Antibacterial Alkaloids Inspired by Russian Olive Trees

Innovation: Academia

Guizhou University

2020

Image: Major Wave / Unsplash / CC BY SA - Creative Commons Attribution + ShareAlike

Protect From Fungi

Fungi–which include molds and mushrooms, amongst others–play important roles in every ecosystem, but can also create diseases in plants and animals. Fungi can rapidly reproduce, so living systems must fend them off early to avoid their spread and potential, physical harm. Living systems use both physical and chemical strategies to protect from fungi, and must ensure that these strategies don’t harm the threatened living system itself. For example, a pumpkin’s skin has antifungal proteins to prevent fungal growth without harming the pumpkin itself.

Search this Function

Protect From Microbes

In living systems, microbes play important roles, such as breaking down organic matter and maintaining personal and system health. But they also pose threats. Bacteria can be pathogens that cause diseases. Some bacteria create colonies called biofilms that can coat surfaces, reducing their effectiveness–for example, inhibiting a leaf’s ability to photosynthesize. Living systems must have strategies for protecting from microbes that cause disease or become so numerous that they create an imbalance in the system. At the same time, living systems must continue living in harmony with other microbes. Some living systems kill microbes. Others repel without killing to reduce the chances that microbes will adapt to the lethal strategy and become resistant to it. For example, some pea seedlings exude a chemical that inhibits biofilm buildup.

Search this Function

Naturally-derived alkaloid from from Guizhou University has antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties that protect fruit from spoiling.

Benefits

Increased yield
Reduced infections

Applications

Agriculture
Food processing
Consumer goods

UN Sustainable Development Goals Addressed

Goal 2: Zero Hunger
Goal 12: Responsible Production & Consumption

Bioutilization

Russian olive tree

The Challenge

Agricultural crops are vulnerable to infection from bacteria, viruses, and fungi. When crops are infected, there can be a significant loss of yield and quality. If this happens, the entire supply chain suffers: farmers lose profits and consumers lose access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Although some compounds have been developed, very few of them work on a wide variety of crops, and an increasing number of bacteria are developing resistance.

Innovation Details

The alkaloid, also called eleagnine, is naturally produced by Russian olive trees and has antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties that effectively protect crops from infection, such as rice, kiwi and citrus plants. It can also be used to treat an infection that is already occurring. It works by increasing the levels of reactive oxygen species in the bacteria, which kills the cells.

Biological Model

Russian olive trees contain tetrahydro-β-carboline (THC) alkaloids which are known to protect the tree from external elements. The alkaloid has antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antioxidant and antiviral properties.

References

Journal article

Antibacterial Functions and Proposed Modes of Action of Novel 1,2,3,4-Tetrahydro-β-carboline Derivatives that Possess an Attractive 1,3-Diaminopropan-2-ol Pattern against Rice Bacterial Blight, Kiwifruit Bacterial Canker, and Citrus Bacterial Canker

Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

embedly preview

AskNature