GC-MS ANALYSIS OF ENDOLICHENIC FUNGUS ISOLATED FROM HYPOTRACHYNA INFIRMA (KUROK.)HALE

Abstract

Lichen is a stable, ecologically obligate, self-supporting mutualism between an exhabitant fungus and one or more inhabitant extracellularly located unicellular or filamentous photoautotrophic partners. Endolichenic fungi are an emerging group of endosymbiotic microorganisms that live within the lichen thalli. Natural products from endolichenic fungi isolated from variety of different lichen species, have been attracting increased attention for their potential to produce bioactive metabolites. The bioactive metabolite produced by endolichenic fungi originate from multiple biosynthetic pathways and occupy different chemical structure classes which including steroids, quinones, terpenoids, peptides, xanthones etc. With this background, ethyl acetate extract of endolichenic fungus (Nigrospora oryzae (Berk and Broome)) isolated from Hypotrachyna infirma was subjected to Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis using Perkin-Erlenmer Gas chromatography-Mass spectrometry. The GC-MS analysis showed the presence of different phytochemical compounds in the extract of the endolichenic fungus 30 compounds were identified with valuable biological activity in the above extracts. From the results, it is evident that endolichenic fungus contain various phyto components and can be recommended as the fungus of phytopharmaceutical importance.