Yeonggyo Seo

Culturable Fungal Endophytes Isolated from the Roots of Coastal Plants Inhabiting Korean East Coast

Abstract Twelve plant species were collected from the east coast of Korea to identify culturable endophytes present in their roots. The fungal internal transcribe spacer (ITS) region (ITS1-5.8SrRNA-ITS2) was used as a DNA barcode for identification of fungi. A total of 194 fungal strains were identified and categorized into 31 genera. The genus Penicillium accounted for the largest number of strains, followed by the genus Aspergillus. Furthermore, using 5 statistical methods, the diversity indices of the fungi were calculated at the genus level. After comprehensive evaluation, the endophytic fungal group from Phragmites australis ranked highest in diversity analyses. Several strains responsible for plant growth and survival (Penicillium citrinum, P. funiculosum, P. janthinellum, P. restrictum, and P. simplicissimum), were also identified. This study provides basic data on the sheds light on the symbiotic relationship between coastal plants and fungi.

Diversity of Endophytic Fungi from the Roots of Halophytes Growing in Go-chang Salt Marsh

Halophyte samples, such as Suaeda japonica, Phragmites australis, Limonium tetragonum, Suaeda maritima were collected from Go-chang salt marsh. Thirty-nine endophytic fungal strains were isolated from the roots of halophytes naturally growing in salt marsh. All endophytic fungal strains isolated were analyzed by internal transcribed spacer (ITS) containing ITS1, 5.8 s and ITS2 region. Endophytic fungal strains belong to eight orders, i.e., Eurotiales (36%), Pleosporales (26%), Hypocreales (18%), Incertae sedis (8%), Glomerellales (5%), Sordariales (2%), Xylariales (2%), and Capnodiales (3%). On genus level, they were composed of Alternaria, Aspergillus, Chaetomium, Cladosporium, Colletotrichum, Coniothyrium, Dothideomycete, Fusarium, Gibberella, Macrophoma, Penicillium, Pestalotiopsis, Phaeosphaeria, Phoma, Pleosporales, Pseudozyma, Talaromyces, and Termitomyces. Of them, Penicillium (26%), Fusarium (13%) of Eurotiales and Hypocreales were predominant.

Genetic Diversity of Culturable Endophytic Fungi Isolated from Halophytes Naturally Growing in Muan Salt Marsh

Native halophytes, such as Suaeda maritima, Limonium tetragonum, S. japonica, Zoysia sinica, and Phragmites australis were collected from the Muan salt marsh. Ninety endophytic fungi were isolated from the roots of the collected halophytes. Molecular insights inferred by internal transcribed spacer containing ITS1, 5.8s, and the ITS2 region showed that all the fungal strains belong to ten orders, i.e., Capnodiales (4.44%), Cystofilobasidiales (1.11%), Dothideales (3.33%), Eurotiales (53.33%), Glomerellales (3.33%), Hypocreales (8.89%), Mucorales (1.11%), Pleosporales (15.56%), Sordariales (1.11%), and Trichosphaeriales (1.11%). The rest (6.67%) of all fungal isolates were not identified. Ninety fungal strains were confirmed at the genus level, containing Acremonium, Alternaria, Aspergillus, Aureobasidium, Cephalosporium, Chaetomium, Cladosporium, Colletotrichum, Cryptococcus, Didymella, Dothideomycete, Emericellopsis, Epicoccum, Eupenicillium, Fusarium, Gibberella, Gongronella, Macrophoma, Microsphaeropsis, Nigrospora, Paecilomyces, Paraconiothyrium, Penicillium, Phaeomyces, Phoma, Pleosporales, Purpureocillium, and Talaromyces. Of all the endophytic fungi identified from the various halophytes, Aspergillus and Penicillium of Eurotiales had the highest abundance.

Genetic Diversity of Endophytic Fungal Strains Isolated from the Roots of Coastal Plants in Ulleung Island for Restoration of Coastal Ecosystem

Five coastal plant species, Artemisia fukudo, Aster sphathulifolius, Plantago camtschatica, Sedum oryzifolium, and Setaria viridis, were collected from the coastal region of Ulleung Island (Ulleung-Do, South Korea). Thirty-six endophytic fungi were isolated from the roots of these plants, and all were identified by using PCR with the following specifications: internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1), 5.8S rRNA, and ITS2 regions. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that all fungal strains belong to the phylum Ascomycota and comprise four orders (Capnodiales, Eurotiales, Hypocreales, and Pleosporales). Among all the identified species, the Eurotiales species were more abundant than species in the other orders. Nine different genera (Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Exserohilum, Fusarium, Neosartorya, Penicillium, Phoma, and Pyrenochaeta) in the four orders were confirmed. Penicillium and Aspergillus species were the most dominant species among the endophytic fungi isolated from the coastal plants. Shannon’s diversity index (H’) ranged from 0.684 to 1.609, and the endophytic fungi in S. oryzifolium was more diverse compared to the endophytic fungi in the other plants.

Diversity and Characteristics of Rhizosphere Microorganisms Isolated from the Soil around the Roots of Three Plants Native to the Dokdo Islands

Three plant species, Aster sphathulifolius, Sedum oryzifolium, and Lysimachia mauritiana, native to the Dokdo Islands in South Korea, were examined for rhizosphere microorganisms by using 16S rDNA sequences. Nine species of rhizosphere microorganisms were isolated from the three native plant species, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the microorganisms could be classified into 19 species belonging to four phyla (Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria), and the characteristics of the microbes were confirmed. Rhizosphere microorganisms from the six orders (Bacillales, Corynebacteriales, Flavobacteriales, Micrococcales, Oceanospirillales, and Rhodobacterales) were isolated from S. oryzifolium. From L. mauritiana, microbes belonging to the seven orders (Bacillales, Flavobacteriales, Micrococcales, Oceanospirillales, Rhizobiales, and Rhodobacterales) were isolated. From A. sphathulifolius, the six orders of rhizosphere microorganisms (Alteromonadales, Bacillales, Corynebacteriales, Flavobacteriales, Micrococcales, and Rhizobiales) were isolated. These data showed that Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria were the dominant phyla for the rhizosphere of all three plants. To confirm the bacterial diversity in rhizospheres, Shannon’s diversity index (H’) was used at the genus level. In these data, the rhizosphere from S. oryzifolium and L. mauritiana had more diverse bacteria compared to that from A. sphathulifolius.Three plant species, Aster sphathulifolius, Sedum oryzifolium, and Lysimachia mauritiana, native to the Dokdo Islands in South Korea, were examined for rhizosphere microorganisms by using 16S rDNA sequences. Nine species of rhizosphere microorganisms were isolated from the three native plant species, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the microorganisms could be classified into 19 species belonging to four phyla (Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria), and the characteristics of the microbes were confirmed. Rhizosphere microorganisms from the six orders (Bacillales, Corynebacteriales, Flavobacteriales, Micrococcales, Oceanospirillales, and Rhodobacterales) were isolated from S. oryzifolium. From L. mauritiana, microbes belonging to the seven orders (Bacillales, Flavobacteriales, Micrococcales, Oceanospirillales, Rhizobiales, and Rhodobacterales) were isolated. From A. sphathulifolius, the six orders of rhizosphere microorganisms (Alteromonadales, Bacillales, Corynebacteriales, Flavobacteriales, Micrococcales, and Rhizobiales) were isolated. These data showed that Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria were the dominant phyla for the rhizosphere of all three plants. To confirm the bacterial diversity in rhizospheres, Shannon’s diversity index (H’) was used at the genus level. In these data, the rhizosphere from S. oryzifolium and L. mauritiana had more diverse bacteria compared to that from A. sphathulifolius.

Genetic Diversity of Endophytic Fungi Isolated from the Roots of Halophytes Naturally Growing in Suncheon Bay

Endophytic fungi were isolated from the roots of halophytes, Suaeda japonica and Carex scabrifolia in the Suncheonbay. The ITS region in rDNA of 15 endophytic fungal strains were amplified using PCR with universal primers ITS1 and ITS4, and those amplified fragments were sequenced. Based on ITS sequence, five fungal genera were identified in S. japonica and seven fungal genera were identified in C. scabrifolia. The Shannon`s diversity index (H`) of endophytic fungi isolated from S. japonica and C. scabrifolia was 1.561 and 1.889, respectively. In phylogenetic analysis, it was shown that Ascomycota and Pezizomycotina was widely distributed both in S. japonica and C. scabrifolia. Also, Sordariomycetes, Dothideomycetes and Eurotiomycetes were shown to be distributed in these halophytes used in this experiment.

Plant Growth-Promoting Activity of Endophytic Fungi Isolated from the Roots of Native Plants in Dokdo Islands

독도에 자생하고 있는 6 종류의 식물뿌리로부터 내생균을 분리하였다. 동도에서 갯제비쑥, 명아주, 까마중과 서도에서 도깨비쇠고비, 술패랭이 그리고 번행초를 연구재료로 사용하였다. 총 32 종의 내생균을 분리하였고, universal primers ITS1과 ITS4를 사용하여 ITS 영역을 PCR로 증폭하여 동정하였다. 염기서열 분석결과, 6 종류의 식물의 뿌리에서 모두 32종류의 다양한 내생균류를 분리 및 동정 할 수 있었다. 독도 자생식물인 갯제비쑥 4종, 명아주 8종, 까마중 3종, 도깨비쇠고비 3종, 술패랭이 3종, 번행초 11종의 내생균이 분리되었다. 내생균들의 배양여액은 식물생장촉진활성을 확인하기 위하여 난장이벼의 유묘에 처리되었다. 그 결과, 명아주에서 분리된 Ca-5-2-2 균주가 우수하게 식물생장촉진활성을 나타내었다. 그리고 독도에 자생하는 6종류의 식물에서 Penicillium sp.와 Fusarium sp. 그리고 Aspergillus sp.의 내생균이 가장 많이 존재함을 알 수 있었다. 【Endophytic fungal strains were isolated from the roots of six species plants in the Dokdo islands. Native plant samples, such as Artemisia japonica, Chenopodium album and Solanum nigrum were isolated from Dongdo, and those such as Cyrtomium falcatum, Dianthus longicalyx and Tetragonia tetragonoides were isolated from Seodo. In total, thirty two fungal strains were isolated from these native plants. To identify the fungal strains, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of internal transcribed spacer (ITS: containing ITS1, 5.8s and ITS2 region) regions was done with universal primers ITS1 and ITS4. Endophytic fungi of four species were isolated from A. japonica, eight species from C. album, three species from S. nigrum, three species from C. falcatum, three species from D. longicalyx and eleven species from T. tetragonoides. Culture filtrates (CF) of isolated endophytic fungi were used to treatwaito-c rice seedlings to test plant growth-promoting activity. As a result of bioassay, Ca-5-2-2 strain isolated from C. album expressed highest plant growth-promotion activity. Of all the endophytic fungi isolated, Penicillium sp., Fusarium sp. and Aspergillus sp. were the most abundantly distributed fungal strains in the six plants used in this study.】

Gibberellin A 4 Producted by Fusarium solani Isolated from the Roots of Suaeda japonica Makino

Ten endophytic fungi with different colony morphologies were isolated from the roots of Suaeda japonica Makino growing naturally in Suncheon Bay. Plant growth promotion was verified by treating waito-c rice seedlings with culture filtrates from the endophytic fungi. The bioassays showed that the Sj/7/4 fungal strain induced effective growth promotion in the seedlings. The gibberellins (GA) produced by fungal strain Sj/7/4 were analyzed by gas chromatography /mass spectroscopy with selected ion monitoring (GC/MS SIM). The culture filtrate of Sj/7/4 fungal strain was confirmed to contain through quantitative analysis. The Sj/7/4 fungal strain was identified to determine the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions with universal primers ITS-1 and ITS-4 by using polymerase chain reactions (PCR). Molecular analysis of the Sj/7/4 fungal strain showed high similarity to Fusarium solani. The Sj/7/4 fungal strain isolated from the root of S. japonica was therefore designated as F. solani Sj/7/4.