Identification of new antifungal metabolites produced by the yeast Metschnikowia pulcherrima involved in the biocontrol of postharvest plant pathogenic fungi

Several strains of the yeast Metschnikowia pulcherrima exhibit strong antagonistic activity against postharvest pathogens and may have broad biotechnological potential as biocontrol agents. However, nature interplay mechanisms contributing to this antifungal are still largely unknown. This study characterizes compounds present in exometabolome two that previously showed an efficient inhibition Botrytis cinerea infection. We show a yeast-fungus co-culture assay is good system examine interaction elucidate produced metabolites. As result, our UPLC-MS/MS analysis identified total 35 differentially secreted metabolites, potentially involved gray mold. Subsequent vitro vivo tomato, grape apple fruit protection assays with such metabolites allowed us identify several new compounds, 3-amino-5-methylhexanoic acid, biphenyl-2,3-diol sinapaldehyde being most active (with up 90–100% reduction infection tomato B. cinerea). In addition, first protected tomatoes Alternaria alternata It was observed these negatively affected cell membrane integrity mycelial morphology increased intracellular level ROS. Furthermore, other unexpected interesting applications were for time by cells, piperideine protoemetine (alkaloids), p-coumaroyl quinic acid (phenylpropanoid), ?-rhodomycin (antibiotic), hexadecanedioic (long chain fatty acid) or taurocholic (bile acid). fact highlights M. result from synergistic action molecules.