Loading…
Fengycins are cyclic lipopeptides. They are produced by certain Bacillus species, such as Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. These compounds are particularly effective against fungi that harm plants.
Fengycins are amphiphilic, meaning they have both water-attracting and water-repelling properties. This allows them to act as biosurfactants, which can lower surface tension and boost their antimicrobial effects.
Fengycins work by attacking the cell membranes of Fungi. This attack causes the membranes to leak, which leads to problems inside the fungal cells and eventually causes the cells to die. The reason fengycins are so effective is that they form stable groups in the lipid environments of fungi, which makes the membranes break down and the cells burst.
Fengycins damage cell membranes, disrupt the energy potential in mitochondria, and cause the buildup of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This can lead to changes in the cell's genetic material, causing the cell to die either through a controlled process (apoptosis) or through cell damage (necrosis), depending on the amount used and the target organism.
Although fengycins are mainly used against fungi, they can also fight Bacteria, especially when their structure is slightly changed. For example, fengycins from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MEP 218 can target harmful bacteria that affect plants and humans, like Xanthomonas axonopodis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However, they need to be used in higher amounts to affect human pathogens.
see also:
Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MEP 218
Bacillus subtilis
Cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs)
Magnaporthe grisea
Staphylococcus aureus