ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF ENDOPHYTIC FUNGI ISOLATED FROM LANNEA COROMANDELICA – AN INSILICO APROACH
Abstract
Objective: The objective of this research was to isolate endophytic fungi from Lannea coromandelica having antifungal activity potential and to isolate the secondary metabolite from the dominant fungi and predict the probable mechanism behind its activity.
Methods: The endophytic fungi were isolated from leaves of Lannea coromandelica by surface sterilization method. Then fungal biomass was extracted for intracellular metabolites by using ethyl acetate as solvent. The crude extract was filtered, and the filtrate was dried under vacuum at 40 °C. The filtrate was analysed for antifungal activity. The fungi which showed the maximum activity was identified and the metabolite present in the ethyl acetate extract was characterized and identified by GC-MS (Gas-Chromatography Mass-spectrophotometry) analysis. Further, these compounds were docked against the target protein Lanosterol 14-alpha demethylase to unravel and predict the probable mechanism behind the antifungal activity of secondary metabolite.
Results: Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Alternaria alternata and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides were isolated and identified based on their morphological features as endophytic fungi. Among the four dominant fungi, the antifungal activity of Aspergillus flavus showed the maximum activity with an inhibitory zone of 26.22 mm against Candida albicans and 16.72 mm against Malassezia pachydermis. Further, the secondary metabolite was identified by GC-MS (Gas-Chromatography Mass-spectrophotometry) () analysis and found to be Kojic Acid, Octadecanoic acid, n-Hexadecanoic Acid, diethyl Phthlate, 3-Phenyl Propionic Acid. These compounds were docked with the target protein and were able to bind at an active site similar to that of Flucanozole a known inhibitor.
Conclusion: The finding of this work clearly indicates that the metabolite produced by the endophytic fungus could be used as an alternative source of antifungal agents against clinical pathogens.
Keywords: Endophytic fungi, Secondary metabolite, Antifungal activity
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References
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