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Advances in Fungal Endophyte Research
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Advances in Fungal Endophyte Research

A special issue of Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2024) | Viewed by 6431

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Haiyan Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
Interests: plant endophyte fungal diversity; endophyte-plant interactions

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Endophytic fungi colonize inside plant tissue without causing any adverse effects or symptoms in their host. They are thought to provide several benefits to host plants and improve the host’s ability to adapt to abiotic and biotic stresses. Growing research suggests that endophytic fungi deeply affect plant physiology, development, and metabolism, which has become an indispensable subject in plant research. Endophytic fungi were reported to produce the same pharmacologically important compounds as their host, such as paclitaxel, camptothecin, dicatenarin and others, as well as various enzymes, such as acid proteases, fungal lipases, xylanases, and so on. Therefore, endophytic fungi have great potential for industrial applications in medicine, food, and energy. Furthermore, endophytic fungi bioremediate toxic, recalcitrant compounds by extracellular oxidation, intracellular oxidation, methylation, excretion and storage. Although endophytic fungi have so many potential uses, research on their potential applications is in general fundamental and inadequate. Moreover, most endophytic fungi with minor competitive strengths and more specialized requirements remain undiscovered in conventional cultivation-dependent studies, while DNA-based analysis is limited by insufficient sampling sizes, incorrect sequence data, and misinterpretation of analyses. Hence, studies on fungal endophytes are essential.

This Special Issue, entitled "Advances in Fungal Endophytes Research", aims to present recent research on any aspect of fungal endophytes. Some of its focal points include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Diversity and trait of fungal endophytes;
  2. Isolation and applications of secondary metabolites from fungal endophytes;
  3. Potential of fungal endophytes in sustainable agriculture, food, medicine, bioremediation and others;
  4. Cultivation technology and identification method of fungal endophytes;
  5. Functional genomics of fungal endophytes and their applications;
  6. Modification strategies and applications of fungal endophytes;
  7. The macromolecular mechanisms of plant–fungal endophyte interactions.

Reviews, original research, and communications are welcome for submission for this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Haiyan Li
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Fungi is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fungal endophytes
  • diversity
  • ecology
  • secondary metabolites
  • applications
  • functional genomics
  • modification strategies
  • interactions

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 3373 KiB  
Article
The Mechanisms of Cadmium Stress Mitigation by Fungal Endophytes from Maize Grains
by Muhammad Awais, Yingying Xiang, Dian Yang, Yibin Lai, Fenglian Cai, Naila Shah, Majid Khan and Haiyan Li
J. Fungi 2024, 10(8), 581; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10080581 - 16 Aug 2024
Viewed by 674
Abstract
Maize is a crucial staple crop that ensures global food security by supplying essential nutrients. However, heavy metal (HM) contamination inhibits maize growth, reduces output, and affects food security. Some endophytic fungi (EFs) in maize seeds have the potential to enhance growth and [...] Read more.
Maize is a crucial staple crop that ensures global food security by supplying essential nutrients. However, heavy metal (HM) contamination inhibits maize growth, reduces output, and affects food security. Some endophytic fungi (EFs) in maize seeds have the potential to enhance growth and increase dry biomass, offering a solution to mitigate the negative effect of HM contamination. Using these functional EFs could help maintain crop production and ensure food safety in HM-contaminated areas. In the present study, the diversity of EFs in corn grains from various HM-contaminated areas in China was studied through culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. We tested the plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits of several dominant culturable isolates and evaluated the growth-promoting effects of these twenty-one isolates through pot experiments. Both studies showed that HM contamination increased the diversity and richness of corn grain EFs and affected the most dominant endophytes. Nigrospora and Fusarium were the most prevalent culturable endophytes in HM-contaminated areas. Conversely, Cladosporium spp. were the most isolated endophytes in non-contaminated areas. Different from this, Saccharomycopsis and Fusarium were the dominant EFs in HM-contaminated sites, while Neofusicoccum and Sarocladium were dominant in non-contaminated sites, according to a culture-independent analysis. PGP trait tests indicated that 70% of the tested isolates (forty-two) exhibited phosphorus solubilization, IAA production, or siderophore production activity. Specifically, 90% of the tested isolates from HM-contaminated sites showed better PGP results than 45% of the isolates from non-contaminated sites. The benefit of the twenty-one isolates on host plant growth was further studied through pot experiments, which showed that all the isolates could improve host plant growth. Among them, strains derived from HM-contaminated sites, including AK18 (Nigrospora), AK32 (Beauveria), SD93 (Gibberellia), and SD64 (Fusarium), had notable effects on enhancing the dry biomass of shoots and roots of maize under Cd stress. We speculate that the higher ratio of PGP EFs in corn grains from HM-contaminated areas may explain their competitiveness in such extreme environments. Fusarium and Cladosporium isolates show high PGP properties, but they can also be phytopathogenic. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate their pathogenic properties and safety for crops before considering their practical use in agriculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fungal Endophyte Research)
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15 pages, 2168 KiB  
Article
Effects of Nitrogen Accumulation, Transportation, and Grain Nutritional Quality and Advances in Fungal Endophyte Research in Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) Plants
by Linghong Li, Zhijun Jiang, Xinhui Yang, Yulai Zhang, Jianxun Huang, Jing Dai, Hafeez Noor, Xiangyun Wu, Aixia Ren, Zhiqiang Gao and Min Sun
J. Fungi 2024, 10(7), 504; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10070504 - 21 Jul 2024
Viewed by 876
Abstract
This study aims to understand the influence of nitrogen accumulation, fungal endophyte, yield, nitrogen use efficiency, and grain nutritional quality parameters on the yield of quinoa in some areas of China. The endophytic microbial community in plants plays a crucial role in plant [...] Read more.
This study aims to understand the influence of nitrogen accumulation, fungal endophyte, yield, nitrogen use efficiency, and grain nutritional quality parameters on the yield of quinoa in some areas of China. The endophytic microbial community in plants plays a crucial role in plant growth, development, and health, especially in quinoa plants under different nitrogen fertilizer levels. The results from the present study indicated that appropriate nitrogen application significantly enhanced the nitrogen accumulation and yield of quinoa grains during maturity, increasing by 34.54–42.18% and 14.59–30.71%, respectively. Concurrently, protein content, amylose, total starch, ash, and fat content also increased, with respective growth rates of 1.15–18.18%, 30.74–42.53%, 6.40–12.40%, 1.94–21.94%, and 5.32–22.22%. Our constructed interaction network of bacterial and fungal communities revealed that bacteria outnumbered fungi significantly, and most of them exhibited synergistic interactions. The moderate increase in N150 was beneficial for increasing quinoa yield, achieving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of over 20%. The N210 was increased, and both the yield and NUE significantly decreased. This study provides novel insights into the impact of nitrogen fertilizer on quinoa growth and microbial communities, which are crucial for achieving agricultural sustainable development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fungal Endophyte Research)
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20 pages, 4228 KiB  
Article
Halophilomyces hongkongensis, a Novel Species and Genus in the Lulworthiaceae with Antibacterial Potential, Colonizing the Roots and Rhizomes of the Seagrass Halophila ovalis
by Xiao Wang, Lorenzo Pecoraro, Jiawei Chen, Yang Tang, Sangwook Lee, Sheng Chen and Hongbin Liu
J. Fungi 2024, 10(7), 474; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10070474 - 10 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1015
Abstract
Seagrass serves as a quintessential reservoir for obligate marine Lulworthiaceae fungi. Our current knowledge of the mycological diversity associated with seagrass in Hong Kong remains poor. We analyzed the diversity of fungi associated with the most widely distributed seagrass species in Hong Kong [...] Read more.
Seagrass serves as a quintessential reservoir for obligate marine Lulworthiaceae fungi. Our current knowledge of the mycological diversity associated with seagrass in Hong Kong remains poor. We analyzed the diversity of fungi associated with the most widely distributed seagrass species in Hong Kong Halophila ovalis (Hydrocharitaceae), using a combination of culture-based methods and high-throughput amplicon sequencing. Halophilomyces hongkongensis, a novel fungal species in a newly proposed genus within the Lulworthiaceae family, was isolated from H. ovalis roots and rhizomes. The novel fungus showed distinct morphological characteristics, while both combined 18S-28S and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) phylogenetic trees based on maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods supported its discrimination from other existing Lulworthiaceae members. The ITS2 region in the Illumina sequencing results of multiple H. ovalis compartments, water, and adjacent non-seagrass sediments revealed continuous recruitment of H. hongkongensis by H. ovalis throughout the year despite dramatically fluctuating environmental conditions, with remarkably high proportions of this taxon found in root and rhizome internal tissues, possibly indicating a strong and specialized relationship established between the Lulworthiaceae fungal partner and its seagrass host. The inhibitory abilities exhibited by H. hongkongensis against Staphylococcus aureus SA29213 and ATCC 43300 (methicillin-resistant) may imply its capacity in producing (novel) antibacterial compounds. The discovery of H. hongkongensis as the first novel Lulworthiaceae taxon in Hong Kong, along with its distributional pattern in the seagrass meadow, provides valuable insights into the systematics and ecology of this strictly marine fungal family. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fungal Endophyte Research)
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16 pages, 1878 KiB  
Article
Community Structure and Diversity of Endophytic Fungi in Cultivated Polygala crotalarioides at Two Different Growth Stages Based on Culture-Independent and Culture-Based Methods
by Kaize Shen, Yu Xiong, Yanfang Liu, Xingwang Fan, Rui Zhu, Zumao Hu, Congying Li and Yan Hua
J. Fungi 2024, 10(3), 195; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10030195 - 4 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1564
Abstract
Polygala crotalarioides, a perennial herbaceous plant found in southwest China, has the potential to be used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Endophytic fungi that reside within medicinal herbs play an important ecological role in their host plants and can serve as [...] Read more.
Polygala crotalarioides, a perennial herbaceous plant found in southwest China, has the potential to be used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Endophytic fungi that reside within medicinal herbs play an important ecological role in their host plants and can serve as a valuable source for identifying active components. However, little is known about the diversity, and structure of endophytic fungi in P. crotalarioides. In this study, we investigated the community structure and diversity of endophytic fungi in the leaves, stems, and roots of P. crotalarioides at both 1- and 2-year-growth stages using a modern culture-independent method using both culture-independent (high-throughput sequencing, HTS) and culture-based methods. Using HTS, our results revealed that the richness and diversity of endophytic fungi in P. crotalarioides varied depending on the organs and growth stages. Specifically, stems and leaves exhibited significantly higher diversity compared to roots. Additionally, the highest diversity of endophytic fungi was observed in the stems of the 2-year-old plants. At the genus level, Fusarium, Colletotrichum, and Phoma were the most abundant endophytic fungi in 1-year-old samples, while Cercospora, Apiotrichum, and Fusarium were prevalent in 2-year-old samples. A total of 55 endophytic fungal strains belonging to two phyla and 24 genera were isolated from 150 plant tissue segments using culture-based methods. The anti-acetylcholinesterase activity of these isolates was evaluated in vitro and five of them, Phialophora mustea PCAM010, Diaporthe nobilis PCBM027, Fusarium oxysporum LP41, F. oxysporum SR60, and Phoma herbarum SM81, showed strong activity (>50% inhibition rate). These findings will serve as a theoretical basis and practical guide for comprehending the structural composition, biological diversity and bioactivity of endophytic fungi in P. crotalarioides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fungal Endophyte Research)
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12 pages, 2285 KiB  
Article
The Relationship between Endophytic Fungi of Chimonanthus praecox and Volatile Metabolites under Different Circadian Rhythms and Blooming Stages
by Yue Li, Jingying Hei, Xiahong He, Rui Rui and Shu Wang
J. Fungi 2024, 10(2), 145; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10020145 - 11 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1558
Abstract
Chimonanthus praecox is an aromatic plant that flowers in winter. The composition of the floral volatiles of C. praecox is influenced by different blooming stages, circadian rhythms and species. However, the relationship between floral volatiles and plant endophytic fungi has not received much research [...] Read more.
Chimonanthus praecox is an aromatic plant that flowers in winter. The composition of the floral volatiles of C. praecox is influenced by different blooming stages, circadian rhythms and species. However, the relationship between floral volatiles and plant endophytic fungi has not received much research attention. Here, we used high-throughput sequencing technology to compare and analyze the changes in the structure and diversity of the endophytic fungal communities in C. praecox under different circadian rhythms (7:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m.) and in different blooming stages (unopened flowers and opened flowers). The endophytic fungi of C. praecox consisted of nine phyla, 34 classes, 79 orders, 181 families, 293 genera, and 397 species, and Ascomycota was the dominant phylum. Under a diurnal rhythm, the diversity (Chao1 and Shannon indices) of endophytic fungi gradually decreased in the unopened flowers, while an increasing and then decreasing trend was found for the opened flowers. In the different blooming stages, the endophytic fungal diversity was significantly higher at 7:00 a.m. in the unopened flowers compared to the opened flowers. Humidity was the key factors that significantly affected the endophytic fungal diversity and community. Moreover, 11 endophytic fungi were significantly positively or negatively correlated with seven floral volatiles. In conclusion, the community structure and diversity of endophytic fungi in C. praecox were affected by the different blooming stages and circadian rhythms, and a correlation effect related to floral volatiles was found, but there are other possible reasons that were not tested. This study provides a theoretical basis for elucidating the interrelationships between endophytic fungi, floral volatiles, and environmental factors in C. praecox. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fungal Endophyte Research)
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