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Hypoxylon sp., an Endophyte of Persea indica, Producing 1,8-Cineole and Other Bioactive Volatiles with Fuel Potential

  • Fungal Microbiology
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Abstract

An endophytic fungus of Persea indica was identified, on the basis of its anamorphic stage, as Nodulosporium sp. by SEM. Partial sequence analysis of ITS rDNA revealed the identity of the teleomorphic stage of the fungus as Hypoxylon sp. It produces an impressive spectrum of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), most notably 1,8-cineole, 1-methyl-1,4-cyclohexadiene, and tentatively identified (+)-.alpha.-methylene-.alpha.-fenchocamphorone, among many others, most of which are unidentified. Six-day-old cultures of Hypoxylon sp. displayed maximal VOC-antimicrobial activity against Botrytis cinerea, Phytophthora cinnamomi, Cercospora beticola, and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum suggesting that the VOCs may play some role in the biology of the fungus and its survival in its host plant. Media containing starch- or sugar-related substrates best supported VOC production by the fungus. Direct on-line quantification of VOCs was measured by proton transfer mass spectrometry covering a continuous range with optimum VOC production occurred at 6 days at 145 ppmv with a rate of production of 7.65 ppmv/h. This report unequivocally demonstrates that 1,8-cineole (a monoterpene) is produced by a microorganism, which represents a novel and important source of this compound. This monoterpene is an octane derivative and has potential use as a fuel additive as do the other VOCs of this organism. Thus, fungal sourcing of this compound and other VOCs as produced by Hypoxylon sp. greatly expands their potential applications in medicine, industry, and energy production.

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Acknowledgments

The author’s acknowledge the financial support of the National Science Foundation and DoE grants CBET-0802666 to GAS and NSF grant EFRI-0937613 to Brent Peyton at MSU. Also support was provided by an NSSEFF grant from the Department of Defense to Scott Strobel at Yale University. It is noted that D.E., O.L., and D.E. were responsible for the molecular genetics reported in this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA

    Angela R. Tomsheck, Gary A. Strobel & Eric Booth

  2. Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84602, USA

    Brad Geary

  3. Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Dan Spakowicz

  4. Department of Chemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA

    Berk Knighton & Cody Floerchinger

  5. Center for Lab Services/RJ Lee Group, 2710 North 20th Ave, Pasco, WA, 99301, USA

    Joe Sears

  6. Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, 50250, Israel

    Orna Liarzi & David Ezra

Authors
  1. Angela R. Tomsheck
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  2. Gary A. Strobel
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  10. David Ezra
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Correspondence to Gary A. Strobel.

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Tomsheck, A.R., Strobel, G.A., Booth, E. et al. Hypoxylon sp., an Endophyte of Persea indica, Producing 1,8-Cineole and Other Bioactive Volatiles with Fuel Potential. Microb Ecol 60, 903–914 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-010-9759-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-010-9759-6

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