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Review
. 2023 May 16;11(5):1302.
doi: 10.3390/microorganisms11051302.

Anti-Insect Properties of Penicillium Secondary Metabolites

Rosario Nicoletti  1   2 , Anna Andolfi  3   4 , Andrea Becchimanzi  2   4 , Maria Michela Salvatore  3   5
Affiliations
Review

Anti-Insect Properties of Penicillium Secondary Metabolites

Rosario Nicoletti et al. Microorganisms. .

Abstract

In connection with their widespread occurrence in diverse environments and ecosystems, fungi in the genus Penicillium are commonly found in association with insects. In addition to some cases possibly implying a mutualistic relationship, this symbiotic interaction has mainly been investigated to verify the entomopathogenic potential in light of its possible exploitation in ecofriendly strategies for pest control. This perspective relies on the assumption that entomopathogenicity is often mediated by fungal products and that Penicillium species are renowned producers of bioactive secondary metabolites. Indeed, a remarkable number of new compounds have been identified and characterized from these fungi in past decades, the properties and possible applications of which in insect pest management are reviewed in this paper.

Keywords: bioactive products; chemodiversity; ecofriendly insecticides; entomopathogenic fungi; insect pest management; symbiotic interactions.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Chemical structures of mycotoxins from Penicillium spp. with effects on insect viability and development.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Structural diversity of secondary metabolites from Penicillium spp. displaying anti-insect activities.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Chemical structures of compounds from Penicillium spp. with AChE-inhibitory properties.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Chemical structures of compounds of Penicillium spp. displaying effects as antagonists of ACh receptors regarding juvenile hormone activity and insects’ immune responses and behaviors.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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