Abstract:
Endophytes are micro-symbionts living within other higher organisms contributing to beneficial properties for survival. These endophytes could either be fungi or bacteria. Seaweeds, on the other hand, have reported to be carrying a plethora of bioactive compounds, which have produced medicinal drugs. Marine micro biome had not been explored well enough in comparison to terrestrial micro biome. Hypothesizing, the endophytes of seaweeds would have the potential to possess novel compounds with pharmaceutical properties, several research have been carried out globally. This research has reported antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antitumor and antioxidant activities. Citrinal, Niger as perones, Chrysin, and As perversin, along with many more novel secondary metabolite structures have been reported to exert these beneficial properties. As Sri Lanka is an Island nation, and a biodiversity hotspot, the aim of the ongoing project is to isolate fungal endophytes from marine seaweeds from three different coastal locations, and investigate their anti-bacterial effects against four pathogenic bacterial species. Of the collected 5 seaweeds from the different coastal areas (Galle, Colombo and Negombo) 12 species have been isolated. Currently, ethyl acetate extraction of secondary metabolites of the 12isolates is being carried out. The positive results in terms of anti-bacterial effects of the secondary metabolites of fungal endophytes and chemical characterization of the extracted metabolites, may pave the pathway to sustainable production of novel antibiotics using available natural resources.
Page(s):
36-36
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: 1st International Conference on "Recent Advances in Green Biotechnology and Climate Resilience", September 15-16, 2025, Volume: 1, Issue: 1, Year: 2025