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An Endophytic Phomopsis sp. Possessing Bioactivity and Fuel Potential with its Volatile Organic Compounds

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Abstract

An unusual Phomopsis sp. was isolated as endophyte of Odontoglossum sp. (Orchidaceae), associated with a cloud forest in Northern Ecuador. This fungus produces a unique mixture of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including sabinene (a monoterpene with a peppery odor) only previously known from higher plants. In addition, some of the other more abundant VOCs recorded by GC/MS in this organism were 1-butanol, 3-methyl; benzeneethanol; 1-propanol, 2-methyl and 2-propanone. The gases of Phomopsis sp. possess antifungal properties and an artificial mixture of the VOCs mimicked the antibiotic effects of this organism with the greatest bioactivity against a wide range of plant pathogenic test fungi including: Pythium, Phytophthora, Sclerotinia, Rhizoctonia, Fusarium, Botrytis, Verticillium, and Colletotrichum. The IC50 values for the artificial gas mixture of Phomopsis sp. varied between 8 and 25.65 μl/mL. Proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry monitored the concentration of VOCs emitted by Phomopsis sp. and yielded a total VOC concentration of ca. 18 ppmv in the head space at the seventh day of incubation at 23°C on PDA. As with many VOC-producing endophytes, this Phomopsis sp. did survive and grow in the presence of the inhibitory gases of Muscodor albus. A discussion is presented on the possible involvement of VOC production by the fungus and its role in the biology/ecology of the fungus/plant/environmental relationship.

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Acknowledgements

SKS is thankful to the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), the Government of India, New Delhi, for the award of an DBT Overseas Associateship in the Niche Area of Biotechnology [No.BT/IN/BTOA/NICHE/2006 dt.13.02.2008] to study at MSU, USA and to the Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi for providing financial support for setting up National Facility for Culture Collection of Fungi [No. SP/SO/PS-55/2005] at MACS'Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, India, and to the Director, MACS'ARI for granting permission to work at MSU. GAS is grateful to the NSF and DoE for providing research funds to carry out this project. Mr. Mark Raymond of Bozeman High School did the hand drawing of Phomopsis sp.

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Author notes

  1. Sanjay K. Singh

    Present address: National Facility for Culture Collection of Fungi, Mycology and Plant Pathology Group, MACS’Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, 411004, India

Authors and Affiliations

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

    Sanjay K. Singh & Gary A. Strobel

  2. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA

    Berk Knighton

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

    Brad Geary

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

    Joe Sears

  5. Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, ARO, The Volcani Center, P.O.B. 6, Bet –Dagan, 50250, Israel

    David Ezra

Authors
  1. Sanjay K. Singh
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  2. Gary A. Strobel
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  3. Berk Knighton
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  4. Brad Geary
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  5. Joe Sears
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  6. David Ezra
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gary A. Strobel.

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Singh, S.K., Strobel, G.A., Knighton, B. et al. An Endophytic Phomopsis sp. Possessing Bioactivity and Fuel Potential with its Volatile Organic Compounds. Microb Ecol 61, 729–739 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-011-9818-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-011-9818-7

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