Studies on the mechanism of action of cymoxanil in Phytophthora infestans

Colony growth and germ tube emergence of sporangia and encysted zoospores of Phytophthora infestans were highly sensitive to cymoxanil (ED 50 0.5–1.5 μg/ml), whereas differentiation of sporangia and zoospore release were insensitive at concentrations up to 100 μg/ml. Treated sporangia did not show distorted germ tubes. Oxygen consumption for glucose oxidation by germinating sporangia and zoospore motility were not inhibited at concentrations up to 100 μg/ml. Cymoxanil hardly affected the uptake of radiolabeled precursors of DNA, RNA, and protein at concentrations up to 100 μg/ml. Incorporation of [ 14C]phenylalanine into protein was completely insensitive. RNA synthesis as measured by [ 3H]uridine incorporation was differentially inhibited in the various developmental stages of the fungus. Inhibition did not occur at differentiation of sporangia, whereas at cyst and sporangial germination and mycelial growth this process was inhibited 20–45% at a concentration of 100 μg cymoxanil/ml. Endogenous RNA polymerase activity of isolated nuclei was not inhibited by cymoxanil. DNA synthesis as measured by [ methyl- 3H]thymidine incorporation was inhibited 20–80% at the various stages of development at cymoxanil concentrations higher than 10 μg/ml. Metalaxyl, a specific inhibitor of ribosomal RNA synthesis, inhibited [ 3H]uridine incorporation 40–60% at all developmental stages. The data suggest that although DNA synthesis is affected more than RNA synthesis, inhibition of both biosynthetic processes is a secondary effect. The primary mode of action of cymoxanil thus remains unknown.