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Updated: Jan 22, 2026

Isolation, Characterization, and Total DNA Extraction to Identify Endophytic Fungi in Mycoheterotrophic Plants
Published on: May 5, 2023
Natural trypanocidal product produced by endophytic fungi through co-culturing
Jainara Santos do Nascimento1, Felipe Moura Silva1, Cynthia Alejandra Magallanes-Noguera2
1Organic Chemistry Department, Chemistry Institute, Federal University of Bahia, Barão de Jeremoabo, Salvador, Bahia, 40170-115, Brazil.
Abstract:
Endophytic fungi live inside vegetal tissues without causing damage to the host plant and may provide lead compounds for drug discovery. The co-culture of two or more endophytic fungi can trigger silent gene clusters, which could lead to the isolation of bioactive compounds. In this study, two endophytic strains isolated from Handroanthus impetiginosus leaves, identified as Talaromyces purpurogenus H4 and Phanerochaete sp. H2, were grown in mixed and axenic cultures. The meroterpenoid austin was detected only in the extracts from the mixed culture. Once isolated, austin displayed very interesting trypanocidal activity, with an IC50 value of 36.6 ± 1.2 μg/mL against Trypanosoma cruzi in the epimastigote form. The results obtained highlight the importance of the co-culturing of endophytic fungi to obtain natural bioactive products. The findings also enhance our understanding of the ecological relationships between endophytic fungi.
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