Bikaverin as a molecular weapon: enhancing Fusarium oxysporum pathogenicity in bananas via rhizosphere microbiome manipulation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4 (Foc TR4), poses a severe threat to global banana production. Secondary metabolites are critical tools employed by pathogens to interact with their environment and modulate host-pathogen dynamics. Bikaverin, a red-colored polyketide pigment produced by several Fusarium species, has been studied for its pharmacological properties, but its ecological roles and impact on pathogenicity remain unclear.

Results

This study investigated the role of bikaverin in Foc TR4, focusing on its contribution to pathogenicity and its interaction with the rhizosphere microbiome. Pathogenicity assays under sterile and autoclaved conditions demonstrated that bikaverin does not directly contribute to pathogenicit

SUBMITTER: Lu H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12042607 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature