title: Production of chitosan from endolichenic fungi isolated from mangrove environment and its antagonistic activity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To screen the chitosan producing ability of endolichenic fungi and its antibacterial activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lichen collected from mangroves was screened for endophytes and the chitosan producing ability of endolichenic fungi by submerged fermentation was also determined. Antibacterial activity was carried out against different pathogens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Totally 4 different groups of fungi were isolated from the lichen Roccella montagnei. Among the four genera, Aspergillus niger (A. niger) is potential to produce chitosan (1.3 g/L) on the twelfth day of incubation. Glucose plays an important role in the productivity of chitosan and the yield was maximum at 10% (1.93 g/L). Antibacterial activity revealed that Vibrio cholerae was sensitive to chitosan followed by Escherichia coli.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, our findings suggest that A. niger is a potential candidate to produce more chitosan than the other strains and glucose plays an important role in the production of chitosan which proves to have a good antibacterial activity.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Annamalai University, Parangipettai 608502.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Logesh
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Thillaimaharani
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sharmila
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalaiselvam
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Raffi
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001234:Aspergillus niger / Q000378:metabolism*; D048271:Chitosan / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D060026:Endophytes; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D005670:Fusarium / Q000378:metabolism; D008011:Lichens / Q000382:microbiology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010407:Penicillium / Q000378:metabolism; D012233:Rhizopus / Q000378:metabolism; D012485:Salmonella typhi / Q000187:drug effects; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D014734:Vibrio cholerae / Q000187:drug effects; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D048271:Chitosan
keywords: Chitosan; Endolichenic fungi; Mangrove lichens; Roccella montagnei