Recent advances in antimicrobial lipopeptide fengycin secreted by Bacillus: Structure, biosynthesis, antifungal mechanisms, and potential application in food preservation.

Fengycin, a cyclic lipopeptide generated by Bacillus, is a potent biocontrol agent against plant diseases. Compared with chemical antibiotics, fengycin exhibits high antifungal efficiency with low toxicity and great biodegradability, making it a promising alternatives to antibiotics. The structure and biosynthesis of fengycin are briefly covered in this review. The antifungal mechanisms of fengycin are mainly outlined as follows: (1) degrading the cell wall integrity; (2) disrupting cell membranes; (3) interfering with intracellular metabolism; (4) inducing programmed cell death and autophagy; and (5) inducing defense response in plants. Ultimately, a summary of fengycin's applications in fruits and vegetables preservation is provided. This comprehensive knowledge encourages the commercial use of fengycin and offers a foundation for in-depth research into molecular mechanism, which contributes to modifying the structure of fengycin and designing fengycin analogues with more stable chemical properties and higher biological activity.