Abstract
Objective: The aim of the present study was to isolate the endophytic fungi from medicinal plant Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. ex Kurz. (Family Apocynaceae) and observed their antibacterial activity against bacteria as well as the molecular characterization of most potent fungal strain. Methods: Collection and isolation of endophytic fungi from different parts (root, shoot, leaves) of Rauvolfia serpentina plant. Screening of endophytic fungi for antibacterial activity was scrutinised against six bacteria viz. Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus sp., Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium and Streptococcus pyogenes by using Agar well diffusion method. For molecular sequencing of potent fungi, the DNA was extracted, quantified and amplified by using two oligonucleotide primers ITS4 and ITS6 in PCR.Results: A total seven endophytic fungi Aspergillus niger, Penicillium citrinum, Cladosporium sp., Curvularia lunata, Aspergillus sp., Alternaria sp. and Aspergillus fumigatus were isolated from different parts of Rauvolfia serpentina and fungal strain Penicillium citrinum was shown the maximum zone of inhibition against Bacillus subtilis (23.0±0.12 mm), Escherichia coli (19.9±0.16 mm), Streptococcus pyrogens (19.2±0.59 mm), Enterococcus sp., (17.2±0.08 mm), Klebsiella pneumoniae (18.9±0.16 mm) and Salmonella typhimurium (15.1±0.16 mm). The molecular sequencing of the potent fungi was done by primers (ITS4 and ITS6) which showed strong specificity with fungal DNA and the percentages of identical matches of ITS4 and ITS6 DNA sequences in the GeneBank database (NCBI) were determined to 98 %.Conclusion: In the present study, the endophytic fungal strain Penicillium citrinumshowed the potential source of antibacterial bioactive compounds and molecular sequencing of this fungus helps in future to determine the various metabolic pathways that are responsible for the production of such type of novel compounds.
Highlights
Endophytic fungi are the most important part of biodiversity and beneficial for the survival of other organisms
The reproductions in endophytic fungi take place by spores and vegetative growth showing the formation of conidia and hyphae [5]
Seven endophytic fungi were isolated from the different parts of the R. serpentina collected from plant nursery of Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (JNKVV) Jabalpur M
Summary
Endophytic fungi are the most important part of biodiversity and beneficial for the survival of other organisms. Endophytes play an essential role in ecological processes that includes mutualism, parasitism and commensalism [1,2,3]. These are symbiotic microorganisms, which live internal tissue of the plant body without causing any negative effects in the host plants [4]. The reproductions in endophytic fungi take place by spores and vegetative growth showing the formation of conidia and hyphae [5]. These are found in different parts of host plant like leaves, petioles, stem, twigs, bark, root, fruit, flower and seeds [1]. Endophytic fungi are produced a number of active novel bioactive compounds like alkaloids, peptides, steroids, terpenoids, phenols, quinines and flavonoids which are beneficial in agriculture, industries and in pharmaceutical industries for the production of medicine, drugs and natural biochemical’s those provide protection against pathogenic organisms [7, 8]
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