Hertweck LabBacterial endosymbionts of beneficial soil fungi protect their hosts against micropredators such as fungivorous nematodes with a cytotoxic benzolactone.
We now found that the anthelminthic effect is boosted with a biosurfactant named symbiosin. Although this compound resembles some fungal metabolites, it is also produced by endofungal bacteria.
Our first paper in 2023 π₯³
OA in Chemical Science
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#ChemBioSys #NRPS #biosynthesis #lipopeptide #NaturalProducts #symbiosis
Endofungal bacteria boost anthelminthic host protection with the biosurfactant symbiosin
Effective protection of soil fungi from predators is crucial for their survival in the niche. Thus, fungi have developed efficient defence strategies. We discovered that soil beneficial Mortierella fungi employ a potent cytotoxin (necroxime) against fungivorous nematodes. Interestingly, this anthelminthic ag