title: Identification of bacterial endophytes associated with traditional medicinal plant Tridax procumbens Linn.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In traditional medicine, Tridax procumbens Linn. is used in the treatment of injuries and wounds. The bacterial endophytes (BEs) of medicinal plants could produce medicinally important metabolites found in their hosts; and hence, the involvement of BEs in conferring wound healing properties to T. Procumbens cannot be ruled out. But, we do not know which types of BEs are associated with T. Procumbens.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to investigate the fast growing and cultivable BEs associated with T. procumbens.
  
  
  METHODS
  Leaves and stems of healthy T. Procumbens plants were collected and cultivable BEs were isolated from surface-sterilized leaf and stem tissue samples using Luria-Bertani (LB) agar (medium) at standard conditions. A polymerase chain reaction was employed to amplify 16S rRNA coding gene fragments from the isolates. Cultivable endophytic bacterial isolates (EBIs) were identified using 16S rRNA gene nucleotide sequence similarity based method of bacterial identification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Altogether, 50 culturable EBIs were isolated. 16S rRNA gene nucleotide sequences analysis using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) revealed identities of the EBIs. Analysis reveals that cultivable Bacillus spp., Cronobacter sakazakii, Enterobacter spp., Lysinibacillus sphaericus, Pantoea spp., Pseudomonas spp. and Terribacillus saccharophilus are associated with T. Procumbens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the results, we conclude that 24 different types of culturable BEs are associated with traditionally used medicinal plant, T. Procumbens, and require further study.
authors: Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, AIMST University, Bedong, Kedah, Malaysia.
authors: Jagadesan
authors: J
authors: Preveena
authors: Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, AIMST University, Bedong, Kedah, Malaysia.
authors: Subhash J
authors: SJ
authors: Bhore
keywords: 16S rRNA; Tridax; herbs; injury; traditional medicine; wound healing