Biological Control Potential of Aneurinibacillus migulanus against Phytophthora Species

Abstract

Aneurinibacillus migulanus strains show potential in biocontrol against a wide range of plant pathogens, including Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Oomycetes. However, suggested that production of a single antibiotic cyclic peptide, gramicidin S (GS), by the two strains, is not the sole mechanism of inhibition but the combination between the antibiotic and biosurfactants activity together. The sequenced genomes of Aneurinibacillus prompted us to apply genome mining techniques to identify the bioactive potential of A. migulanus to provide insights into the secondary metabolite arsenal of the genus Aneurinibacillus. Eleven secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters were detected in the Aneurinibacillus species. These secondary metabolites play an important role in inhibition the growth for a wide range of plant pathogens and their ability to enhance the activity of antibiotics that has been improved in many studies. Other biosynthetic gene clusters have been detected that may have a significant effective against different pathogens such as bacteriocins, microcins, non-ribosomal peptides, polyketides, terpenes, phosphonates, lasso peptides and linaridins. Chitinolytic potential and iron metabolism regulation also needed more investigation. With increasing numbers of biocontrol bacterial genomes being sequenced and mined, the use of approaches similar to those described in this paper will lead to an increase in the numbers of environmentally friendly natural products available to use against plant disease.