Combinations of fungal cell wall degrading enzyme and fungal cell membrane affecting compound

US6512166B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Cornell Research Foundation, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Gary E. Harman · Geneva, US
• Matteo Lorito · Salerno, IT
• Antonio Di Pietro · Fuengirola, ES
• Christopher K. Hayes · Geneva, US
• Felice Scala · Sorrento, IT
• Christian P. Kubicek · Wien, AT

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 5, 1996
• Grant date: Jan 28, 2003
• Expiry date: Mar 5, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12Y302/01052
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A system for inhibiting the germination or growth of a fungus comprises (a) fungal cell wall degrading chitinolytic or glucanolytic enzyme and (b) antifungal cell membrane affecting: compound. Exemplified antifungal fungal cell membrane affecting compounds include flusilazole, miconazole, osmotin, gramicidin, valinomycin, phospholipase B, and trichorzianines. The system components (a) and (b) may be supplemented with polyene macrolide antibiotic, antifungal epithiodiketopiperazine antibiotic (e.g., gliotoxin), fungal cell wall biosynthesis inhibitor (e.g., L-sorbose) and/or detergent. Embodiments include method of contacting a plant which expresses cell wall degrading enzyme with antifungal fungal cell membrane affecting compound.