• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.137-141
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• 2013

Diversity of endophytic fungi of two species associated with host plants, Pinus densiflora and Larix kaempferi in Mt. Oser were investigated. Endophytic fungi were isolated from surface sterilized leaves of the 13 host plants and identified by morphological traits and rDNA ITS sequences analysis. Totally 37 isolates were discovered and identified into 17 taxa. Of them, 59% isolates belonged to Leotiomycetes, 30% isolates Sordariomyetes, 8% isolates Dothideomycetes and 3% isolates Agaricomycetes. Results showed a similar diversity pattern with previous studies. Also, species diversity (H') of endophytic fungi isolated from L. kaempferi was higher than that from P. densiflora. The endophytic species composition showed significant differences between host plants. Particularly, taxon of Lophodermium is a major genus in the host plants. However, critical research of the endophytic species diversities within the genus in Korea is required. The communities of endophytic fungi isolated in this study showed differences in diversities and species composition between host plants.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.211-217
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• 2012

Endophytic fungi were isolated from various tissues (root, stem, petiole, leaf, and flower stalk) of 3- and 4-year-old ginseng plants (Panax ginseng Meyer) cultivated in Korea. The isolated endophytic fungi were identified based on the sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), 1-5.8-ITS 2. A morphological characterization was also conducted using microscopic observations. According to the identification, 127 fungal isolates were assigned to 27 taxa. The genera of Phoma, Alternaria and Colletotrichum were the most frequent isolates, followed by Fusarium, Entrophospora and Xylaria. Although 19 of the 27 taxa were identified at the species level, the remainder were classified at the genus level (6 isolates), phylum level (Ascomycota, 1 isolate), and unknown fungal species (1 isolate). Endophytic fungi of 13 and 19 species were isolated from 3- and 4-year-old ginseng plants, respectively, and Phoma radicina and Fusarium solani were the most frequently isolated species colonizing the tissues of the 3- and 4-year-old ginseng plants, respectively. The colonization frequency (CF%) was dependant on the age and tissue examined: the CFs of the roots and stems in the 3-year-old ginseng were higher than the CF of tissues in the 4-year-old plants. In contrast, higher CFs were observed in the leaves and petioles of 4-year-old plants, and endophytic fungi in the flower stalks were only detected in the 4-year-old plants. In conclusion, we detected diverse endophytic fungi in ginseng plants, which were distributed differently depending on the age and tissue examined.

• 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.23 no.10
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• pp.1372-1380
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• 2013

Different endophytic fungi isolated from Himalayan Yew plants were tested for their ability to produce taxol. The BAPT gene (C-13 phenylpropanoid side chain-CoA acetyl transferase) involved in the taxol biosynthetic pathway was used as a molecular marker to screen taxol-producing endophytic fungi. Taxol extracted from fungal strain TBPJ-B was identified by HPLC and MS analysis. Strain TBPJ-B was identified as Fusarium redolens based on the morphology and internal transcribed spacer region of nrDNA analysis. HPLC quantification of fungal taxol showed that F. redolens was capable of producing $66{\mu}g/l$ of taxol in fermentation broth. The antitumour activity of the fungal taxol was tested by potato disc tumor induction assay using Agrobacterium tumefaciens as the tumor induction agent. The present study results showed that PCR amplification of genes involved in taxol biosynthesis is an efficient and reliable method for prescreening taxol-producing fungi. We are reporting for the first time the production of taxol by F. redolens from Taxus baccata L. subsp. wallichiana (Zucc.) Pilger. This study offers important information and a new source for the production of the important anticancer drug taxol by endophytic fungus fermentation.

• Mycobiology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.179-182
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• 2003

A total of 187 endophytic fungi were isolated from 11 plant species, which were collected from 11 locations in Korea. Their antifungal activities were screened in vivo by antifungal bioassays after they were cultured in potato dextrose broth and rice solid media. Antifungal activity against plant pathogenic fungi such as Magnaporthe grisea(rice blast), Corticium sasaki(rice sheath blight), Botrytis cinerea(tomato gray mold), Phytophthora infestans(tomato late blight), Puccinia recondita(wheat leaf rust), and Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei(barley powdery mildew) was determined in vivo by observing the inhibition of plant disease development. Twenty(11.7%) endophytic fungi fermentation broths were able to control, by more than 90%, at least one of the six plant diseases tested. Among 187 liquid broths, the F0010 strain isolated from Abies holophylla had the most potent disease control activity; it showed control values of more than 90% against five plant diseases, except for tomato late blight. On the other hand, fourteen(7.5%) solid culture extracts exhibited potent disease control values of more than 90% against one of six plant diseases. The screening results of this study strongly suggested that metabolites of plant endophytic fungi could be good potential sources for screening programs of bioactive natural products.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.20-25
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate diversity of orchid endophytic fungi from roots of two terrestrial orchids, Cypripedium japonicum and Cypripedium macranthum in Korea. The endophytic fungi were identified using morphological and DNA sequences isolated from the roots. Totally, 11 taxa of the endophytic fungi were identified from the roots of C. japonicum and 15 taxa from C. macranthum. Three species of the fungi were common in both host species; Leptodontidium orchidicola, Humicola fuscoatra var. fuscoatra, Umbelopsis dimorpha. Six species of the fungal isolates were the first report in Korea; Oidiodendron echinulatum, Pseudogymnoascus roseus, Geomyces vinaceus, Cryptosporiopsis ericae, U. dimorpha, Chaetomium cupreum.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.183-186
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• 2012

Endophytic fungi were isolated from needle leaves of Pinus thunbergii distributed in Boryeong of Korea. Total 7 species of fungi were identified using partial sequences of ITS and LSU regions of nuclear DNA Anthostomella sepelibilis, Beltrania sp., Cladosporium sp., Coniochaeta velutina, Entonaema pallida, Lophodermium sp. and Nigrospora sphaerica sphaerica. The endophytic fungi, Beltrania sp. was the most dominant species isolated from P. thunbergii in this study. Results indicate that the distribution of endophytic fungi in the leaves of P. thunbergii could be influenced by environments of the fungal habitat.

• Mycobiology
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.389-398
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• 2022

Endophytic fungi are promising sources for the production of podophyllotoxin-an important anticancer compound, replacing depleted medical plants. In this study, the endophytes associated with Dysosma difformis-an ethnomedicinal plant species were isolated to explore novel sources of podophyllotoxin. Fifty-three endophytic fungi were isolated and identified by morphological observation and ITS-based rDNA sequencing, assigning them to 27 genera in 3 divisions. Fusarium was found the most prevalent genus with a colonization frequency of 11.11%, followed by Trametes (9.26%) and Penicillium (7.41%). Phylogenetic trees were constructed for the endophytic fungi community in two collection sites, Ha Giang and Lai Chau, revealing the adaptation of the species to the specific tissues and habitats. Cytotoxic activity of endophytic fungal extracts was investigated on cancer cell lines such as SK-LU-1, HL-60, and HepG2, demonstrating strong anti-cancer activity of six isolates belonging to Penicillium, Trametes, Purpureocillium, Aspergillus, and Ganoderma with IC₅₀ value of lower than 10 ㎍/mL. The presence of podophyllotoxin was indicated in Penicillium, Trametes, Aspergillus and for the first time in Purpureocillium and Ganoderma via high-performance liquid chromatography, which implied them as a potential source of this anticancer compound.

• Mycobiology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.18-24
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• 2013

Two new species of endophytic fungi were encountered during a diversity study of healthy tissues of chili pepper plants in Korea. The species were identified as Paecilomyces inflatus and Bionectria ochroleuca based on molecular and morphological analyses. Morphological descriptions of these endophytic isolates matched well with their molecular analysis. In the present study, detailed descriptions of internal transcribed spacer regions and morphological observations of these two fungi are presented.

• Mycobiology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.266-271
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• 2011

Species of Phoma and its allies were isolated during a survey on the diversity of endophytic fungi associated with pine trees in Korea. Based on the phylogenetic analyses of internal transcribed spacer and ${\beta}$-tubulin gene sequences, two Phoma-like species from the needles of Pinus koraiensis were identified as Peyronellaea calorpreferens and P. glomerata. They were also morphologically identified based on the previous descriptions. Here, we report P. calorpreferens and P. glomerata being present in Korea as endophytic fungi in Pinus koraiensis.