Interference of the phenylpyrrole fungicide fenpiclonil with membranes and membrane function

Abstract

AbstractThe phenylpyrrole fungicide fenpiclonil accumulates to high levels in mycelium of Fusarium sulphureum and artificial liposomes. The accumulation is a result of a physicochemical distribution of the fungicide over lipid‐like material of the mycelium and the medium. Accumulation is reversible, as the fungicide can easily be removed from the mycelium by washing with water. Fenpiclonil is not metabolized by the fungus during incubation for 24 h. The fungicide affects neither membrane fluidity in artificial liposomes nor amino acid accumulation in bacterial vesicles. Thus, accumulation of the fungicide does not seem to affect the functioning of membranes.Fenpiclonil induces the accumulation of the membrane‐potential probe tetra‐phenylphosphonium bromide by F. sulphureum. Since accumulation of this probe probably reflects the cumulative potential over all cell membranes, the increased accumulation is more likely a result of changes of potentials over membranes of intracellular organelles rather than plasma membrane hyperpolarization. Hence, the previously described effects of fenpiclonil on amino acid and saccharide uptake cannot be explained by plasma membrane hyperpolarization.