Les métabolites secondaires des bactéries lactiques en tant qu’agents antifongiques

Abstract

This research explores the antifungal role of secondary metabolites produced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB), highlighting their potential as a natural alternative to chemical antifungal agents. The first part focuses on lactic acid bacteria, covering their classification, habitats, metabolic pathways (energy, protein, lipid…), and their importance in food and medical microbiology. These bacteria (such as Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, etc.) produce various bioactive compounds like organic acids, bacteriocins, and exopolysaccharides with strong antimicrobial properties. The second part deals with fungi, their classification, ecological importance, pathogenicity, and the growing problem of resistance to chemical antifungal agents (such as azoles and echinocandins), underlining the related public health challenges. The final part presents different types of LAB-derived antifungal metabolites (e.g., phenyllactic acid, nisin, kefiran, diacetyl, hydrogen peroxide…), their mechanisms of action (membrane disruption, growth inhibition, metabolic interference), and their practical applications in the fields of food industry (biopreservation), health (alternative treatments), and agriculture (biocontrol). This work emphasizes the growing relevance of biological strategies in fungal control and proposes LAB as a promising and sustainable alternative.