Preliminary Exploration of the Inhibitory Mechanism of Lauryl Alcohol on Plant Pathogenic Fungi
Lauryl alcohol, a naturally occurring compound widely used in food, pharmaceuticals, and surfactants, exhibits a potent antifungal activity. GZM, a plant protection formulation primarily composed of lauryl alcohol, is hypothesized to form a physical barrier on the plant surface. Here, we demonstrate that lauryl alcohol effectively reduces <i>Fusarium</i> head blight incidence and significantly inhibits <i>Fusarium graminearum</i>, <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i>, and <i>Colletotrichum gloeosporioides</i> in vitro. Using <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> as a model, we show that lauryl alcohol induces fungal apoptosis by disrupting mitochondrial function, impairing cell wall and membrane integrity, and increasing the number of reactive oxygen species. Transcriptome analysis reveals downregulation of genes involved in mitochondrial respiratory chain complex and ATP synthase biosynthesis. These findings highlight the potential of lauryl alcohol as a safe, eco-friendly fungicide for agricultural use.
Authors
- Enxiu Wu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6060-1180)
- Yunhao Sun (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4895-771X)
- Zhangyong Dong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7524-0226)
- Sijia Luo
- Dianxian Cai
- Mingsheng Luo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6124-0946)
- Juejun Xing
- Ni Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5530-7745)
- Shujun Luo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4400-0649)
- Yutao Huang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0803-5270)
- Peiran Zhao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7643-8215)
- Hui‐Wen Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6847-3272)
- Shijie You (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8178-9418)
- Guohui Yu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7301-7477)
- Yuefeng Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4522-6252)
- Xiaoming Peng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1728-4515)
- Yanhui Wu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4029-7585)
- Yong Xu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8699-7256)
- Shurui Hu
- Yulan Ruan
Institutions
- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (CN)
- Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
- Published
- 2025-06-02
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c00857
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Plant Pathogens and Fungal Diseases
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.30