Comparative volatilomics identifies ubiquitous sulfur compounds inhibiting the fungal pathogen Rasamsonia argillacea

Abstract

Our findings suggest that antifungal activity against human pathogens may arise from common metabolic pathways shared across diverse microbes rather than from unique biosynthetic systems. Because dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide can also be generated through microbial and dietary sulfur metabolism, it is plausible that the human microbiome may produce similar volatiles depending on diet composition, particularly following consumption of sulfur-rich foods. This study, therefore, underscores the critical influence of culture conditions on revealing bioactive volatile production and opens intriguing perspectives on the ecological and physiological roles of ubiquitous microbial metabolites in regulating fungal colonization and microbiome-host interactions.