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Inter species variations in cultivable endophytic fungal diversity among the tropical seagrasses

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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India Section B: Biological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Seagrasses thriving in the marine environment are inhabited with rich endophytic assemblages which are less explored globally. The present study isolated and identified 42 culture dependent endophytic fungi through internal transcribed spacer (ITS1–ITS4) sequences and their phylogenetic placement was ascertained. Among the 42 culturable endophytic fungal isolates, 25 were identified up to species level, 15 to the genera level and 2 to the order level. Fungal taxa were represented by 13 genera (Penicillium, Eupenicillium, Paecilomyces, Aspergillus, Fennellia, Talaromyces, Eurotium, Teratosphaeria, Cladosporium, Alternaria, Cochliobolus, Phialophora and Simplicillium) belonging to the phylum Ascomycota, except Rhizomucor (Seagrass Endophyte—SGE 39) which belonged to Glomeromycota. Of these, 34 were Eurotiomycetes, 4 were Dothideomycetes and 3 were Sordariomycetes. Dothideomycetes are represented mostly by sterile mycelial forms and have only been identified by DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) sequence analysis. Penicillium and Aspergillus were encountered more frequently among all the seagrasses. Seven fungal genera namely Eurotium, Eupenicillium, Teratosphaeria, Simplicillium, Cochliobolus, Rhizomucor and Fennelia are reported for the first time as endophytes from seagrasses. The present study reports subtle variations in distribution of endophytic population in the tropical seagrases.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Director and Dean, Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences and the authorities of the Annamalai University for providing the necessary facilities to carry out this work. One of the authors Dr. S. Raja thanks the Space Application Centre for the financial support in the form of fellowship through funded project. The views and contents of the manuscript are of the individual authors and not reflecting the organization they belong.

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  1. Thangaradjou Thirunavukarassu

    Present address: Science and Engineering Research Board, New Delhi, 110070, India

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Annamalai University, Parangipettai, Tamil Nadu, 608 502, India

    Raja Subrmaniyan, Subhashini Ponnambalam & Thangaradjou Thirunavukarassu

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  1. Raja Subrmaniyan
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  2. Subhashini Ponnambalam
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Correspondence to Thangaradjou Thirunavukarassu.

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Subrmaniyan, R., Ponnambalam, S. & Thirunavukarassu, T. Inter species variations in cultivable endophytic fungal diversity among the tropical seagrasses. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., India, Sect. B Biol. Sci. 88, 849–857 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-016-0817-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-016-0817-9

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