Diverse biological activities and secondary metabolites profile of Penicillium brevicompactum HE19ct isolated from the high-Andean medicinal plant Perezia coerulescens.

Endophytic fungi produced attractive primary and secondary metabolites for industries, pharmacology, and biotechnology. The bioactive potential of HE19ct, identified as Penicillium brevicompactum according to ITS-BenA-caM, was addressed. Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities and secondary metabolite contents using four culture media in Agar-plate (ApF) and Submerged (SmF) fermentation were evaluated. Some plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits and their related genes were tested. HE19ct exhibited antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, Fusarium sp., Geotrichum candidum, and Alternaria sp. All cultures showed DPPH scavenging activity and phenolic compounds, where ethyl acetate extract of SmF with malt extract showed higher activity and SmF/ApF with potato-dextrose exhibited higher yield, respectively. HE19ct solubilized tricalcium-phosphate and produced siderophore, endoglucanase, proteinase, and amylase. It enhanced the alfalfa's germination at 15 °C, root development, and phenols production at 15 and 24 °C. Phenols, tannins, anthraquinones, triterpenoids/steroids, and alkaloids production were detected depending on culture media. Polyketide synthase type I gene (PksI), subtilisin-like protease prb 1 (Pbr), and siderophore D (sidD) were PCR-amplified. Finally, HE19CT could be a promising source of interesting bioactive compounds for pharmacology and agriculture mainly in extreme conditions, then metabolomic and functional genetic research must be performed to support their appropriate application.

Diversity of endophytic plant-growth microorganisms from Gentianella weberbaueri and Valeriana pycnantha, highland Peruvian medicinal plants.

Microbial diversity in Peruvian mountain areas is poorly know, specially endophytic microorganisms of medicinal native plants from the Cordillera Blanca. So, nine bacterial and six fungal species were isolated from Gentianella weberbaueri and Valeriana pycnantha. According to 16S rDNA analysis, bacterial strains belong to genera Rahnella, Pseudomonas, Serratia, Rouxiella, and Bacillus; while ITS analysis showed that fungi belong to Pyrenochaeta, Scleroconidioma, Cryptococcus, and Plenodomus genera. Rahnella sp. GT24B and P. trivialis VT20B solubilized tricalcium phosphate and produced siderophores at 10 and 24 °C. Five bacteria strains produced indol-3-acetic acid (IAA) at 10 and 24 °C, where Rahnella sp. VT19B showed more production at 10 °C than 24 °C. Rahnella sp. GT24B, Serratia sp. VT28B, and Rahnella sp. GT25B inhibited Fusarium oxysporum growth up to 100, 78 and 74 %, respectively. R. inusitata VT25B and B. licheniformis GT10B showed high cellulolytic and proteolytic activities. On the other hand, only a few fungi moderately inhibited growth of F. oxysporum, and produced siderophores and cellulases. Most of bacteria inoculated on Medicago sativa "alfalfa" and Triticum aestivum "wheat" seeds got better root development, especially Rahnella sp. GT24B, Rouxiella sp.VT24B, Serratia sp. VT28B, and Rahnella sp. VT34B. Finally, this study is the first report of endophytic microorganisms associated to wild medicinal high-mountain Peruvian plants and it show a valuable microbial diversity and its possible role in promoting growth of crops and wild medicinal plants.

Microorganismos tolerantes a metales pesados del pasivo minero Santa Rosa, Jangas (Perú) / Heavy metals tolerant microorganisms from mine tailing wastelands Santa Rosa, Jangas (Peru)

En el presente trabajo estudiamos el grado de tolerancia a metales pesados de hongos y bacterias aisladas de suelos con y sin rizósfera, con el propósito de conocer su potencial para aplicaciones en biorremediación. Las muestras procedían del pasivo minero de Santa Rosa de Jangas. Los hongos y bacterias aislados fueron identificados taxonómicamente mediante el análisis de la región ITS y 16S ADNr, respectivamente. El índice de tolerancia a metales pesados se calculó usando medio salino suplementado con 1 mM a plomo (II), cobre (II), niquel (II) o zinc (II), y 0.1 mM a plata (I), cromo (VI) o cadmio (II). En total se aislaron 23 hongos y 18 bacterias. Las cepas de hongos con mejores índices de tolerancia fueron: Fusarium temperatum CTLM05 (Pb+2), Fusarium temperatum CTLM08 (Zn+2), Fusarium oxysporum CTLM18 (Ni+2 y Cd+2), Fusarium oxysporum CTLM12 (Ag+1), Fusarium inflexum CTLM22 (Cu+2) y Penicillium vanluykii CTLM11 (Cr+6). Las cepas de bacterias con mayores índices de tolerancia fueron Bacillus licheniformis SSR18 (Cd+2, Ni+2 y Zn+2), Bacillus subtilis SSR3 (Pb+2), Serratia sp. SSR15 (Cu+2), Serratia sp. SSR13 (Ag+1) y Bacillus cereus SSR01 (Cr+6). También se encontró que los hongos mostraron mejores índices de tolerancia que las bacterias. Finalmente, los suelos del pasivo ambiental minero de Santa Rosa de Jangas poseen una microflora interesante, probablemente con mecanismos para su adaptación, crecimiento y desarrollo sobre metales pesados y pueden ser de utilidad para el desarrollo de procesos biotecnológicos y biorremediación.

In this work, we studied the degree of tolerance to heavy metals of fungi and bacteria isolated from soils with and without rhizosphere, in order to know its potential for applications in bioremediation. The samples came from Santa Rosa de Jangas mining liability. The fungi and bacterial strains were taxonomically identified by ITS region and 16S rDNA analysis, respectively. Heavy metal tolerance indices were calculate using salt medium supplemented with 1mM of lead (II), cupper (II), nickel (II) or zinc (II); and 0.1 mM of silver (I), chromium(VI) or cadmium (II). It was isolated 23 fungi and 18 bacteria strains. The fungi with better tolerance indices were Fusarium temperatum CTLM05 (Pb+2), Fusarium temperatum CTLM08 (Zn+2), Fusarium oxysporum CTLM18 (Ni+2 and Cd+2), Fusarium oxysporum CTLM12 (Ag+1), Fusarium inflexum CTLM22 (Cu+2), and Penicillium vanluykii CTLM11 (Cr+6). Likewise, the bacterial strains with better tolerance indices were Bacillus licheniformis SSR18 (Cd+2, Ni+2 and Zn+2), Bacillus subtilis SSR3 (Pb+2), Serratia sp. SSR15 (Cu+2), Serratia sp. SSR13 (Ag+1) and Bacillus cereus SSR01 (Cr+6). Too, it was found that fungi showed better tolerance indices than bacterial strains. Finally, the soil from Santa Rosa waste mine have an interesting microflora, probably with mechanisms for their adaptation, growth, and development were heavy metals are present and they could be useful to perform biotechnology and bioremediation processes.

Antimicrobial, antioxidant and phytochemical assessment of wild medicinal plants from Cordillera Blanca (Ancash, Peru) / Evaluación antimicrobiana, antioxidante y fitoquímico de plantas medicinales silvestres de la Cordillera Blanca (Ancash, Perú)

Twenty-eight native plants mainly used to cure diseases related to microbial infection and stress oxidative disorders were selected to test the antimicrobial activity against E. coli, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, B. subtilis, and C. albicans using diffusion and microdilution methods. The antioxidant activity was determined by scavenging DPPH free-radical and phytochemical evaluation was performed for plants with promising activities. Twenty-seven plants showed antibacterial activity, four had anti-Candida activity, and four showed antioxidant activity. It was found that Oreocallis grandiflora, Gentianella weberbaueri, Gamochaeta americana, Hypericum laricifolium, Loricaria ferruginea, Muehlenbeckia volcanica, and Oenothera multicaulis, showed promising biological activity and contained alkaloids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, catecholic or gallic tannins. This study leaves evidence about the medicinal potential of wild high-Andean plants; thus, further pharmacological, phytochemical, ecological and biotechnological studies will contribute to promote their conservation and sustainable use; especially since they are highly vulnerable and risk extinction.

Se seleccionó veintiocho plantas nativas usadas principalmente para tratarcurar enfermedades relacionadas principalmente con infecciones microbianas y desordenes oxidativos. A estas plantas se para ser evaluóados en su actividad antimicrobiana sobre E. coli, P. auriginosa, S. aureus, B. subtilis, y C. albicans usando métodos de difusión y microdilución. Se determinó la actividad antioxidante mediante el ensayo del libre radical DPPH y se realizó la evaluación fitoquímica de las plantas con actividades promisorias. Veinte siete plantas mostraron actividad antibacteriana, cuatro mostraron actividad anti-Candida, y cuatro actividad antioxidante. Oreocallis grandiflora, Gentianella weberbaueri, Gamochaeta americana, Hypericum laricifolium, Loricaria ferruginea, Muehlenbeckia volcanica, y Oenothera multicaulis mostraron actividad biológica promisoria, y se encontró que contienen alcaloides, compuestos fenólicos, flavonoides, taninos gálicos y catecólicos. Este estudio deja evidencia del potencial medicinal de las plantas silvestres alto andinas; por lo tanto, los estudios farmacológicos, fitoquímicos, ecológicos y biotecnológicos contribuirían en la promoción de su conservación y uso sustentable debido a su alta vulnerabilidad y riesgo de extinción.