Figueroa-Negrón, Verónica

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    Endophytic fungi associated with the black mangrove Avicennia germinans in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico: Their antimicrobial potential
    (2018-05) Figueroa-Negrón, Verónica; Cafaro, Matías J.; College of Arts and Sciences - Sciences; Ríos Velázquez, Carlos; Maldonado Ramírez, Sandra L.; Vélez Díaz, Ana; Department of Biology; Curbelo, Jaime E.
    The search for new antimicrobial compounds has been of great interest in recent years. These compounds are naturally produced by microorganisms including endophytic fungi isolated from mangroves. This study focuses on endophytic fungi isolated from leaves and seeds of the black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) from Bahía Salinas, Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. We isolated 20 genera of fungal endophytes from which nine identified strains were tested for antimicrobial secondary metabolite production. Fungal strains from Penicillium (BSI-HV-1(2)) sp., Aspergillus flavus (BSI-HV-2(1)), Aspergillus clavatus (BSI(MH)-HJ-2(1)), Stereum (BSI-R-2(1)) sp., Nigrospora (Khuskia oryzae) (BSI(1.5)-HJ-2(1)), Purpureocillium (BSII(3.5)-R-3(2)) sp., Simplicillium (BSI(1.5)-R-1(1)) sp., Hortaea (BSII(3.5)-HC-1(2)) sp. and Bionectria (BSI(MH)-HC-3(1)) sp. were selected for analysis. Four bacterial strains: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas sp., Serratia sp. and Staphylococcus sp. and two yeast strains of Candida albicans and C. tropicalis were used to perform bioassays (ATCC certified strains). Growth curves were prepared for yeasts and bacteria. Fungal extracts were added after lag, exponential and stationary growth phases of each bacteria and yeast culture. Our results showed that A. flavus (BSI-HV-2(1)) and A. clavatus (BSI(MH)-HJ-2(1)) extracts strongly decreased the growth of C. albicans, P. aeruginosa, and E. coli. Only A. flavus (BSI-HV-2(1)) decreased the growth of C. tropicalis. Stereum (BSI-R-2(1)) sp. enhanced the growth of E. coli and A. flavus (BSI-HV-2(1)) enhanced the growth of S. aureus. These results could open a way for future discoveries of new antimicrobial or antifungal compounds from the black mangrove endophytes in Puerto Rico.