Overlooked soil bacteria show promise fighting crop-killing fungi
Amutuhaire H, Dubovis M, Luzzatto-Knaan T, Friedman J, Cytryn E
Soil Health
The compost you add to your garden beds is teeming with bacteria like this one, and healthy, organically-amended soil may be quietly arming your plants against root and stem rot before you ever see a symptom.
Researchers tested a group of soil bacteria called Saccharomonospora, cousins of the more famous Streptomyces bacteria that gave us many antibiotics, to see if they could fight Fusarium fungi that rot plant roots and stems. Six strains all fought off at least one Fusarium species, and two were especially good all-around fighters. The bacteria's DNA showed they carry mostly one-of-a-kind genetic recipes for making these fungus-fighting chemicals, meaning there's likely a lot more useful, undiscovered chemistry hiding in ordinary garden and farm soil.
Key Findings
All 6 tested Saccharomonospora strains (5 type strains plus 1 novel isolate) inhibited at least one of three Fusarium phytopathogens
S. xinjiangensis and S. viridis R81 showed the strongest, broadest-spectrum antifungal activity, sharing ~40% of detected metabolites including alkaloids, polyketides, and peptide derivatives
Genome comparisons found most biosynthetic gene clusters (especially non-ribosomal peptide synthetases and polyketide synthases) were strain-specific and had low similarity to known clusters, while genes for indole, ectoine, arylpolyene, and terpene production were common across the genus
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists found that soil bacteria called Saccharomonospora, a lesser-known relative of the microbes used to make many antibiotics, produce compounds that fight off Fusarium fungi, a group of pathogens that damage crops worldwide. Their genes for making these compounds are largely unique and unstudied, suggesting a new source of natural fungicides for farming.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Biosynthetic diversity and antifungal potential of soil-derived Saccharomonospora strains.
Soilborne fungal pathogens pose persistent challenges to sustainable agriculture, driving demand for biological alternatives to synthetic fungicides. While actinomycetes, particularly Streptomyces,...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
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