Affiliation:
1. Key Laboratory of Storage and Processing of Plant Agro-Products, School of Biological Science and Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan 750021, China
2. College of Life Science, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China
3. Physical and Chemical Laboratory of Ningxia Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Yinchuan 750021, China
Abstract
Alternaria alternata, as a main decay fungus of goji berry, can produce mycotoxins such as alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), and tenuazonic acid (TeA). Carvacrol (CVR) has exhibited a broad-spectrum antifungal activity in vitro. We assumed that CVR can also be applied to control Alternaria rot on goji berries and mycotoxins produced by the pathogens. To investigate whether CVR impacts the accumulation of mycotoxins and cell membrane damage of A. alternata, the antifungal activity of CVR on the fungal growth and mycotoxin production was evaluated in this study. The results showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of CVR against A. alternata was 0.12 µL/mL. Meanwhile, the destruction of plasma membrane integrity, cytoplasmic leakage, intracellular oxidative damage, and inhibitory effect in vivo were also observed in A. alternata treated with CVR. Moreover, CVR significantly reduced the accumulation of AOH, AME, and TeA. Transcriptomic profiling was performed by means of comparative RNA-Seq analysis to research the gene expression level of A. alternata, which attested to significant changes in nitrogen metabolism, carbon utilization, fatty acid oxidation, and antioxidant enzymes in CVR-treated A. alternata. This study suggests a new understanding of the molecular mechanism of response to CVR treatment in A. alternata, indicating that CVR is a novel antifungal agent with the potential to be applied to various fungi.
Funder
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Natural Science Foundation of Ningxia Province
Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of the North Minzu University