title: FTIR spectroscopic evaluation of changes in the cellular biochemical composition of the phytopathogenic fungus Alternaria alternata induced by extracts of some Greek medicinal and aromatic plants.
abstract: In this study, the biological activity of aquatic extracts of selected Greek medicinal and aromatic plants to the phytopathogenic fungus Alternaria alternata was investigated. Lamiaceae species (Hyssopus officinalis L., Melissa officinalis L., Origanum dictamnus L., Origanum vulgare L. and Salvia officinalis L.) were found to enhance significantly the mycelium growth whereas Crocus sativus appears to inhibit it slightly. M. officinalis and S. officinalis caused the highest stimulation in mycelium growth (+97%) and conidia production (+65%) respectively. In order to further investigate the bioactivity of plant extracts to A. alternata, we employed Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Differences of original spectra were assigned mainly to amides of proteins. The second derivative transformation of spectra revealed changes in spectral regions corresponding to absorptions of the major cellular constituents such as cell membrane and proteins. Principal component analysis of the second derivative transformed spectra confirmed that fatty acids of the cell membranes, amides of proteins and polysaccharides of the cell wall had the major contribution to data variation. FTIR band area ratios were found to correlate with fungal mycelium growth.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chemistry, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Efstathia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Skotti
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Phytopathology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kountouri
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Technology, Technological Educational Institute of Ionian Islands, GR 28100 Kefallonia, Greece.
authors.forename: Pavlos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bouchagier
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Phytopathology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Tsitsigiannis
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chemistry, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Moschos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Polissiou
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chemistry, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece. Electronic address: ptara@aua.gr.
authors.forename: Petros A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Tarantilis
mesh_terms: D000528:Alternaria / Q000378:metabolism*; D006115:Greece; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D025282:Mycelium / Q000378:metabolism*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Alternaria alternata; FTIR; Growth enhancement; Medicinal and aromatic plants