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Diversity and physiological properties of root endophytic actinobacteria in native herbaceous plants of Korea

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Abstract

Endophytic actinobacterial diversity in the native herbaceous plant species of Korea was analyzed using a culture-based approach. Sixty one actinobacterial strains were isolated, and assigned to 15 genera based on 16S rRNA gene analysis. The members of the genus Streptomyces comprised 45.9% of the total isolates, followed by Micromonospora (18.8%), Rhodococcus (6.6%), Microbispora (4.9%), and Micrococcus (4.9%). Other minor constituents included members of Microbacterium, Streptacidiphilus, Arthrobacter, Dietzia, Kitasatospora, Herbiconiux, Mycobacterium, Nocardia, Rathayibacter, and Tsukamurella. Among the isolates, 65.6% exhibited at least one hydrolytic enzyme activity out of four, and 45.9% exhibited antagonistic activity against at least one fungal pathogen out of five, thus demonstrating that endophytic actinobacteria can be an important source of bioactive compounds. Notably, most strains of Streptomyces proved active for both enzymatic and antagonistic activities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 305-764, Republic of Korea

    Tae-Ui Kim, Sung-Heun Cho, Ji-Hye Han, Young Min Shin & Seung Bum Kim

  2. Environmental Microbiology Lab, Division of Applied Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, 500-757, Republic of Korea

    Hyang Burm Lee

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  1. Tae-Ui Kim
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  2. Sung-Heun Cho
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Correspondence to Seung Bum Kim.

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Kim, TU., Cho, SH., Han, JH. et al. Diversity and physiological properties of root endophytic actinobacteria in native herbaceous plants of Korea. J Microbiol. 50, 50–57 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-012-1417-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-012-1417-x

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