AUTHOR=Tang Zizhong , Qin Yihan , Chen Wenhui , Zhao Zhiqiao , Lin Wenjie , Xiao Yirong , Chen Hong , Liu Yuntao , Chen Hui , Bu Tongliang , Li Qingfeng , Cai Yi , Yao Huipeng , Wan Yujun 

TITLE=Diversity, Chemical Constituents, and Biological Activities of Endophytic Fungi Isolated From Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.771000

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2021.771000

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>The objective of this study was to evaluate the diversity of endophytic fungi of different parts of <italic>Ligusticum chuanxiong</italic> Hort (CX) and further characterize their biological activities and identify chemical compounds produced by these endophytic fungi. A total of 21 endophytic fungi were isolated and identified from CX. <italic>Penicillium oxalicum</italic>, <italic>Simplicillium</italic> sp., and <italic>Colletotrichum</italic> sp. were identified as promising strains by the color reaction. Comparing different organic extracts of the three strains, it was observed that the ethyl acetate extract of <italic>Penicillium oxalicum</italic> and <italic>Simplicillium</italic> sp. and the <italic>n</italic>-butanol extract of <italic>Colletotrichum</italic> sp. showed significant antioxidant and antibacterial activities. The ethyl acetate extracts of <italic>Penicillium oxalicum</italic> had outstanding antioxidant and antibacterial effects, and its radical scavenging rates for ABTS and DPPH were 98.43 ± 0.006% and 90.11 ± 0.032%, respectively. At the same time, their IC<sub>50</sub> values were only 0.18 ± 0.02 mg/mL and 0.04 ± 0.003 mg/mL. The ethyl acetate extract of <italic>Penicillium oxalicum</italic> showed MIC value of only 0.5 mg/mL against <italic>Escherichia coli</italic> and <italic>Staphylococcus aureus</italic>. By liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), we found that <italic>Penicillium oxalicum</italic> could produce many high-value polyphenols, such as hesperidin (36.06 μmol/g), ferulic acid (1.17 μmol/g), and alternariol (12.64 μmol/g), which can be a potential resource for the pharmaceutical industry. In conclusion, these results increase the diversity of CX endophytic fungi and the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of their secondary metabolites.</p>