Volatile antimicrobials from Muscodor crispans, a novel endophytic fungus

Abstract

Muscodor crispansis a recently described novel endophytic fungus ofAnanas ananassoides(wild pineapple) growing in the Bolivian Amazon Basin. The fungus produces a mixture of volatile organic compounds (VOCs); some of the major components of this mixture, as determined by GC/MS, are propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, methyl ester; propanoic acid, 2-methyl-; 1-butanol, 3-methyl-;1-butanol, 3-methyl-, acetate; propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, 2-methylbutyl ester; and ethanol. The fungus does not, however, produce naphthalene or azulene derivatives as has been observed with many other members of the genusMuscodor. The mixture of VOCs produced byM. crispanscultures possesses antibiotic properties, as does an artificial mixture of a majority of the components. The VOCs of the fungus are effective against a wide range of plant pathogens, including the fungiPythium ultimum,Phytophthora cinnamomi,Sclerotinia sclerotiorumandMycosphaerella fijiensis(the black sigatoka pathogen of bananas), and the serious bacterial pathogen of citrus,Xanthomonas axonopodispv.citri.In addition, the VOCs ofM. crispanskilled several human pathogens, includingYersinia pestis,Mycobacterium tuberculosisandStaphylococcus aureus. Artificial mixtures of the fungal VOCs were both inhibitory and lethal to a number of human and plant pathogens, including three drug-resistant strains ofMycobacterium tuberculosis.The gaseous products ofMuscodor crispanspotentially could prove to be beneficial in the fields of medicine, agriculture, and industry.