Structural characterization, in-silico studies, and antifungal activity of 5-methylmellein isolated from endophytic Alternaria burnsii

• Published in: 3 Biotech 2025, Vol.15 (1), p.1
• Main Authors: Dwibedi, Vagish, Kumar, Gulshan, Al-Sadoon, Mohammad Khalid, Kaur, Gursharan, Kumar, Ashok, George, Nancy, Joshi, Mahavir, Kaur, Rajinder, Rana, Palak, Rath, Santosh Kumar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; Bioinformatics; Biomaterials; Biotechnology; Cancer Research; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Original Article; Stem Cells
• ISSN: 2190-572X; 2190-5738
• DOI: 10.1007/s13205-024-04155-8

The present investigation focused on exploring the potential of fungal endophytes as a valuable source of bioactive compounds with diverse applications. The phenolic compound 5-methylmellein was isolated for the first time from Alternaria burnsii , an endophytic fungus associated with Morus alba Linn. The compounds were structurally characterized using comprehensive spectral analysis, including 1 H-, 13 C, and 2D-NMR, as well as HRESI–MS. The study investigated the antifungal activity of 5-methylmellein against several plant pathogenic fungi, including Botrytis cinerea , Colletotrichum gloeosporioides , Cercospora beticola , and Rhizoctonia solani . In vitro assays showed significant inhibition of various plant pathogenic fungi, and the IC 50 values ranging from 34.59 ± 1.03 a µg/mL to 44.76 ± 1.03 b µg/mL against the tested fungi. In vivo experiments on apples and grapes revealed that 5-Methylmellein significantly reduced fruit decay caused by Botrytis cinerea . The wound incidence in the control group reached 95.78%, while the treated groups exhibited a reduction of 37.54% after 15 days. These findings underscore the potential of 5-methylmellein as a potent antifungal agent, suggesting its eco-friendly application in agriculture for managing fruit decay.