Rare actinomycetes Nocardia caishijiensis and Pseudonocardia carboxydivorans as endophytes, their bioactivity and metabolites evaluation.

Two strains identified as Nocardia caishijiensis (SORS 64b) and Pseudonocardia carboxydivorans (AGLS 2) were isolated as endophytes from Sonchus oleraceus and Ageratum conyzoides respectively. The analysis of their extracts revealed them to be strongly bioactive. The N. caishijiensis extract gave an LC50 of 570 µg/ml(-1) in the brine shrimp cytotoxicity assay and an EC50 of 0.552 µg/ml(-1) in the DPPH antioxidant assay. Antimicrobial activity was observed against Methicillin resistant Staphlococcus aureus (MRSA) and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 (14 mm), Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 706003 (13 mm), S. aureus ATCC 25923 (11 mm) and Candida tropicalis (20 mm). For the extract of P. carboxydivorans the EC50 was 0.670 µg/ml(-1) and it was observed to be more bioactive against Bacillus subtilis DSM 10 ATCC 6051 (21 mm), C. tropicalis (20 mm), S. aureus ATCC 25923 (17 mm), MRSA (17 mm), E. coli K12 (W1130) (16 mm) and Chlorella vulgaris (10 mm). The genotoxicity testing revealed a 20 mm zone of inhibition against the polA mutant strain E. coli K-12 AB 3027 suggesting damage to the DNA and polA genes. The TLC and bioautography screening revealed a diversity of active bands of medium polar and nonpolar compounds. Metabolite analysis by HPLC-DAD via UV/vis spectral screening suggested the possibility of stenothricin and bagremycin A in the mycelium extract of N. caishijiensis respectively. In the broth and mycelium extract of P. carboxydivorans borrelidin was suggested along with α-pyrone. The HPLC-MS revealed bioactive long chained amide derivatives such as 7-Octadecenamide, 9, 12 octadecandienamide. This study reports the rare actinomycetes N. caishijiensis and P. carboxydivorans as endophytes and evaluates their bioactive metabolites.

The plant cell defense and Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

We previously identified changes in gene expression in Ageratum conyzoides plant cells inoculated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens by using cDNA-AFLP. Here, we show that a subset of defense-related genes is differentially regulated by an Agrobacterium attachment-deficient mutant. The expression pattern triggered by this mutant is similar to that induced by inoculation with non-pathogenic bacteria. We also observed that the expression level of the defense genes was inversely correlated with the efficiency of transformation by Agrobacterium. We propose that the plant defense system has an important role in controlling infection and transformation and that Agrobacterium may dampen some plant defense responses.

Allelopathic potential and chemical constituents of volatiles from Ageratum conyzoides under stress.

The allelopathic potential of Ageratum conyzoides was investigated under different environmental stress conditions, including nutrient deficiency. physical damage, 2.4-D treatment, competition with Bidens pilosa, infection with Erysiphe cichoracearum, and feeding by Aphiids gossypii. The inhibitory effects of A. conyzoides volatiles on peanut (Arachis hypogaea), redroot amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), and ryegrass (Lolium multiforum) increased when plants were grown under nutrient-deficient conditions or in competition with B. pilosa; however, there was no difference with physical damage or 2.4-D treatment. Phytoinhibitory effects decreased under fungal infection and aphid feeding. Volatiles from A. conyzoides plants infected with E. cichoracearum or exposed to A. gossypii feeding inhibited or killed fungi and insects. Precocenes and their derivatives, monoterpenes, and sesquiterpenes were the major volatile components of A. conyzoides.