title: Inhibitory effects of cysteine and cysteine derivatives on germination of sporangiospores and hyphal growth of different Zygomycetes.
abstract: The in vitro antifungal activity of cysteine (D- and L-cysteine) and its four derivatives (L-cysteine-methyl-ester, N-acetyl-cysteine, N-isobutyryl-D-cysteine, and N-isobutyryl-L-cysteine) were investigated on 20 fungal isolates representing 16 genera (Absidia, Actinomucor, Backusella, Gilbertella, Micromucor, Mortierella, Mucor, Mycotypha, Phycomyces, Rhizomucor, Rhizopus, Saksenaea, Syncephalastrum, Thamnostylum, Umbellopsis, and Zygorynchus). The inhibitory potential of different concentrations of these compounds, ranging from 0.625 to 10 mM, were investigated on the germination of sporangiospores as well as on hyphal extension, using broth microdilution method and agar plate test. Treatment with cysteine and its derivatives resulted in a strong inhibition in most studied strains. At 10 mM of compounds, complete blockage of growth was observed for some isolates. Sensitive species exhibited severe changes in colony morphology in the presence of 10 mM L-cysteine, N-acetyl-cysteine, and N-isobutyryl-L-cysteine. Microscopic observations revealed that 10 mM N-acetyl-cysteine induced dramatic modifications in the structural organization of the hyphae. Results suggest that cysteine and its derivatives have a therapeutic potential against fungal infections caused by Zygomycetes species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, 6726 Szeged, Hungary. galgoczi@gmail.com
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Galgóczy
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kovács
authors.forename: Krisztina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krizsán
authors.forename: Tamás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Papp
authors.forename: Csaba
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vágvölgyi
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003545:Cysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005658:Fungi / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D025301:Hyphae / Q000187:drug effects; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D003545:Cysteine