An aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped and non-motile strain (XY-359^T) was isolated from the mouth of a marine invertebrate Onchidium species from the South China Sea. It grew at pH 6.0–8.5 (optimum, pH 7.5), at 15−37 °C (optimum, 30 °C) and in the presence of 0.5–4.5 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 2.5 %). It could not hydrolyse Tweens 20, 40, 60 or 80 and no flexirubin-type pigments were produced. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified aminolipid, six unidentified phospholipids and two unidentified polar lipids. The major fatty acids were iso-C_17:0 3-OH, iso-C_15:1 G and iso-C_15:0 3-OH. The respiratory quinone was MK-6. Strain XY-359^T showed the greatest degree of 16S rRNA sequence similarity to Flagellimonas algicola AsT0115^T (96.54 %), followed by Muricauda flava DSM 22638^T (96.27 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and 31 core genes indicated that strain XY-359^T belongs to the genus Muricauda . The genome size of strain XY-359^T was 4 207 872 bp, with 39.1 mol% of DNA G+C content. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain XY-359^T and F. algicola AsT0115^T were 74.58 % and 18.5 %, respectively, and those between strain XY-359^T and M. flava DSM 22638^T were 74.2 % and 18.3 %. The combined phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic data suggest that strain XY-359^T represents a novel species of the genus Muricauda , for which the name Muricauda onchidii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is XY-359^T (=MCCC 1K03658^T =KCTC 72218^T). Moreover, based on the proposal of nesting Spongiibacterium and Flagellimonas within Muricauda by García (Validation List No. 193) and the analyses of phylogenetic trees and average amino acid identities in this study, the transfers of F. algicola , F. pacifica and F. maritima to the genus Muricauda as Muricauda algicola comb. nov., Muricauda parva nom. nov. and M. aurantiaca nom. nov., respectively, are proposed, with an emended description of the genus Muricauda .

Quorum sensing (QS) is a conserved cell–cell communication mechanism widely distributed in bacteria, and is oftentimes tightly correlated with pathogen virulence. Quorum quenching enzymes, which interfere with QS through degrading the QS signaling molecules, could attenuate virulence instead of killing the pathogens, and thus are less likely to induce drug resistance. Many Gram-negative bacteria produce N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) for interspecies communication. In this study, we isolated and identified a bacterial strain, Mesoflavibacter zeaxanthinifaciens XY-85, from an Onchidium sp. collected from the intertidal zone of Dapeng Reserve in Shenzhen, China, and found it had strong AHL degradative activity. Whole genome sequencing and blast analysis revealed that XY-85 harbors an AHL lactonase (designated MzmL), which is predicted to have an N-terminal signal peptide and share the “HXHXDH” motif with known AHL lactonases belonging to the Metallo-β-lactamase superfamily. Phylogenetic studies showed MzmL was closest to marine lactonase cluster members, MomL and Aii20J, instead of the AiiA type lactonases. Ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis confirmed that MzmL functions as an AHL lactonase catalyzing AHL degradation through lactone hydrolysis. MzmL could degrade both short- and long-chain AHLs with or without a substitution of oxo-group at the C-3 position, and retained full bioactivity under a wide range of temperatures (28–100°C) and pHs (4–11). Furthermore, MzmL significantly reduced Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum virulence factor production in vitro, such as biofilm formation and plant cell wall degrading enzyme production, and inhibited soft rot development on potato slices. These results demonstrated that MzmL may be a novel type of AHL lactonase with good environmental stability, and has great potential to be developed into a novel biological control agent for bacterial disease management.

With increasing concerns of the environmental problems associated with current fungicide application, investigation of alternative, environmentally compatible biopesticides for plant disease management is needed. A total of 113 strains associated with Acanthus ilicifolius Linn in the Maipo Reserve, Hong Kong, were isolated and identified. In vitro assay with crude extracts of bacterial fermentation cultures identified ∼26% of the isolates producing antimicrobial compounds against a variety of agriculturally important phytopathogens. Selected crude extracts with inhibition to Colletotrichum fructicola and Magnaporthe oryzae growth significantly suppressed anthracnose and rice blast development in pear fruits and rice plants, respectively, when applied at 50 μg ml⁻¹. Furthermore, 10 of 14 selected crude extracts with good antimicrobial activities had no significant differences in toxicity to the genus Chlorella compared with the control when used at 25 μg ml⁻¹, whereas Amistar Top and Mancozeb completely killed the alga under the same concentration. These data illustrate the potential of natural products from mangrove rhizosphere bacteria in future agricultural application.

This study investigates the potential of natural products derived from a mangrove rhizosphere bacterium in tomato early blight management. A Streptomyces puniceus strain L75 was isolated from the rhizosphere of Acanthus ilicifolius Linn in the Mai Po Reserve, Hong Kong. The crude ethyl acetate (EA) extract of L75 fermentation cultures has broad-spectrum antifungal bioactivities. L75 EA extract was significantly more effective in Alternaria solani growth inhibition at 25 μg/ml or lower compared with Mancozeb, with no observable negative impacts on tomato leaves or root development. Furthermore, L75 EA extract had significantly lower aquatic toxicity than Mancozeb at the same concentrations. L75 EA extract targets germ tube elongation of A. solani conidia, with a fungistatic mode of action. Liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis identified two possible antifungal compounds, Alteramide A and the Heat-Stable Antifungal Factor, which together contribute partially to the bioactivity of L75 EA extract. On detached tomato leaves, coinoculation of A. solani with L75 EA extract of 50, 25, or 5 μg/ml reduced diseased areas by ∼98, ∼90, and ∼48%, respectively, relative to the control after 5 days. This study demonstrates the potential of natural products from mangrove rhizosphere bacteria in agricultural applications.

BACKGROUND: Rice blast, caused by Pyricularia oryzae , is a devastating fungal disease threatening global rice production. Overreliance on chemical fungicides has raised environmental concerns and led to resistant strains, necessitating the development of sustainable alternatives. This study integrated marine microbiology and natural antifungal compounds to create eco‐friendly alternatives to chemical fungicides for disease management. RESULTS: We identified Pseudomonas aeruginosa R64 with broad‐spectrum antimicrobial activity from mangrove soil in the Mai Po Nature Reserve. The R64 fermentation extract (RFE) exhibited multifaceted inhibition of P. oryzae , suppressing mycelial growth, conidiation, conidial germination and appressorial formation, while disturbing cell wall and membrane function. It also attenuated virulence by impairing appressorial penetration and invasive growth. Further chemical analysis identified phenazines and quinolines as the primary compounds in RFE, corroborated by PCR detection of corresponding phenazine biosynthetic gene clusters. Comparative bioassays with two main bioactive components of RFE, phenazine‐1‐carboxamide (PCN) and phenazine‐1‐carboxylic acid (PCA), against P. oryzae implicated PCN as the principal antifungal effector. RFE and PCN had higher efficacy than tricyclazole in P. oryzae growth inhibition, but were less effective than isoprothiolane. Furthermore, RFE and PCN displayed lower acute ecotoxicity to an environmental indicator organism than isoprothiolane, suggesting their potential as sustainable biopesticides for rice blast management. CONCLUSION: Natural products from mangrove soil bacterium P. aeruginosa R64 inhibited key developmental and infection processes of P. oryzae , effectively reducing rice blast development. The promising disease inhibition and low ecotoxicity of mangrove‐associated bacteria highlight their untapped potential for innovative, eco‐friendly fungicide mining for sustainable agriculture. © 2025 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.