Effects of fengycin from Bacillus subtilis fmbJ on apoptosis and necrosis in Rhizopus stolonifer.

Abstract

The lipopeptide antibiotic fengycin, produced by Bacillus subtilis, strongly inhibits growth of filamentous fungi. In this study, we evaluated the effects of fengycin treatment on apoptosis and necrosis in Rhizopus stolonifer by means of cell staining and epifluorescence microscopy. At fengycin concentrations less than 50 μg/ml, treated fungal cells demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in apoptosis-associated markers compared with the untreated control. These markers included chromatin condensation, reactive oxygen species accumulation, mitochondrial membrane potential depolarization, phosphatidylserine externalization, and the occurrence of DNA strand breaks. These results showed that fungal cells were impaired in a number of important functions and entered apoptosis upon treatment with low concentrations of fengycin. In contrast, high concentrations (>50 μg/ml) induced necrosis, indicating that the fungicidal action of fengycin operates via two modes: apoptosis at low concentrations and necrosis at high concentrations. Additionally, the apoptotic effect that we have shown suggests that lower concentrations of fengycin than previously thought may be effective for food preservation.

• Authors: Qunyong Tang, Xiaomei Bie, Zhaoxin Lu, Fengxia Lv, Yang Tao, Xiaoxu Qu
• Journal: Journal of microbiology (Seoul, Korea) (J Microbiol) Vol. 52 Issue 8 Pg. 675-80 (Aug 2014) ISSN: 1976-3794 [Electronic] Korea (South)
• PMID: 25098563 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antifungal Agents
• Chromatin
• Lipopeptides
• Phosphatidylserines
• Reactive Oxygen Species
• fengycin

Topics

• Antifungal Agents (isolation & purification, metabolism, pharmacology)
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Bacillus subtilis (chemistry, metabolism)
• Chromatin (drug effects)
• Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
• DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded (drug effects)
• Fungi (drug effects)
• Lipopeptides (chemistry, isolation & purification, pharmacology)
• Microscopy, Fluorescence
• Necrosis
• Phosphatidylserines
• Reactive Oxygen Species (metabolism)
• Rhizopus (drug effects, physiology, ultrastructure)