Characterization of an endophytic whorl-forming Streptomyces from Catharanthus roseus stems producing polyene macrolide antibiotic

Can J Microbiol. 2012 May;58(5):617-27. doi: 10.1139/w2012-034. Epub 2012 Apr 23.

Abstract

An endophytic whorl-forming Streptomyces sp. designated as TS3RO having antifungal activity against a large number of fungal pathogens, including Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Rhizoctonia solani, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Cryphonectria parasitica, Fusarium oxysporum, Pyrenophora tritici-repentis, Epidermophyton floccosum, and Trichophyton rubrum, was isolated from surface-sterilized Catharanthus roseus stems. Preliminary identification showed that Streptomyces cinnamoneus subsp. sparsus was its closest related species. However, strain TS3RO could readily be distinguished from this species using a combination of phenotypic properties, 16S rDNA sequence similarity, and phylogenetic analyses. Thus, the whorl-forming Streptomyces sp. strain TS3RO is likely a new subspecies within the Streptomyces cinnamoneus group. Direct bioautography on a thin-layer chromatography plate with Cladosporium cucumerinum was conducted throughout the purification steps for bioassay-guided isolation of the active antifungal compounds from the crude extract. Structural elucidation of the isolated bioactive compound was obtained via LC-MS spectrometry, UV-visible spectra, and nuclear magnetic resonance data. It revealed that fungichromin, a known methylpentaene macrolide antibiotic, was the main antifungal component of TS3RO strain, as shown by thin-layer chromatography bioautography. This is the first report of an endophytic whorl-forming Streptomyces isolated from the medically important plant Catharanthus roseus.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antifungal Agents / isolation & purification*
  • Antifungal Agents / metabolism
  • Catharanthus / microbiology*
  • Chromatography, Thin Layer
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Fermentation
  • Macrolides / isolation & purification*
  • Macrolides / metabolism
  • Phylogeny
  • Polyenes / isolation & purification
  • Polyenes / metabolism
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Streptomyces / chemistry*
  • Streptomyces / genetics
  • Streptomyces / isolation & purification

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Macrolides
  • Polyenes
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
  • fungichromin