Phylogenetic diversity of  endophytic leaf fungus isolates from the medicinal tree  Trichilia elegans (Meliaceae).
Various  types of organisms, mainly fungi and bacteria, live within vegetal organs and  tissues, without causing damage to the plant. These microorganisms, which are  called endophytes, can be useful for biological control and plant growth  promotion; bioactive compounds from these organisms may have medical and  pharmaceutical applications. Trichilia elegans (Meliaceae) is a native  tree that grows abundantly in several regions of Brazil. Preparations using the  leaves, seeds, bark, and roots of many species of the Meliaceae family have  been widely used in traditional medicine, and some members of the Trichilia genus  are used in Brazilian popular medicine. We assessed the diversity of endophytic  fungi from two wild specimens of T. elegans, collected from a forest  remnant, by sequencing ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 of rDNA of the isolates. The fungi were  isolated and purified; 97 endophytic fungi were found; they were separated into  17 morpho-groups. Of the 97 endophytic fungi, four genera (Phomopsis, Diaporthe, Dothideomycete, and Cordyceps) with 11 morpho-groups were  identified. Phomopsis was the most frequent genus among the identified  endophytes. Phylogenetic analysis showed two major clades: Sordariomycetes,  which includes three genera, Phomopsis, Diaporthe, and Cordyceps,  and the clade Dothideomycetes, which was represented by the order Pleosporales.
Departamento de Biologia Celular e Genética, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brasil.
S A
SA
Rhoden
A
A
Garcia
C J
CJ
Rubin Filho
J L
JL
Azevedo
J A
JA
Pamphile
D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D060026:Endophytes / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D029582:Meliaceae / Q000382:microbiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000382:microbiology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000382:microbiology*; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D013045:Species Specificity
D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer