Lichen-associated fungi, renewable sources of novel bioactive compounds to control plant pathogenic fungi. – COP2FUN

The intensive use and dependence on synthetic pesticides combined with the apparition of resistance and the persistence and accumulation of these molecules in the environment, has had a negative impacts on biodiversity and on environmental and human health. The search for natural, sustainable and effective alternative products, which are compatible with integrated pest management, is needed in agriculture for the protection of plants. COP2FUN aims to explore the biotechnological potential of lichen-associated fungi (endolichenic) as a renewable source of new, sustainable, natural fungicides by exploring their chemical diversity. This project relies on an innovative methodology ensuring the discovery and characterization of new antifungal molecules against plant pathogens including four Ascomycetes (Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium solani, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Alternaria solani) and an Oomycete, Phytophtora infectans from 200 extracts obtained from cultivable endolichenic fungi (ELF) by means of omics approaches (genomic and metabolomic); evaluation of their levels of bioactivities against B. cinerea this large spectrum pathogen without phytotoxicity on clones of two economically relevant plants, grapevine (Vitis vinifera) and potato (Solanum tuberosum); identification of genes clusters of involved in the biosynthesis of these secondary metabolites; and the performance of toxicological and ecotoxicological studies. Thanks to this strategy, COP2FUN will be able to discover new bioactive molecules from an original and under-exploited source and produce them in a sustainable way. Between 15 and 20 new active compounds should be isolated and identified after large-scale fungal cultivation. They will be obtained in sufficient quantity to assess their biological activities. Deep toxicological studies will be performed to highlight their innocuity against non-target organisms such as plants, mammalian cells, vertebrates and invertebrates. The methodology of the project and the expertise of the consortium ensure an innovative eco-responsible advance in protection of plant production. COP2FUN project is in the line with the objectives of the axis A.3 of the ANR call for projects “Biology of animals, photosynthetic organisms and microorganisms”. Its consortium consists of three academic partners with complementary skills in natural product chemistry and plant biology (LABCiS, Limoges University), fungal genomics and synthetic biology (WI, Westerdjik Fungal Biodiversity Institute), and (eco)toxicology (ImPACcel, IRSET, Rennes University), and covers the entire research and innovation chain.