Tri-ethyl-ammonium-and benzyl-tri-ethyl-ammonium-tetraphenyl-borate ionic liquids as anti-fungal towards Aspergillus Niger: Activity study and their molecular mechanism

• Main Authors: Mudzakir, Ahmad, Munawaroh, Heli Siti Halimatul, Aziz, Tsabbit Aidil, Rizky, Karina Mulya
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Affinity; Binding; Data banks; Enzymes; Format; Fungi; Fungicides; Ionic liquids; Ligands; Molecular docking; Molecular interactions; Proteins; Sensitivity; Simulation; Software
• ISSN: 0094-243X; 1551-7616
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0156162

This study aims to shows the activity of triethylammonium-tetraphenylborate (TEA-TPhB) and benzyl-triethylammonium-tetraphenylborate (BTEA-TPhB) ionic liquids as antifungals towards Aspergillus Niger and their molecular interactions to the enzyme of lanosterol 14-α-demethylase. The research was carried out by antifungal sensitivity test and simulation of molecular docking. The antifungal sensitivity test was carried out at various concentrations of 1, 3, 5, and 10 ppm. In the molecular anchoring test, protein preparation was carried out from the protein data bank (PDB, Protein Data Bank) for the 14-α-demethylase enzyme with format (.pdb). Determination of the active site on the protein, preparation of sample ligands with known structure in (.pdb) format, and the simulation of protein interactions with ligands using Autodock Tools-1.5.6 software. The fungal sensitivity test showed an increase in the zone of inhibition of bacterial growth along with the addition of the BTEA-TPhB ionic liquid concentration, namely 8.10 mm (1 ppm), 9.05 mm (3 ppm), 14.60 mm (5 ppm) and 16, 50 mm (10 ppm). The same inhibition was observed in TEA-TPhB, namely 15.20 mm (1 ppm), 24.90 mm (3 ppm), 29.50 mm (5 ppm) and 31.30 mm (10 ppm). Both results showed that the antifungal activity increased with increasing concentration of ionic liquids, but TEA-TPhB samples showed higher antifungal activity than BTEA-TPhB for the same concentration. The results of the molecular docking test showed an interaction between the ionic liquids and the enzyme lanosterol 14-α-demethylase with a binding affinity of - 6.0 kcal/mol for the BTEA-TPhB sample and -10.4 kcal/mol for the TEA-TPhB sample. Visualization using VMD software showed that the bond length of the interaction between the ionic liquid and the heme site of the enzyme lanosterol 14-α-demethylase was 9.86 (BTEA-TPhB sample) and 2.86 (TEA-TPhB sample). The simulations showed that the binding affinity of TEA-TPhB to the enzyme was more stable than that of BTEA-TPhB. Based on the research that has been done, the use of ionic liquids TEA-TPhB and BTEA-TPhB can be applied as antifungals towards Aspergillus Niger.