• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.11-14
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• 2007

Over the last few years, the endophytic bacterial community associated with citrus has been studied as an important component interacting with Xylella fastidiosa, the causal agent of citrus variegated chlorosis(CVC). This bacterium may also colonize some model plants, such as Catharanthus roseus and Nicotiana clevelandii. In the present study, we compared the endophytic colonization of Citrus sinensis and Catharanthus rose us using the endophytic bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae. We chose an appropriate strain, K. pneumoniae 342 (Kp342), labeled with the GFP gene. This strain was inoculated onto seedlings of C. sinensis and C. roseus. The isolation frequency was determined one week after the inoculation and the endophytic colonization of K. pneumoniae was observed using fluorescence microscopy. Although the endophytic bacterium was more frequently isolated from C. roseus than from C. sinensis, the colonization profiles for both host plants were similar, suggesting that C. roseus could be used as a model plant to study the interaction between endophytic bacteria and X. fastidiosa.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.158-165
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• 2024

Pneumonia is an acute respiratory infection that primarily affects the lungs and is caused by various microorganisms, including viruses, fungi, and bacteria. Klebsiella pneumoniae, a multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) bacterium, is a leading cause of widespread pneumonia. This study aimed to identify endophytic bacteria from the leaves of Acalypha indica L. and evaluate their antibacterial properties through both in vitro and in silico approaches. The objectives included isolating endophytic bacteria from Acalypha indica L., testing their antibacterial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae, identifying the selected bacterial isolates using molecular techniques, analyzing their secondary metabolites via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and performing in silico molecular docking studies. The study identified BE 4, an endophytic bacterial isolate of Bacillus pumilus, as exhibiting the most potent antibacterial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae. GC-MS analysis of the ethyl acetate extract of this isolate revealed 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis(2-methylpropyl) ester as the primary metabolite component. Furthermore, molecular docking analysis identified two natural compound ligands, 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, diethyl ester (-6.5 kcal/mol), and lilial (-6.2 kcal/mol), as having potential efficacy against drugresistant bacteria responsible for pneumonia. These findings suggest that endophytic bacteria and their bioactive compounds could serve as promising candidates for the development of new treatments against drug-resistant pneumonia.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1777-1789
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• 2019

Drought is more concerned to be a huge problem for agriculture as it affects plant growth and yield. Endophytic bacteria act as plant growth promoting bacteria that have roles for improving plant growth under stress conditions. The properties of four strains of endophytic bacteria were determined under water deficit medium with 20% polyethylene glycol. Bacillus aquimaris strain 3.13 showed high 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase production; Micrococcus luteus strain 4.43 produced indole acetic acid (IAA). Exopolysaccharide production was high in Bacillus methylotrophicus strain 5.18 while Bacillus sp. strain 5.2 did not show major properties for drought response. Inoculation of endophytic bacteria into plants, strain 3.13 and 4.43 increased height, shoot and root weight, root length, root diameter, root volume, root area and root surface of Jerusalem artichoke grown under water limitation, clearly shown in water supply at 1/3 of available water. These increases were caused by bacteria ACC deaminase and IAA production; moreover, strain 4.43 boosted leaf area and chlorophyll levels, leading to increased photosynthesis under drought at 60 days of planting. The harvest index was high in the treatment with strain 4.43 and 3.13 under 1/3 of available water, promoting tuber numbers and tuber weight. Inulin content was unchanged in the control between well-watered and drought conditions. In comparison, inulin levels were higher in the endophytic bacteria treatment under both conditions, although yields dipped under drought. Thus, the endophytic bacteria promoted in plant growth and yield under drought; they had outstanding function in the enhancement of inulin content under well-watered condition.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.219-227
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• 2005

Little is known about the bacterial communities associated with the plants inhabiting sand dune ecosystems. In this study, the bacterial populations associated with two major sand dune plant species, Calystegia soldanella (beach morning glory) and Elymus mollis (wild rye), growing along the costal areas in Tae-An, Chungnam Province, were analyzed using a culture-dependent approach. A total of 212 bacteria were isolated from the root and rhizosphere samples of the two plants, and subjected to further analysis. Based on the analysis of the 16S rDNA sequences, all the bacterial isolates were classified into six major phyla of the domain Bacteria. Significant differences were observed between the two plant species, and also between the rhizospheric and root endophytic communities. The isolates from the rhizosphere of the two plant species were assigned to 27 different established genera, and the root endophytic bacteria were assigned to 21. Members of the phylum Gammaproteobacteria, notably the Pseudomonas species, comprised the majority of both the rhizospheric and endophytic bacteria, followed by members of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes in the rhizosphere and Alphaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes in the root. A number of isolates were recognized as potentially novel bacterial taxa. Fifteen out of 27 bacterial genera were commonly found in the rhizosphere of both plants, which was comparable to 3 out of 21 common genera in the root, implying the host specificity for endophytic populations. This study of the diversity of culturable rhizospheric and endophytic bacteria has provided the basis for further investigation aimed at the selection of microbes for the facilitation of plant growth.

• Mycobiology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.335-339
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• 2019

Endophytic fungi have the ability to live inside the host plant tissues without causing neither symptoms of diseases/or harm. Opportunistic infections are accountable for majority of the outbreaks, thereby putting a burden on the health system. To investigate and characterize the bioactive compounds for the control of bacteria of clinical importance, extracts from endophytic fungi were isolated from indigenous South African medicinal plants. Extracts from endophytic fungi were isolated from 133 fungal strains and screened against Gram positive and negative bacteria namely Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecium, and E. gallinarum using disk diffusion. Furthermore, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was performed to identify the bioactive compounds. Sixteen out of one hundred and thirty-three (12%) fungi extracts exhibited antibacterial properties against some of the selected bacteria. E. coli was found to be the most susceptible in contrast to E. faecium and E. gallinarum which were the most resistant. The isolate MHE 68, identified as Alternaria sp. displayed the greater spectrum of antibacterial activities by controlling selected clinical bacteria strains including resistant E. faecium and E. gallinarum. The chemical analysis of the extract from MHE 68 indicated that linoleic acid (9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)) and cyclodecasiloxane could be accountable for the antibacterial activity. This is the first study conducted on the secondary metabolites produced by endophytic fungal strains isolated from the Pelargonium sidoides DC. possessing antibacterial properties.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.694-699
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• 2000

Serratia marcescens IRBG500 and Herbaspirillum seropedicae Z67 grow endophytically in rice. The ability of these bacteria to colonize rice grown under increased nutrient availability was assessed in variety IR72 using strains marked with transposon-based gusA. The endophytic colonization was monitored via bacterial enumeration and histochemical visualization of GUS expression of bacteria in plant tissues. Rhizoplane and endophytic colonization by both bacteria was significantly inhibited in the rice plants grown in the presence of 10 mM $NH_4Cl$. In contrast, the addition of 10 mM $KNO_3$ showed no adverse effect on colonization. Increasing the concentration of $Ca^{2+}$ to 5 mM significantly reduced endophytic colonization by both bacterial strains, whereas the addition of 0.5 mM $Fe^{2+}$ substantially lowered the colonization of roots by S. marcescens IRBG500 but showed no effect on colonization by H. seropedicae Z67. Taken together, these finding suggest that, like in legume-rhizobial symbiosis as well as plant-pathogen interactions, nutrient status, particularly $NH_4^+$ and $Ca^{2+}$ concentrations in the surrounding medium, plays an important role in the regulation of endophytic infection and colonization processes in rice.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.336-341
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• 2006

The endophytic bacteria were isolated from the rusty-root ginseng. This isolated bacteria were occurred the rusty-root ginseng with artificial inoculation. For the suppressing of rusty-ginseng, disinfectants, antibiotics, kitosan, micro-organisms and metabolites were tested to isolated endophytic bacterium. All of the isolated bacteria strains were sensitive sodium hypochlorite, however, some of isolated bacteria lines were sensitive to other tested materials. For example, D (didecyl dimethyl ammonium bromide), CIO$_2$, ODDA (octyldecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride + diocyul dimethyl ammonium chloride + alkyl diethyl benzyl ammonium chloride), GD (glutaraldehyde + dimethy cocobenzyl ammonium chloride) suppressed some of bacteria strains. Otherwise, some of antibiotics (e.g. ampicillin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, kanamycin, neomycin, rifampin, streptomycin, tetracycline) were sensitive to the isolated bacteria strains. All of isolated bacteria strainswere inhibitive to the mixed formation with neomycin and streptomycin, and neomycin and tetracycline. Both sodium hypochlorite and antibiotic mixing of neomycin and tetracycline were effective to prevention of rusty-root ginseng of sub-merging ginseng in the ginseng field.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.218-235
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• 2018

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and endophytic bacteria were isolated from different varieties of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) from South India. Totally 50 strains representing, 30 PGPR and 20 endophytic bacteria were identified based on biochemical assays and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The isolates were screened for antagonistic activity against Pythium aphanidermatum (Edson) Fitzp., and Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn., causing rhizome rot and leaf blight diseases in turmeric, by dual culture and liquid culture assays. Results revealed that only five isolates of PGPR and four endophytic bacteria showed more than 70% suppression of test pathogens in both assays. The SEM studies of interaction zone showed significant ultrastructural changes of the hyphae like shriveling, breakage and desication of the pathogens by PGPR B. cereus (RBacDOB-S24) and endophyte P. aeruginosa (BacDOB-E19). Selected isolates showed multiple Plant growth promoting traits. The rhizome bacterization followed by soil application of B. cereus (RBacDOB-S24) showed lowest Percent Disease Incidence (PDI) of rhizome rot and leaf blight, 16.4% and 15.5% respectively. Similarly, P. aeruginosa (BacDOB-E19) recorded PDI of rhizome rot (17.5%) and leaf blight (17.7%). The treatment of these promising isolates exhibited significant increase in plant height and fresh rhizome yield/plant in comparison with untreated control under greenhouse condition. Thereby, these isolates can be exploited as a potential biocontrol agent for suppressing rhizome rot and leaf blight diseases in turmeric.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.107-114
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• 2015

Endophytes provide multifarious benefits such as promotion of plant growth and yield, suppression of phyto-pathogens, phosphate solubilising and fixation nitrogen. A study has been carried out to explore growth promotion and antifungal activities of endophytes of mulberry (Morus spp.). Endophytic bacteria were isolated from mulberry plants and studied their cultural, morphological characters, growth promotion as well as their antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia bataticola and Fusarium oxysporum , two mulberry root rot associated pathogens. Except two isolates, all bacteria were colourless and the colony size of eight isolates was small. The margin of five isolates was irregular and the consistency of three isolates was creamy, six isolates was slimy and one was mucoid. Texture of seven isolates was convex and others were flat. Eight isolates were gram positive and the rest Gram negative, five were cocci and others were bacilli (rod shaped). Four isolates were motile and all were catalase positive and only three isolates were oxidase positive. Spore staining was positive only for two isolates. The growth promotion study showed that there was significant difference in root length and seedling length. The antagonistic effect of the bacterial isolates was tested against R. bataticola showed significant (p <0.05) influence of the bacteria, days after inoculation and their interaction on the inhibition of fungal growth. The isolate En-7 completely inhibited the fungus followed by En-5 (66.67%). The bacterial isolates significantly (p <0.05) inhibited growth of F. oxysporum in PDA. The mean inhibition was higher (70.45%) in case of En-7 followed by En-8 (68.65%) and En-10 (66.44%). The study reveals that some endophytic bacteria associated with mulberry have growth promotion and antifungal activity and could be explored for promotion of mulberry growth and managing root rot disease.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.20-31
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• 2012

Endophytic bacterial communities of tidal flat plants antagonistic to oomycete plant pathogens were studied by the isolation of 256 root colonizing endophytic bacteria from surface-disinfected root tissues of six plants ($Rosa$ $rugosa$, $Suaeda$ $maritima$, $Vitex$ $rotundifolia$, $Carex$ $scabrifolia$, $Glehnia$ $littoralis$ and $Elymus$ $mollis$) growing in a tidal flat area of Namhae Island, Korea. To understand the antagonistic potential, an $in$ $vitro$ antagonistic assay was performed to characterize and identify strains that were antagonistic to the oomycete plant pathogens $Phytophthora$ $capsici$ and $Pythium$ $ultimum$ from the total population. Nine percent of the total number of isolated bacteria exhibited in vitro inhibitory activity against target plant pathogenic oomycetes. Taxonomic and phylogenetic placement of the antagonistic bacteria was investigated by analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences. The sequence analysis classified the antagonistic strains into four major classes of the domain bacteria ($Firmicutes$, ${\alpha}-Proteobacteria$, ${\gamma}-Proteobacteria$ and $Actinomycetes$) and 10 different genera. Further production of secondary metabolites, hydrolytic enzymes and plant growth promoting traits were determined for the putative new species of antagonistic endophytic bacteria. These new strains could not be identified as known species of ${\alpha}-Proteobacteria$, and so may represent novel bacterial taxa. The unexpected high antagonistic bacterial diversity associated with the tidal flat plants may be indicative of their importance in tidal flat plants as a promising source of novel antimicrobial compounds and biocontrol agents.