Isolation, Identification and Enzymatic Activity of Halotolerant and Halophilic Fungi from the Great Sebkha of Oran in Northwestern of Algeria

Abstract

The Great Sebkha of Oran is a closed depression located in northwestern of Algeria. Despite the ranking of this sebkha among the wetlands of global importance by Ramsar Convention in 2002, no studies on the fungal community in this area have been carried out. In our study, samples were collected from two different regions. The first region is characterized by halophilic vegetation and cereal crops and the second by a total absence of vegetation. The isolated strains were identified morphologically then by molecular analysis. The biotechnological interest of the strains was evaluated by testing their ability to grow at different concentration of NaCl and to produce extracellular enzymes (i.e., lipase, amylase, protease, and cellulase) on solid medium. The results showed that the soil of sebkha is alkaline, with the exception of the soil of cereal crops that is neutral, and extremely saline. In this work, the species Gymnoascus halophilus, Trichoderma gamsii, the two phytopathogenic fungi, Fusarium brachygibbosum and Penicillium allii, and the teleomorphic form of P. longicatenatum observed for the first time in this species, were isolated for the first time in Algeria. The halotolerance test revealed that the majority of the isolated are halotolerant. Wallemia sp. and two strains of G. halophilus are the only obligate halophilic strains. All strains are capable to secrete at least one of the four tested enzymes. The most interesting species presenting the highest enzymatic index were Aspergillus sp. strain A4, Chaetomium sp. strain H1, P. vinaceum , G. halophilus , Wallemia sp. and Ustilago cynodontis.

Unveiling Biological Activities of Marine Fungi: The Effect of Sea Salt

“…Some studies have explored the influence of salt in the enzymatic activity of marine fungi. For example, Chamekh et al [69] evaluated different enzymatic activities of halotolerant and halophilic fungi and Arfi et al [70] reported the presence of more than 400 lignocellulolytic enzymes from the mangrove fungus Pestalotiopsis sp. The authors concluded that the presence of salt modifies lignocellulolytic enzyme composition, with an increase in the secretion of xylanases and cellulases and a decrease in the production of oxidases, as we also observed in this study.…”

Checklist of Algerian fungi – Part 5: Dothideomycetes (Ascomycota)

“…3: no. 261 Patouillard (1903), ), Guechi & Girre (1994, Schubert et al (2003), Chliyeh et al (2014, Kedad & Bouznad (2018) Patouillard (1903), Kedad & Bouznad (2018). Maire (1933), Kedad & Bouznad (2018).…”

“…1(livr. 9) Kachour (2004), Bouharati et al (2008), Harzallah et al (2009), Benzeghmane (2011), Belhoucine et al (2011), Ladjal (2012, Bessadat et al (2014), Kahoul et al (2014), Bensaci et al (2015), Bessadat et al (2017), Rebbouh (2016), Kedad & Bouznad (2018), Chamekh et al (2019) Jain, Curr. Sci.…”

Halophiles and Their Biomolecules: Recent Advances and Future Applications in Biomedicine

“…The mycobiota of hypersaline environments is dominated by members of Aspergillus, Penicillium, and other genera, such as Alternaria, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Debaryomyces, Scopulariopsis, Chaetomium, Wallemia, and Hortaea, which are well represented in ecological and biodiversity studies [96,97]. The species Gymnoascus halophilus, Aspergillus penicillioides, Hortaea werneckii, Phaeotheca triangularis, Aureobasidium pullulans, Trimmatostroma salinum, and some species of the genus Wallemia, like W. ichthyophaga, are recognized as obligately halophilic, or require high levels of salt above that of seawater [98,99]. However, antimicrobial compounds have not been reported from these species.…”