Bioprospecting of Fungal Endophytes in Hulimavu Lake for their Repertoire of Bioactive Compounds

Abstract

Fungal endophytes hold a prominent position in the research world, in part due to the rich repertoire of bioactive compounds useful for industrial and environmental applications. The present study aims at bioprospecting few endophytic fungi isolated from Hulimavu Lake flora (Bengaluru) for characterization of biological applications of their bioactive compounds. Among the lake plants screened, Alternanthera philoxeroides, Ricinus communis, and Persicaria glabra were taken forward for isolation of fungal endophytes. Subsequent biochemical analyses were performed to quantify few fungal enzymes and bioactive compounds that were followed by antimicrobial and cytotoxic assays. In conclusion, this pilot study aims to probe the plethora of bioactive compounds present in fungal endophytes that possess wide ranging biological properties. Due to species richness and diversity of fungal endophytes across different plant hosts and habitats, bioprospecting fungal endophytes remains as a very extensive yet promising topic for research, representing broad ranging environmental and industrial applications.