Isolation and genome characterization of Paenibacillus polymyxa 188, a potential biocontrol agent against fungi.

AIMS: In this work, we aimed to isolate marine bacteria that produce metabolites with antifungal properties.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Paenibacillus polymyxa 188 was isolated from a marine sediment sample and it showed excellent antifungal activity against many fungi pathogenic to plants (Fusarium tricinctum, Pestalotiopsis clavispora, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cubense (Foc), Curvularia plantarum, and Talaromyces pinophilus) and to humans (Aspergillus terreus, Penicillium oxalicum, and Microsphaeropsis arundinis). The antifungal compounds produced by P. polymyxa 188 were extracted and analyzed using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The complete genome sequence and biosynthetic gene clusters of P. polymyxa 188 were characterized and compared with those of other strains. A total of 238 carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) were identified in P. polymyxa 188. Two antibiotic gene clusters, fusaricidin and tridecaptin, exist in P. polymyxa 188, which is different from other strains that typically have multiple antibiotic gene clusters.

CONCLUSIONS: P. polymyxa 188 was identified with numerous biosynthetic gene clusters and its antifungal ability against pathogenic fungi was verified.