Molecular Phylogeny, Diversity, and Bioprospecting of Endophytic Fungi Associated with wild Ethnomedicinal North American Plant Echinacea purpurea (Asteraceae).
The endophytic fungal community associated with the ethnomedicinal plant Echinacea purpurea was investigated as well as its potential for providing antifungal compounds against plant pathogenic fungi. A total of 233 endophytic fungal isolates were obtained and classified into 42 different taxa of 16 genera, of which Alternaria alternata, Colletotrichum dematium, and Stagonosporopsis sp. 2 are the most frequent colonizers. The extracts of 29 endophytic fungi displayed activities against important phytopathogenic fungi. Eight antifungal extracts were selected for chemical analysis. Forty fatty acids were identified by gas chromatography-flame-ionization detection (GC-FID) analysis. The compounds (-)-5-methylmellein and (-)-(3R)-8-hydroxy-6-methoxy-3,5-dimethyl-3,4-dihydroisocoumarin were isolated from Biscogniauxia mediterraneaEPU38CA crude extract. (-)-5-Methylmellein showed weak activity against Phomopsis obscurans, P. viticola, and Fusarium oxysporum, and caused growth stimulation of C. fragariae, C. acutatum, C. gloeosporioides, and Botrytis cinerea. (-)-(3R)-8-Hydroxy-6-methoxy-3,5-dimethyl-3,4-dihydroisocoumarin appeared slightly more active in the microtiter environment than 5-methylmellein. Our results indicate that E. purpurea lives symbiotically with different endophytic fungi, which are able to produce bioactive fatty acids and aromatic compounds active against important phytopathogenic fungi. The detection of the different fatty acids and aromatic compounds produced by the endophytic community associated with wild E. purpurea suggests that it may have intrinsic mutualistic resistance against phytopathogen attacks in its natural environment.
Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, P.O. Box 486, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP 31270-901, Brazil.
Camila R
CR
Carvalho
Natural Products Utilization Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, University, Oxford, MS, 38677, USA.
David E
DE
Wedge
Natural Products Utilization Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, University, Oxford, MS, 38677, USA.
Charles L
CL
Cantrell
Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, P.O. Box 486, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP 31270-901, Brazil.
Alice F
AF
Silva-Hughes
Natural Products Utilization Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, University, Oxford, MS, 38677, USA.
Zhiqiang
Z
Pan
National Center for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, Oxford, MS, 38677, USA.|Center for Water and Wetland Resources, The University of Mississippi, Abbeville, MS, 38601, USA.
Rita M
RM
Moraes
Geosystems Research Institute, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, 39762, USA.
Victor L
VL
Madoxx
Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, P.O. Box 486, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP 31270-901, Brazil. lhrosa@icb.ufmg.br.
Luiz H
LH
Rosa
D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019659:Asteraceae / Q000382:microbiology*; D065132:Bioprospecting; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D060026:Endophytes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D003904:Mitosporic Fungi / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects*; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D010802:Phylogeny; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D005227:Fatty Acids
Bioactive compounds; Dihydroisocoumarin; Echinacea purpurea; Endophytic fungi; Symbiosis