L-Asparaginase Activity of Fungal Endophytes from Tabernaemontana heyneana Wall. (Apocynaceae), Endemic to the Western Ghats (India). (11th December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Manasa, Chandramouli; Nalini, Monnanda Somaiah
• Other Names: Jeewon Rajesh Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: International scholarly research notices. Volume 2014(2014)
• Publication Date: 2014-12-11
• Subjects: Medical sciences -- Periodicals; Life sciences -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Science -- Periodicals; Biomedical Technology; Biological Science Disciplines; Medicine; Life sciences; Medical sciences; Medicine; Science; Periodical; Periodicals; Fulltext; Internet Resources; Periodicals; Electronic journals
• DOI: 10.1155/2014/925131
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2356-7872

Abstract

Abstract : "Endophytes, " the microbes residing within the plant tissues, are important sources of secondary metabolites. Tabernaemontana heyneana Wall., a medicinal tree, endemic to the Western Ghats with rich ethnobotanical history and unique chemical diversity, was selected to study fungal endophytes and evaluate them for L-asparaginase activity. Healthy plant parts were selected for the isolation of endophytes following standard isolation protocols. A total of 727 isolates belonging to 20 taxa were obtained. The isolates comprised of bark (11%), twig (22%), leaf (43%), fruit (12.0%), and seeds (12%). Endophytes such as Colletotrichum, Curvularia, Fusarium, Phomopsis, Verticillium, and Volutella colonized T. heyneana plant parts. Fusarium sp., Phomopsis spp., isolate Thlf01, and Fusarium solani were the dominant genera of bark, twig, leaf, fruits, and seed samples, respectively. The endophytes were screened for their ability to utilize L-asparagine by plate assay method. Fusarium spp. exhibited a high level of activity among the nine endophytes tested positive for L-asparaginase activity. Studies underline the potentials of endophyte-derived fungal L-asparaginases as sources of chemotherapeutic agents.