Abstract
Canthin-6-one, one of the main alkaloid compounds extracted from Ailanthus altissima, has recently attracted increasing interest for its antifungal activity. To evaluate the potential of canthin-6-one in controlling plant fungal diseases, we investigated the antifungal activity of canthin-6-one isolated from A. altissima against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum (Foc) in vitro. The mycelial growth rate and micro-broth dilution were used to test antifungal activity. Furthermore, label-free quantitative proteomics and parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) techniques were applied to analyze the antifungal mechanism. It was found that canthin-6-one significantly inhibited the growth of Foc, and had higher inhibitory action than chlorothalonil at the same concentration. Proteomic analysis showed that the expression of 203 proteins altered significantly after canthin-6-one treatment. These differentially expressed proteins were mainly involved in amino acid biosynthesis and nitrogen metabolism pathways. These results suggest that canthin-6-one significantly interferes with the metabolism of amino acids. Therefore, it affects nitrogen nutrients and disturbs the normal physiological processes of fungi, and ultimately leads to the death of pathogens. This study provides a natural plant antifungal agent and a new perspective for the study of antifungal mechanisms.
Highlights
Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, belonging to the family Simaroubaceae, is a fast-growing deciduous tree that is native to Asia [1]
We found that canthin-6-one isolated from A. altissima exhibited antifungal activity against some plant pathogenic fungi, such as F. graminearum, F. oxysporum f. sp. benincasae, F. oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum (Foc), and Gloeosporium sp
The results showed that canthin-6-one exhibited strong antifungal activity against the tested fungal strains
Summary
Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, belonging to the family Simaroubaceae, is a fast-growing deciduous tree that is native to Asia [1]. Phytochemical investigations have revealed that alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids, and many other biological components exist in A. altissima [2]. Among these compounds, alkaloids are the main and most common bioactive substances found in A. altissima [3]. Canthin-6-one, a subclass of β-carboline alkaloids with an additional D-ring, is one of the main alkaloids in A. altissima [4]. Many studies have shown that canthin-6-one possesses antiviral, anticancer, antimicrobial, and enzyme inhibitory.
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