ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF ENDOPHYTIC FUNGI WITH ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES FROM THE LEAVES OF ELAEOCARPUS SPHAERICUS (GAERTN.) K. SCHUM. AND MYRISTICA FRAGRANS HOUTT.

Endophyte fungi reside in the tissues beneath the epidermal cell layers and live within a plant for at least part of its life without causing apparent diseases. Eight morphologically distinct endophytic fungi were selected from the medicinal plants Elaeocarpus sphaericus coded as ELSPF 1 to 4 and Myristica fragrans coded as MYFRF 1 to 4. The highest colonization frequencies (CF %) were found to be 12.69%, and 8.33% for ELSPF 1 and MYFRF 2. Internal transcribed spacer- polymerase chain was performed for molecular identification and ~600 bp amplified products were obtained. The sequences were analysed by BLAST and the phylogenetic tree was constructed with neighbour joining method. The fungi were cultured on Potato Dextrose broth for production metabolites. The metabolites were extracted with ethyl acetate and constituent phytochemicals were analyzed. The crude extracts were tested for antimicrobial activity by agar well diffusion method. The test organisms used for the antimicrobial activity studies were E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebliella pneumonia. The ethyl acetate extracts of all endophytic fungi showed antimicrobial activity except MYFRF-1 against E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebliella pneumonia.