepartment of Biology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DiSTABiF), University of Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, ItalyDepartment of Biology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DiSTABiF), University of Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, ItalyAgeritin from poplar mushrooms is a specific endonuclease that hydrolyzes a single phosphodiester bond located in the sarcin-ricin loop (SRL) of the large rRNA, thereby blocking protein synthesis. Considering the possible biotechnological use of this enzyme, here we report its antifungal activity against virulent fungi affecting crops of economic interest. Our results show that ageritin (200 µg/plug; ~13.5 nmole) inhibits the growth of <i>Botrytis cinerea</i> (57%), <i>Colletotrichum truncatum</i> (42%), and <i>Alternaria alternata</i> (57%), when tested on potato dextrose agar plates. At the same time, no effect was observed against <i>Trichoderma harzianum</i> (a fungus promoting beneficial effects in plants). To verify whether the antifungal action of ageritin against <i>B. cinerea</i> and <i>T. harzianum</i> was due to ribosome damage, we tested ageritin in vitro on partially isolated <i>B. cinerea</i> and <i>T. harzianum</i> ribosomes. Interestingly, ageritin was able to release the Endo’s fragment from both tested fungal ribosomes. We therefore decided to test the antifungal effect of ageritin on <i>B. cinerea</i> and <i>T. harzianum</i> using a different growth condition (liquid medium). Differently from the result in solid medium, ageritin can inhibit both <i>B. cinerea</i> and <i>T. harzianum</i> fungal growth in liquid medium in a concentration-dependent manner up to 35.7% and 38.7%, respectively, at the highest concentration tested (~200 µg/mL; 12 µM), and the analysis of RNA isolated from ageritin-treated cells revealed the presence of Endo’s fragment, highlighting its ability to cross the fungal cell wall and reach the ribosomes. Overall, these data highlight that the efficacy of antifungal treatment to prevent or treat a potential fungal disease may depend not only on the fungal species but also on the conditions of toxin application.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/15/9/578ageritinantifungal activityphytopathogenic fungiquinoinribosome inactivating proteinsribotoxin-like proteins |
| spellingShingle | Sara Ragucci Stefany Castaldi Nicola Landi Rachele Isticato Antimo Di Maro Antifungal Activity of Ageritin, a Ribotoxin-like Protein from <i>Cyclocybe aegerita</i> Edible Mushroom, against Phytopathogenic Fungi Toxins ageritin antifungal activity phytopathogenic fungi quinoin ribosome inactivating proteins ribotoxin-like proteins |
| title | Antifungal Activity of Ageritin, a Ribotoxin-like Protein from <i>Cyclocybe aegerita</i> Edible Mushroom, against Phytopathogenic Fungi |
| title_full | Antifungal Activity of Ageritin, a Ribotoxin-like Protein from <i>Cyclocybe aegerita</i> Edible Mushroom, against Phytopathogenic Fungi |
| title_fullStr | Antifungal Activity of Ageritin, a Ribotoxin-like Protein from <i>Cyclocybe aegerita</i> Edible Mushroom, against Phytopathogenic Fungi |
| title_full_unstemmed | Antifungal Activity of Ageritin, a Ribotoxin-like Protein from <i>Cyclocybe aegerita</i> Edible Mushroom, against Phytopathogenic Fungi |
| title_short | Antifungal Activity of Ageritin, a Ribotoxin-like Protein from <i>Cyclocybe aegerita</i> Edible Mushroom, against Phytopathogenic Fungi |
| title_sort | antifungal activity of ageritin a ribotoxin like protein from i cyclocybe aegerita i edible mushroom against phytopathogenic fungi |
| topic | ageritin antifungal activity phytopathogenic fungi quinoin ribosome inactivating proteins ribotoxin-like proteins |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/15/9/578 |
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