Surface modified sulfur nanoparticles can escape the glutathione reductase mediated detoxification system in fungi

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that surface-modified sulfur nanoparticles can effectively inhibit fungal growth by escaping the glutathione reductase detoxification system, showing potential as antifungal agents.

Contribution

It introduces the use of surface-modified sulfur nanoparticles to bypass fungal detoxification, enhancing antifungal efficacy compared to traditional sulfur treatments.

Findings

Both SNP types reduced fungal growth and spore formation.

SNPs caused deformities on fungal conidiophores.

Transcriptome analysis showed decreased GSH-GSSG gene expression.

Abstract

The antifungal effects of orthorhombic (~10 nm; spherical) and monoclinic (~50 nm; tetrapod) sulfur nanoparticles (SNPs) were studied against the NADPH-dependent glutathione reductase (GR) mediated xenobiotic detoxification system (GSH-GSSG) in filamentous fungi (Aspergillus niger as a model organism). Both the SNPs induced significant reduction in fungal growth and spore formation, and also introduced marked deformities on the surface of conidiophores at their sub-inhibitory concentrations. A genome wide transcriptome profile then revealed manifold reduction in the expression of GSH-GSSG transcripts among SNPs treated fungal isolates, which is unusual for the micron sized elemental sulfur but probably effective in terms of antifungal efficacy.