Identification and Genomic Analysis of Lelliottia nimipressuralis JS203 and Its Production of 2-Phenylethanol with Broad-Spectrum Activity against Phytopathogens

Colletotrichum dematium, a causal agent of anthracnose, poses an escalating threat to global agriculture, exacerbated by the emergence of resistance to conventional fungicides. In this study, we employed a "one strain–many compounds" (OSMAC) approach to screen 724 environmental bacterial isolates under varied media and temperature conditions to maximize secondary metabolite diversity. Isolate JS203, identified as Lelliottia nimipressuralis through whole-genome sequencing, demonstrated robust, broad-spectrum inhibition against C. dematium and several other major phytopathogens. Bioactivity-guided fractionation of JS203 extracts, followed by NMR and GC-MS analysis, identified the volatile aromatic alcohol 2-phenylethanol (2-PE) as the primary antifungal metabolite. Genomic analysis revealed that JS203 harbors Ehrlich pathway genes, including idpC and gpr_2, which share 100% amino acid identity with validated 2-PE biosynthetic enzymes from Enterobacter sp. CGMCC 5087. These results suggest a conserved metabolic route for 2-PE production in this understudied genus. Collectively, our findings highlight L. nimipressuralis JS203 and its production of 2-PE as a promising natural strategy for the sustainable management of anthracnose and other fungal diseases.