Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2012, 13(12), 16255-16266; doi:10.3390/ijms131216255
Communication

Isolation and Characterization of Saponin-Producing Fungal Endophytes from Aralia elata in Northeast China

Hao Wuemail, Hongyan Yangemail, Xiangling Youemail and Yuhua Li* email
College of Life Sciences/Daqing Bio-tech Research Institute, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, Heilongjiang, China
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 9 October 2012; in revised form: 2 November 2012 / Accepted: 5 November 2012 / Published: 30 November 2012
(This article belongs to the Section Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics)
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Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the diversity of endophytic fungi of Aralia elata distributed in Northeast China as well as their capacity to produce saponins. Ninety-six strains of endophytic fungi were isolated, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing were employed to identify the isolates. The saponin concentrations of the culture filtrates of representative strains were measured. The agar diffusion method was used to test antimicrobial activity, while high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed to identify the saponins produced by representative strains. Alternaria, Botryosphaeria, Camarosporium, Cryptosporiopsis, Diaporthe, Dictyochaeta, Penicillium, Fusarium, Nectria, Peniophora, Schizophyllum, Cladosporium and Trichoderma species were isolated in this study. Overall, 25% of the isolates belonged to Diaporthe (Diaporthe eres), and 12.5% belonged to Alternaria. The highest concentration of saponins was produced by G22 (2.049 mg/mL). According to the results of the phylogenetic analysis, G22 belonged to the genus Penicillium. The culture filtrate of G22 exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, and ginsenosides Re and Rb2 were detected in G22 culture filtrates by HPLC.
Keywords: endophytic fungi; saponin; Aralia elata; microbial diversity

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MDPI and ACS Style

Wu, H.; Yang, H.; You, X.; Li, Y. Isolation and Characterization of Saponin-Producing Fungal Endophytes from Aralia elata in Northeast China. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2012, 13, 16255-16266.

AMA Style

Wu H, Yang H, You X, Li Y. Isolation and Characterization of Saponin-Producing Fungal Endophytes from Aralia elata in Northeast China. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2012; 13(12):16255-16266.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Wu, Hao; Yang, Hongyan; You, Xiangling; Li, Yuhua. 2012. "Isolation and Characterization of Saponin-Producing Fungal Endophytes from Aralia elata in Northeast China." Int. J. Mol. Sci. 13, no. 12: 16255-16266.

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