DNA Based Identification and Phylogenetic Characterisation of Endophytic and Saprobic Fungi from Antidesma madagascariense, a Medicinal Plant in Mauritius
Endophytes are fungi associated with plants without causing symptoms, and they are quite diverse and have enormous potential for production of important secondary metabolites for the pharmaceutical industry. In this study, we report for the first time fungi (both endophytes and saprobes) from Antidesma madagascariense, a medicinal plant in Mauritius, in view of identifying potential candidates for screening of fungi for pharmaceutical importance. In addition the phylogenetic placement of fungi recovered from leaves samples was investigated based on rDNA sequence analysis. Most commonly isolated fungi were related to Aspergillus, Guignardia, Fusarium, Penicillium, Pestalotiopsis, and Trichoderma. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that fungi recovered belong to 5 different fungal lineages (Hypocreaceae, Trichocomaceae, Nectriaceae, Xylariaceae, and Botryosphaeriaceae). DNA data from the ITS regions were reliable in classification of all recovered isolates up to genus level, but identification to an exact species name was not possible at this stage. Despite criticisms pertaining to the use of ITS sequence data in molecular systematics, our approach here provides an opportunity to justify the reliability of ITS sequence data for possible identification and discovering of evolutionary scenarios among isolates that do not sporulate under cultural conditions. 1. Introduction Endophytes are fungi that inhabit internal tissues or organs without causing obvious symptoms of tissue damage and have been commonly isolated from many plants [1], and a number of them apparently change their ecological strategies and adopt a saprotrophic lifestyle whenever plants senescence [2]. Although endophytes have wide host ranges, a number of them might be host specific and have been well studied, especially with respect to harvesting their biological properties and as a reservoir for novel and natural bioactive compounds [3]. There has been an increasing interest in isolation of fungal endophytes from plants from many tropical regions. However, research in this aspect in Mauritius is rather scanty. There is only one published paper by Toofanee and Dulymamode [4] who reported that Pestalotiopsis was isolated as the most dominant endophytic fungus from the leaves of Cordemoya integrifolia. In this study, an endemic medicinal plant of Mauritius, Antidesma madagascariense Lam. (Euphorbiaceae), was selected for endophytic screening as it has been well documented that this plant possesses pharmacologically active compounds and phytochemicals that have got antioxidant, antibacterial, and
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