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Fungal Endophyte Diversity and Bioactivity in the Mediterranean Cypress Cupressus sempervirens

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Abstract

Fungal endophytes were isolated from the Mediterranean cypress Cupressus sempervirens. Eleven taxa of fungi, all within the Ascomycota, were identified based on PCR amplification and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS rDNA) with taxonomic identity assigned using the NCBI nucleotide megablast search tool. The endophytic fungi included Alternaria multiformis, Didymella sp., Phoma sp., Phoma herbarum, Pyrenochaeta sp. (Dothideomycetes), Penicillium brevicompactum, Talaromyces sp. (Eurotiomycetes), Ascorhizoctonia sp. (Pezizomycetes), Thielavia microspora, and Thielavia spp. (Sordariomycetes). Considering the former findings in US, this indicates that similar ascomycetous classes of fungi, all from Pezizomycotina, associate with the healthy Cupressaceous trees in Iran. The recovered endophytes produced antifungal and antiproliferative metabolites which may contribute to the protection and survival of the host. We speculate that endophyte-infected C. sempervirens may benefit from their fungal associates by their influence on the ecology and biotic stress tolerance of the host plant. Moreover, a novel niche for the identified fungal species is being introduced.

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Acknowledgments

We are thankful to Dr. Soheila Mirzaei (PhD), Freydoun Babalhavaeji, and Dr. Javad Hamzei (PhD) at Bu-Ali Sina University (BASU), Hamedan, Iran for their technical assistances. We also thank Dr. Omid Eini Gandomani (PhD) (Zanjan University, Zanjan, Iran) for his helpful comments on the manuscript. Dr. Jafar Abdollahzadeh (PhD) (Kurdistan University, Sanandaj, Iran) and Dr. Salar Jamali (PhD) (Guilan University, Rasht, Iran) are highly appreciated for their generous gift of the target fungi. This work was financially supported by Bu-Ali BioNanoTechnology Co. (BABiNT), and partially by a grant from BASU to J.S. Jalal Soltani dedicates this work to Mahmoud Khan-Mohammadi and the memories of Baghche-ye Makkarechi.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Phytopathology Department, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran

    Jalal Soltani & Mahdieh S. Hosseyni Moghaddam

  2. Bu-Ali BioNanoTechnology Co. (BABiNT), Hamedan, Iran

    Jalal Soltani

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  1. Jalal Soltani
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  2. Mahdieh S. Hosseyni Moghaddam
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Correspondence to Jalal Soltani.

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Jalal Soltani and Mahdieh S. Hosseyni Moghaddam have contributed equally to this work.

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Soltani, J., Hosseyni Moghaddam, M.S. Fungal Endophyte Diversity and Bioactivity in the Mediterranean Cypress Cupressus sempervirens . Curr Microbiol 70, 580–586 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-014-0753-y

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