Chemical analysis of endophytic fungi isolated from mangrove trees in Playa San Pedro Nature Reserve, Buenaventura, Valle del Cauca, Colombia

Abstract

Endophytic fungi are well known for their association with a wide variety of plant species, likewise, mangrove plants are well known for harboring a vast variety of fungi with a valuable diversity of bioactive compounds originating from the secondary metabolism that is synthesized in part as a response to the chemical defense against microorganisms, hostile environments, and antagonistic insects. The objective of the present study was to analyze the chemical composition of endophytic fungi isolated from mangrove trees in Buenaventura, Colombia. Analyses of DNA sequences from the internal transcribed spacer ribosomal nuclear region (ITS) were conducted to determine the fungi’s identity. The results revealed 17 isolates, belonging to eight fungal families. All isolates were subjected to thin-layer chromatography analysis, observing different phytochemical nuclei eluted in the system (7: 3 hexane: acetone), of these, 23 compounds were recognized using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry; cytotoxicity tests were carried out in human foreskin fibroblast cell line, which did not show a trend in cell viability. The selected endophytic fungi derived from mangrove trees reveal the presence of different chemical compounds, representing an alternative resource of great interest in bioprospecting and bioremediation.