CP32, a novel anti‐oomycete cyclic peptide, interferes with cell‐wall deposition in <i>Phytophthora infestans</i>

Phytophthora infestans, the causal agent of late blight in potato and tomato, is a historically devastating pathogen that continues to pose a major threat to global food security. Although conventional fungicides remain a cornerstone of crop protection, growing concerns over their environmental impact and long-term sustainability have driven the search for safer and more selective alternatives. In this context, next-generation fungicides with high specificity and minimal ecological footprint are urgently needed. This study introduces CP32, a small cyclic peptide, identified via yeast two-hybrid screening of a genetically encoded combinatorial peptide library, based on its specific interaction with the catalytic domain of the P. infestans enzyme Cellulose Synthase 2. CP32 exhibits anti-oomycete activity, effectively inhibits sporangial growth at low micromolar concentrations, and significantly reduces late blight symptoms on tomato leaves and entire plants. In silico docking analyses, supported by molecular and biochemical evidence, confirm that CP32 compromises cell-wall integrity by interfering with cellulose deposition and altering glucan composition. Furthermore, CP32 readily permeates the Phytophthora membrane and displays oomycete-static properties, while showing no detectable toxicity toward non-target organisms, such as bacteria, yeast, or plants. Collectively, these findings identify CP32 as a promising, targeted anti-oomycete agent with a unique mode of action, targeting the P. infestans cell wall, representing a valuable contribution to the development of sustainable strategies for the control of late blight.

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Integrative Plant Biology
Published
2026-07-16
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/jipb.70343
Primary Topic
Antimicrobial Peptides and Activities
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

CP32, a novel anti‐oomycete cyclic peptide, interferes with cell‐wall deposition in Phytophthora infestans

Sandrine Ongeri, Sara Pellegrino, Paolo Pesaresi, Stefano Rosa et al.
Journal of Integrative Plant Biology
Antimicrobial Peptides and Activities
article

CP32, a novel anti‐oomycete cyclic peptide, interferes with cell‐wall deposition in Phytophthora infestans

Sandrine Ongeri, Sara Pellegrino, Paolo Pesaresi, Stefano Rosa, Lisa Kappel, Elena Marone Fassolo, Sabrina Pricl, Rosaria Russo, Andrea Tagliani, Carlo Camilloni, Chiara Mizzotti, Chiara Bertaso, Simona Masiero, Sadia Fida Ullah, Louise J. Gourlay, Demetrio Marcianò, Federico Ballabio, Giulia Rizzi, Luca Tadini, Lucia Feni, Silvia Laura Toffolatti, Vincent Bulone, Nina Gauri Capra, Vaibhav Srivastava
article en

Abstract

Phytophthora infestans, the causal agent of late blight in potato and tomato, is a historically devastating pathogen that continues to pose a major threat to global food security. Although conventional fungicides remain a cornerstone of crop protection, growing concerns over their environmental impact and long-term sustainability have driven the search for safer and more selective alternatives. In this context, next-generation fungicides with high specificity and minimal ecological footprint are urgently needed. This study introduces CP32, a small cyclic peptide, identified via yeast two-hybrid screening of a genetically encoded combinatorial peptide library, based on its specific interaction with the catalytic domain of the P. infestans enzyme Cellulose Synthase 2. CP32 exhibits anti-oomycete activity, effectively inhibits sporangial growth at low micromolar concentrations, and significantly reduces late blight symptoms on tomato leaves and entire plants. In silico docking analyses, supported by molecular and biochemical evidence, confirm that CP32 compromises cell-wall integrity by interfering with cellulose deposition and altering glucan composition. Furthermore, CP32 readily permeates the Phytophthora membrane and displays oomycete-static properties, while showing no detectable toxicity toward non-target organisms, such as bacteria, yeast, or plants. Collectively, these findings identify CP32 as a promising, targeted anti-oomycete agent with a unique mode of action, targeting the P. infestans cell wall, representing a valuable contribution to the development of sustainable strategies for the control of late blight.

Journal of Integrative Plant Biology
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), University of Trieste (IT), Flinders University (AU), University of Milan (IT), Université Paris-Saclay (FR), University of Łódź (PL), Biomolécules : Conception, Isolement, Synthèse (FR), KTH Royal Institute of Technology (SE)
Responsible consumption and production
Openalex Percentile: Top 10%
Antimicrobial Peptides and Activities
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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