H. Hoppe, A. Kerkenaar, A. Sijpesteijn
Oct 1, 1976
Citations
1
Influential Citations
14
Citations
Quality indicators
Journal
Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology
Abstract
3 Phenylindole is an antimicrobial compound active towards many fungi and gram positive bacteria. At 5 μg/ml it inhibits growth of Aspergillus niger. Higher concentrations (50 μg/ml) also suppress spore germination; they do not kill the fungus. Dry weight of the fungus still increases for 1 or 2 days after fungicide treatment. The toxicant has no effect on O2 uptake even at higher concentrations (100 μg/ml). The compound markedly affects composition of the lipid fraction of A. niger inducing a decrease in phospholipid concentration with a coincident increase in free fatty acids. Sterol pattern and sterol concentrations were not affected. Antifungal activity was reversed by phospholipids added to the medium. 3 Phenylindole induced a slight leakage of 32P labeled compounds from the treated cells under growth conditions but not under nongrowth conditions. A strain of A. niger resistant to 3 phenylindole had the same phospholipid and sterol pattern as the wild type, but the level of both components was higher (40-60%). The 3 phenylindole resistant strain showed resistance to triarimol and pimaricin. The wild type and the resistant strain both took up 3 phenylindole quite rapidly and accumulated it in the mycelium. 3 Phenylindole possibly interferes with phospholipid function in cell membranes, although the specific site of action has not yet been elucidated. Chemicals/CAS: ergosterol, 23637-22-1, 2418-45-3, 3992-98-1, 57-87-4