Distribution Of Endophytic Fungi Research Articles

Culturable Endophyte Fungi of the Well-Conserved Coastal Dune Vegetation Located on the East Coast of the Korean Peninsula

This study aimed to determine the diversity and distribution of endophytic fungi in coastal dune vegetation. Endophytic fungi promote plant growth and protect host plants from environmental stress and pathogens. Plants that have flourished as a result are critical for protecting coastal sand dunes from erosion. A total of 361 root-colonizing fungal endophytes were purely isolated from 24 halophyte species comprising all dune plant communities indigenous to a well-conserved coastal area based on morphological differences. Molecular identification and phylogeny using amplified ribosomal RNA sequences and internal transcribed spacer regions identified that the fungal isolates belong to seven classes and 39 genera. Penicillium (43.21%) was the most dominant genera, followed by Talaromyces (16.90%) and Aspergillus (11.91%). Furthermore, these genera present a wide host range. However, 16 other genera exhibited strong host specificity. When compared to other herbaceous or shrub host plant species, Talaromyces predominated as endophytes of the roots of the canopy-forming coastal windbreak tree Pinus thunbergii. Based on Margalef’s, Menhinick’s, Shannon’s, and Simpson’s diversity indices, the root-colonizing endophytes of P. thunbergii had higher morphological diversity. The endophyte fungi associated with five of the coastal plants studied are heretofore unreported. In fact, of all fungal genera characterized here, 13 genera (30%) have not been previously reported as marine fungal endophytes or coastal fungi. The foregoing results suggest that future coastal sand dune conservation studies should examine the biological resources of entire bioclusters and not merely the dominant plants or their endosymbionts.

Distribution of endophytic fungi in the leaf and stem of Cissus quadrangularis Linn. - A comparative study

Distribution of endophytic fungi in the leaf and stem of Cissus quadrangularis Linn. - A comparative study

Diversity and distribution of endophytic fungi in different tissues of Hevea brasiliensis native to the Brazilian Amazon forest

The genus Hevea is native to the Brazilian Amazon forest, and H. brasiliensis, popularly known as the rubber tree, is the main source of raw material for the production of natural rubber in the world. To characterize the fungal communities that inhabit the tissues of this species, a total of 550 endophytic fungi were isolated, of which 212 were from native trees located in the state of Acre and 338 in the state of Amazonas. These fungi were grouped into 115 OTUs. The phylum Ascomycota was dominant (93%) and the most abundant isolates belonged to the families Glomerallaceae (genus Colletotrichum), Diaporthaceae (genus Diaporthe), Nectriaceae (genus Fusarium), Hypocreaceae (genus Trichoderma), and Trichocomaceae (genus Penicillium). The diversity and richness of fungi in the state of Acre did not differ significantly between leaves, stems, and roots; however, in the state of Amazonas, the diversity was greater in the stems and roots than in the leaves. In general, the diversity of endophytic fungi was greater in the state of Acre. Comparisons between communities of fungi showed more differences between those that inhabit different tissues than in different states. Furthermore, the fungal communities of roots and stems were similar, and both these were dissimilar from leaves. Isolates identified in this study will be tested for their potential to produce metabolites of interest for industry and for the sustainable development of agribusiness.

Temporal and spatial pattern of endophytic fungi diversity of Camellia sinensis (cv. Shu Cha Zao)

BackgroundThe experimental materials were a 60-year-old tea tree (Camellia sinensis cv. Shu Cha Zao; SCZ) (the mother plant) and 1-year-old and 20-year-old plants of SCZ that originated as mother plant cuttings. The aim of this study was to use high-throughput sequencing to study the spatial and dynamic distribution of endophytic fungi in different leaf niches (upper leaves, middle leaves, lower leaves) and rhizosphere soil on tea plants of different ages in the same garden.ResultsAscomycota (83.77%), Basidiomycota (11.71%), and Zygomycota (3.45%) were the dominant fungal phyla in all samples. Cladosporium (12.73%), Zymoseptoria (9.18%), and Strelitziana (13.11%) were the dominant genera in the leaf. Alpha diversity analysis revealed that endophytic communities in leaves differed from those in rhizosphere soil and different leaf niches had similar fungal diversity. Shannon’s indices and NMDS analysis indicated significant differences in fungal diversity and composition among the SCZ trees of different ages (p ≤ 0.01). The abundance of Cladosporium and Zymoseptoria decreased with increasing SCZ age, whereas the abundance of Strelitziana increased.ConclusionsThe results illustrate variation in endophytic fungi among different niches on tea plants of different ages. The distribution of endophytic fungi in leaves of C. sinensis shows spatiotemporal variation.

Fungal endophytes: isolation and diversity among Nicotiana tabacum (Solanaceae) organs

The diversity of fungal endophytes is poorly known and particularly in the case of Nicotiana tabacum, the literature is limited. The present study assessed and compared the diversity and distribution of endophytic fungi between different organs of tobacco plants. We calculated the relative frequency and rates of colonisation and of isolation of endophytic fungi in roots, stems and leaves, as well as the Shannon–Wiener and Simpson diversity indexes. Similarities between assemblages from the studied organs were also analysed. A total of 1588 endophytic fungal strains assigned to 31 morphospecies were isolated. The highest diversity of endophytes was found in leaves, being Fusarium graminearum and Alternaria botrytis the most common fungal species. This study provides information on the distribution of fungal endophytes inhabiting leaves, stems, and roots of N. tabacum and thus can serve as a starting point for increasing our comprehension on the interactions in which these fungi are involved.

Diversity and Distribution of Endophytic Fungi in Different Prunus africana (Hook. f.) Kalkman Provenances in Cameroon

The diversity of endophytic fungi from different provenances of Prunus africana (Hook. F.) Kalkman, an endemic medicinal plant in Cameroon, was studied through culture dependent methods.1358 endophytic fungal isolates representing 27 genera were isolated from 1360 segments of leaf, stem, bark, root and seeds of P. africana. Hyphomycetes (56.19%) were the most predominant followed by Coelomycetes (37.63%). Mycelia sterilia (isolates without spores) constituted 6.19%. Seven genera - Colletotrichum, Aspergillus, Trichoderma, Lasiodiplodia, Curvularia, Fusarium, Pestalotia - and Morphospecies P001 were common and dominant in more than one site. The diversity was highest in Mount Cameroon Forest and Limbe Botanic Garden provenances with 20 and 19 genera recorded as compared to Kilum-Ijim Forest and Bamendankwe provenances with 11 genera each. Incidence of endophytes, colonization frequency, isolation rate and dominance of fungi varied within tissues of host plant and sites. The leaves had the highest diversity index while the roots had the least. The highest similarity was recorded between Mount Cameroon Forest and the Kilum-Ijim Forest with a Sørensen similarity coefficient of 0.464. Ordination by simple correspondence analysis revealed clear distinct clusters of genera in different localities. This study represents the first comprehensive survey of endophyte diversity in P. africana from Cameroon.

Study on communities of endophytic fungi from Pogostemon cablin and their antimicrobial activities

Seventy-two strains of endophytic fungi were isolated from roots, stems and leaves of Pogostemon cablin and identified as 40 species of 25 genera based on ITS sequences analysis. Among them, Phomopsis, Colletotrichum and Fusarium were dominant genera. Distribution of endophytic fungi in P. cablin showed obvious tissue-specificity, and more strains were isolated from stems with an isolation rate of 78%. The bioassay results indicated that 34 strains of 15 genera displayed antimicrobial activities against at least one of test bacteria or plant pathogenic fungi. The results obtained in this study showed that endophytic fungi in P. cablin were rich in species diversity, and some strains exhibited strong antimicrobial activities, which deserve further research.

English

Eucalyptus species are among the most widely grown and most economically valuable trees worldwide. In Brazil, eucalyptus is of major environmental and economic importance because it generates thousands of jobs and offers an alternative to using wood from native forests. In forest ecosystems, plant shoots are considered a common habitat for various microorganisms, and plants of the family Myrtaceae are an important source of fungal biodiversity. However, very little is known about the diversity and microbial distribution in eucalyptus leaves. This study aimed at showing the diversity and distribution of endophytic fungi in the leaves of eucalyptus plants aged 18 and 72 months. The leaves were collected at the onset of the rainy period, during the rainy period, and during the dry period. Diversity was measured using DNA extraction, 18S rRNA subunit amplification, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), and sequencing of eluted bands. The endophytic fungal community was affected by plant location. Differences observed in the distribution of the phylogenetic groups found in the upper, middle and lower thirds of the tree canopy indicate that the endophytic community distribution in eucalyptus is dependent on leaf position. The age of the plants affected the diversity of endophytic fungi in Eucalyptus "urograndis". Phylogenetic analysis showed that the phyla Basidiomycota and Ascomycota dominate in the environments studied. The description of endophytic fungal diversity in this important forest species is an important step for assessing this genetic resource in the search for metabolites and processes that can contribute to improving plant development. Key words: Diversity, endophytic fungi, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), sequencing.

Distribution of Endophytic Fungi in Different Environments and Their Importance

Like fungi, endophytic fungi are distributed within the all plants of all habitats in all over the world. Endophytic fungi distribution can be varied in plants due to the chemical nature of host (plant) tissues, environmental factors such as salinity, temperature, seasonal variations. Hence, documentation of the diversity of endophytic fungi throughout the world is difficult task to achieve the appropriate evaluation of endophytic fungi distribution in different environments on earth. Therefore, endophytic fungi discoveries are important, not only for their abundance and diversity it also has the biological potential of novel compounds for industrial, pharmaceutical and agricultural applications.

Spatial and seasonal influences on culturable endophytic mycobiota associated with different tissues of Eugenia jambolana Lam. and their antibacterial activity against MDR strains.

BackgroundPresent study focuses on diversity and distribution analysis of endophytic fungi associated with different tissues of Eugenia jambolana. The influence of season and geographical location on diversity and distribution of endophytic fungi has been analyzed. Antibacterial activity of isolated fungal species has also been investigated against MDR bacterial strains.ResultA total of 1896 endophytic fungal isolates were obtained from healthy, surface sterilized tissues of leaf, stem and petiole tissues during summer, monsoon and winter season. Out of 24 fungal species isolated, 20 species belong to class Ascomycetes, 2 to Basidiomycetes and 2 to Zygomycetes. Maximum species diversity was in rainy season whereas colonization frequency was in winter. All the diversity indices showed maximum species diversity at site 5 (Yamunanager), rainy among the seasons and leaf among the tissues studied. Aspergillus genus was most frequently isolated. Aspergillus niger and Alternaria alternata were most dominant species. Three way ANOVA results showed that effect of season was highly significant on species diversity in relation to sites and tissues. 60 % endophytic fungal extracts showed significant antibacterial activity against one or more than one MDR bacterial strain.ConclusionDifferent fungal species were recovered from different sites but the inter-site comparisons were not significant according to Jaccard similarity coefficient. Diversity of such fungal endophytes indicates that Eugenia jambolana plant acts as an ecosystem facilitating survival of many microbes with impressive antibacterial potential.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12866-016-0664-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Diversity of endophytic fungi in Glycine max

Endophytic fungi are microorganisms that live within plant tissues without causing disease during part of their life cycle. With the isolation and identification of these fungi, new species are being discovered, and ecological relationships with their hosts have also been studied. In Glycine max, limited studies have investigated the isolation and distribution of endophytic fungi throughout leaves and roots. The distribution of these fungi in various plant organs differs in diversity and abundance, even when analyzed using molecular techniques that can evaluate fungal communities in different parts of the plants, such as denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Our results show there is greater species richness of culturable endophytic filamentous fungi in the leaves G. max as compared to roots. Additionally, the leaves had high values for diversity indices, i.e. Simpsons, Shannon and Equitability. Conversely, dominance index was higher in roots as compared to leaves. The fungi Ampelomyces sp., Cladosporium cladosporioides, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Diaporthe helianthi, Guignardia mangiferae and Phoma sp. were more frequently isolated from the leaves, whereas the fungi Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium solani and Fusarium sp. were prevalent in the roots. However, by evaluating the two communities by DGGE, we concluded that the species richness was higher in the roots than in the leaves. UPGMA analysis showed consistent clustering of isolates; however, the fungus Leptospora rubella, which belongs to the order Dothideales, was grouped among species of the order Pleosporales. The presence of endophytic Fusarium species in G. max roots is unsurprising, since Fusarium spp. isolates have been previously described as endophyte in other reports. However, it remains to be determined whether the G. max Fusarium endophytes are latent pathogens or non-pathogenic forms that benefit the plant. This study provides a broader knowledge of the distribution of the fungal community in G. max leaves and roots, and identifies the genetic relationships among the isolated species.

Diversity of Endophytic Fungi in Tropical Semi-evergreen Forests Trees of Chhattisgarh

Endophytic fungi grow asymptomatically within the living plant tissues such as leaves and stem. Chhattisgarh state in central India is well recognized for maximum area of Sal forests (Shorea robusta) along with some of the members of family Combretaceae viz. Terminalia arjuna, T. chebula, and T. bellerica. The state is also known for maximum varieties of tree species most of which are of pharmaceutical importance. In the present study the above mentioned tree species were screened for the presence of endophytic fungi. The samples were collected from the Achanakmar–Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve in the winter, summer and rainy season. The seasonal occurrence and distribution of endophytic fungi were recorded. Species belonging to Aspergillus, Fusarium, Pestalotia, etc. were common for all the tree species and some species such as Acremonium, Cladosporium and Dendrophoma were specific. Despite the specificity of tree plants, the study reveals importance of the geographical and seasonal factors with respect to the presence or absence of endophytic fungi.

Comparative study on distribution of endophytic fungi in Eucommia barks from different habitats

A total of 152 strains of endophytic fungi were isolated from the barks of Eucommia ulmoides in three regions (Lueyang country, Zunyi country, Cili country). Based on morphological characteristics and analysis of ITS sequences, these strains were identified into 8 genera. Thereinto Phomopsis, Diaporthe and Alternaria were common genera to Eucommia barks from different sites. But the dominant genus was different: Alternaria was the dominant genus in the barks from Cili country, and Phomopsis was the dominant genus from Zunyi country, then Diaporthe was the one from Lueyang country. According to the similarity coefficient, the composition of the endophytic fungi was distinctly different between the barks from three sites. The diversity and species richness in Lueyang country and Cili country were found higher than those in Zunyi country. The evenness of endophytic fungi was 0.936 5 in Lueyang county, which was higher than 0.737 1 or 0.641 0 in Cili county or Zunyi county, respectively. After phylogenic analysis and calculating the genetic distances of typical strains belong to Phomopsis and its perfect stage--Diaporthe, there was very high genetic diversity in the two genera from our study. In conclusion, the community structure and diversity of endophytic fungi were significant different in Eucommia barks from the three habitats.

Effects of agarwood formation induced by Fusarium sp. A2 on distribution and community composition of endophytic fungi in leaves of Aquilaria sinensis

The aim of the paper is to observe the distribution of the endophytic fungi in leaves of Aquilaria sinensis by using permanent paraffin-cut section, optical microscope photography and histochemistry. Total DNA was extracted with modified CTAB method and rDNA ITS regions of plant and endophytic fungi were amplified with eukaryotic universal primers. The rDNA ITS amplicon was characterized by RFLP analysis, sequencing of rDNA ITS library and phylogenetic analyses using PAUP by maximum parsimony. Fusarium sp. A2 was used to induce the formation of resinous in A. sinensis trees. As a result, endophytic fungi mainly distributed in spongy and phloem in leaf. Endophytic fungi distributed in the phloem in agarwood-producing tree and had a relatively high abundance. Phoma sp. and Collectrotrichum sp. were the absolute advantage species in the leaf tissues of non-resinous and agarwood-producing tree, respectively. Collectrotrichum sp. was the only fungal species detected both in the two types of A. sinensis with different levels of abundance. The culture-independent molecular method can be used to identify fungal species directly and rapidly from the plant tissues. Endophytic fungal communities in non-resinous and agarwood-producing A. sinensis leaf tissues were quite different.

곰솔(Pinus thunbergii)의 침엽에서 분리한 내생균의 분자적 동정

곰솔(Pinus thunbergii Parl.)의 잎에 서식하는 내생균의 다양성을 확인하기 위하여 충남 보령의 해안가에 서식하는 곰솔에서 잎을 채취하여 총 19개의 균주를 분리하였다. 분리된 내생균을 ITS 지역과 LSU 지역의 염기서열을 분석하여 동정한 결과 Anthostomella sepelibilis, Beltrania sp., Cladosporium sp., Coniochaeta velutina, Entonaema pallida, Lophodermium sp., Nigrospora sphaerica 등 총 7개 분류군의 내생균을 확보할 수 있었다. 이들 중 Beltrania sp.에 속하는 종이 가장 높은 빈도로 분리되었으며 내생균의 서식 환경이 곰솔의 잎에 서식하는 내생균의 분포에 영향을 미칠 수 있음을 확인하였다. Endophytic fungi were isolated from needle leaves of Pinus thunbergii distributed in Boryeong of Korea. Total 7 species of fungi were identified using partial sequences of ITS and LSU regions of nuclear DNA Anthostomella sepelibilis, Beltrania sp., Cladosporium sp., Coniochaeta velutina, Entonaema pallida, Lophodermium sp. and Nigrospora sphaerica sphaerica. The endophytic fungi, Beltrania sp. was the most dominant species isolated from P. thunbergii in this study. Results indicate that the distribution of endophytic fungi in the leaves of P. thunbergii could be influenced by environments of the fungal habitat.

Study of endophytic fungal community from different parts of Aegle marmelos Correae (Rutaceae) from Varanasi (India)

Endophytic fungi were isolated from healthy, living, and symptomless tissues of inner bark, leaf, and roots of Aegle marmelos, a well-known medicinal plant, growing in different parts of India including Varanasi. A total of 79 isolates of endophytic fungi were isolated, representing 21 genera, adopting a standard isolation protocol. Members of the deuteromycotina were more prevalent than ascomycotina and others. The result was quite encouraging in terms of maximum isolates recovery from hyphomycetes (78.5%) followed by ascomycetes (8.9%) and coelomycetes (7.6%) respectively, which corroborates previous studies in same area. However, 5.1% isolates remained unidentified and were classified under Mycelia Sterilia. No isolate was obtained from either basidiomycotina or from zygomycotina. Fusarium spp. had maximum colonization frequency (8.00%) in this plant. The other dominant endophytic genera were Aspergillus spp., Alternaria sp., Drechslera sp., Rhizoctonia sp., Curvularia sp., Nigrospora sp., and Stenella sp. Only two ascomycetous members Chaetomium globosum and Emericella sp. (perfect state of Aspergillus sp.) were obtained from the bark sample. These results indicated that distribution of endophytic fungi within the A. marmelos is not even. Bark harbors more endophytic fungi than leaf and root.

Occurrence and distribution of endophytic fungi in a mangrove community

Seven dominant mangrove species of an estuarine mangrove forest in south India were studied for the presence of foliar endophytes. Mitosporic fungi, ascomycetes and sterile mycelia were isolated from the leaves of the mangrove hosts studied. Although many endophytes were common to more than one host, the endophyte assemblage of each mangrove species was dominated by different endophyte species.

Isolation of fungal endophytes from root samples of trees blown over at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, during the 1987 hurricane

In October 1987, hurricane-force winds devastated the south of England. Many trees and shrubs were uprooted and destroyed, with few areas escaping unscathed. The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew were badly hit, with many old and valuable trees being uprooted and/or damaged. The winds provided a unique opportunity for scientists from several disciplines to examine a diverse range ofroot types from a variety oftrees. The staff at Kew generously collected samples of roots and accompanying soil from a range of the trees and shrubs blown over by the strong winds. These samples were made available to us to examine as a source of novel fungi for the Glaxo Group Research culture collection. At the outset it was decided to examine only fungal endophytes colonizing the roots. The endophytes are considered to be those fungi living some part oftheir lives as symptomless infections within the tissues of the plant. Rhizosphere (root-surface inhabiting) fungi were not considered in this study to avoid interference from complex soil fungal communities. From a microbiological perspective the acquisition of these samples provided an opportunity to examine the distribution of fungal endophytes: (i) within roots of the same tree genus/species growing in different garden beds or soils, and (ii) within roots of trees of different genera growing in the same garden bed or soil. This would provide valuable information on the influence of both the tree and soil on the types of fungal endophytes colonizing tree roots. This approach has analogies with studies in which parasitic fungi are used as taxonomic descriptors for the classification of their host plants (Saville, 1979). However, our study was not to classify the trees per se, but rather to reveal trends in the distribution of endophytic fungi associated with trees.