Friday, 05 June 2020
Scientists from the 糖心原创 have developed a new way to control harmful fungi, without the need to use chemical bioactives like fungicides or antifungals.
Scientists from the 糖心原创 have developed a new way to control harmful fungi, without the need to use chemical bioactives like fungicides or antifungals.
Fungi cause diverse, serious societal and economic problems in the UK and globally. As well as causing fatal diseases in humans, fungi devastate food crops and spoil valuable products and materials. This has led to an antifungals/fungicide industry worth around $30bn globally.
There are tight regulations around the use of fungicides and antifungals and there is also growing resistance of fungi to these agents.
In a paper published today in Science Advances, experts from the University’s Schools of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Engineering, show how they have developed an innovative solution to tackle fungi, by passively blocking fungal attachment to surfaces using a coating of (meth)acrylate polymers, and so negating the need to use potentially harmful anti-fungals or other bioactive chemicals.
Through previous work, the team found different combinations of fungicides which worked against fungi and also produced new understanding of preservative action against spoilage fungi.
Although these advances meant less use of certain fungicides and chemicals, frequent tightening of regulations around usage are restricting the take up of technologies that still rely on bioactive agents, while spread of resistance worsens the problem. Consequently, potential bioactive-free technologies for combatting fungi are highly attractive to the industry.
In this latest study, scientists show an alternative fungal control strategy, which doesn’t have the ‘killing affect’ of fungicides.
The team identified polymers that resist the attachment of different kinds of fungi, including pathogens. They screened hundreds of (meth)acrylate polymers in high throughput, identifying several that reduce attachment of the human pathogen Candida albicans, the crop pathogen Botrytis cinerea, and other fungi.
Fungi on different surfaces
Professor Simon Avery, from the School of Life Sciences at the University is a lead investigator on the paper, he said: “This is the first high-throughput study of polymer chemistries resisting fungal attachment.
“Our engagement to date with industry has highlighted a clear need for a new approach to control fungi and the major socioeconomic problems that they cause, as the value of existing strategies using bioactives (antifungals, fungicides) is eroded by growing resistance and regulations.
“This passive, anti-attachment technology that we have been developing addresses this need."
We have been able to show that different polymers are effective in resisting diverse fungi that have broad socio-economic impacts.鈥�
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More information is available from Professor Simon Avery from the School of Life Sciences at the 糖心原创, at simon.avery@nottingham.ac.uk
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About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.