Benzimidazole Fungicides: Mechanism of Action and Biological Impact

Kinetic stabilization of microtubule dynamic instability by benomyl increases the nuclear transport of p53

“…Benomyl, a benzimidazole systemic agricultural pesticide, is extensively used against a range of fungal diseases [1]. It is known to exert selective toxicity against fungal cells due to its higher affinity for fungal tubulin than mammalian tubulin [2].…”

“…Benomyl is quite unstable and it decomposes in aqueous solutions into more stable compounds like carbendazim, and N,N 0 -dibutyl urea [11,12]. Carbendazim is the functionally active metabolite, which is believed to have similar actions as benomyl [1,6,13,14]. The conversion of benomyl to carbendazim is slow in aqueous environment and it could take several days [11,12].…”

“…Benomyl inhibits the proliferation of fungal [1,6] and mammalian cells by arresting the cells at mitosis [10,15]. Benomyl has been shown to bind to mammalian tubulin with a modest affinity and to inhibit the polymerization of brain microtubules in vitro [10].…”

“…Rebacz et al have shown that griseofulvin specifically targeted tumor cells and inhibited their proliferation without having much effect on normal cells [27]. In addition, carbendazim the active metabolite of benomyl [1,13,14], is presently undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of advanced solid tumors (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00023816, NCT00003709); hence, understanding the mechanism of action of benomyl is also of clinical importance.…”

Sensitivities of various Oomycetes to hymexazol and metalaxyl

“…Ranges of concentrations of fungicides must be selected to give maximum information on the shape of the inhibition curve leading to the LDgO point. Secondly, the life-form responses to fungicide concentrations should be assessed in relation to the different life-histories of congeneric species (Ali-Shtayeh et a/., 1986;Pearson et al, 1990;Dick, 1990).…”