Screening for Endophytic Fungi with Antibacterial Efficiency from Moringa Oleifera and Withania Somnifera

Abstract

Plants have a great potential to grow while carrying inside them fungi and bacteria known as endophytes. These endophytes have a potential to produce bioactive molecules which are of immense pharmaceutical importance. In the current study, plants having medicinal properties such as Moringa oleifera and Withania somnifera were explored for studying endophytic fungi associated with them. Moringa oleifera and Withania somnifera are widely known for their nutritional and medicinal values. The endophytic fungal associations of these plants have revealed their efficacy in therapeutic field. In the current study, endophytic fungal strains were extracted by incubating the dried plant samples on potato dextrose agar media, supplemented with streptomycin at 28 °C for 5-10 days. A total of 21 and 24 endophytes were isolated from herbal plant Moringa oleifera and Withania somnifera, respectively. Microscopic study revealed four active strains of M. oleifera i.e. Colletotrichum sp. (MO-S2), Cladosporium sp. (MO-S4, MO-L3) and Fusarium sp. (MO-R1), and two active strains of W. somnifera i.e. Alternaria sp. (WS-S8) and Fusarium sp. (WS-R5). Active strains of endophytic fungi were further screened for their antibacterial activity against pathogenic gram negative bacterial strain of Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and gram positive strain of Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC25323). Our results showed that fungal isolates of M. oleifera (MO-S2) and W. somnifera (WS-S8) had antibacterial activity against both the bacterial strains. However, three fungal strains of M. oleifera (MO-L3, MO-S4, and MO-R1) and one of W. somnifera (WS-R5) showed antibacterial activity against gram negative bacterial strain of E. coli.

Bioprospecting of endophytes in medicinal plants of Thar Desert: An attractive resource for biopharmaceuticals

“…were isolated and identified from the root of W. somnifera with the colonization frequency of 35% [ 95 ]. Atri et al [ 96 ] isolated twenty-four fungal endophytes from W. somnifera during the rainy season of which ten isolates from the stem with the highest colonization frequency (CF) of 41.66% followed by nine from the root with 37.50% CF and five isolates from the leaf with 20.83% CF. Among them, two fungal isolates were identified as Alternaria sp.…”

“…In addition to this, an endophytic fungus C. globosum also reported from M. oleifera with good antimicrobial activity against some resistant clinical isolates [ 132 ]. Atri et al [ 96 ] reported a total of twenty-one endophytes in their study among them four potent isolates were identified as Colletotrichum sp., Cladosporium sp., and Fusarium sp. Moreover, Mwanga et al [ 133 ] have isolated two fungal endophytes namely Nigrospora sp.…”

“… Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (MPE20) and Pseudomonas fluorescens Fusarium solani , Alternaria sp., and Fusarium sp. - Antibacterial and immunomodulatory activity Katewa et al [ 135 ]; Upadhyay et al [ 204 ]; Salini et al [ 95 ]; Mishra et al [ 158 ]; Atri et al [ 96 ] Leaves - Alternaria alternata L-Asparaginase Chemotherapeutic agent Moharram et al [ 94 ] Moringa oleifera Lam. Roots, stems and leaves Leaf and fruit used arthritis, diarrhoea and vata roga.…”

“… - Colletotrichum sp., and Cladosporium sp. - Antibacterial activity Meena and Rao [ 144 ]; Upadhyay et al [ 204 ]; Atri et al [ 96 ]; Hossain et al [ 186 ]; Salah Maamoun et al [ 187 ] Barks - Aspergillus fumigatus Caffeic acid, Rutin, Ellagic acid, Quercetin, and Kaempferol Antibiofilm, antiproliferative, antioxidant, and antimutagenic activities [ 159 , 81 ] Salvadora oleoides Decne. Roots, stems and leaves The oil extracted from seeds is applied in rheumatic pain.…”

Indo-Pak Medicinal Plants and Their Endophytes: An Emphasis on Nutraceutical and Bioactive Potential

“…In case of M. olifera , recent studies by Kaur et al ( 2020 ), Arora and Kaur ( 2019 ) have described the isolation of Aspergillus fumigatus , an endophytic fungus that possessed antimicrobial potential against prominent pathogens including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Another recent study by Atri et al ( 2020 ) reported the isolation of other fungal species such as Fusarium sp., Colletotrichum sp., Cladosporium sp. and Alternaria sp.…”