Metagenomic Analysis of Fig (Ficus carica L.) Endophytic Bacteria as a Source of Flavonoids

Abstract

The improper usage of antibacterials causes pathogenic bacteria to develop resistance to antibacterials. Secondary metabolites represent an alternative in the look for potential antibacterial bioactive compounds. Figs, as a source of flavonoids, exhibit antibacterial action owing to the presence of endophytic bacteria that inhabit the internal tissues of fig plants. Researching the diversity of microorganisms, including endophytic bacteria, is challenging because 99 percent of environmental microorganisms are not cultivable. For this reason, metagenomics—an analysis that can examine the diversity of endophytic bacteria without cultivation—is required. This study aimed to assess the diversity of endophytic bacteria with potential antibiotic activity using a metagenomic approach. The research methodology comprises metagenomic analysis using protocols for DNA extraction from fig tissues, amplification of the 16s rRNA gene, electrophoresis, Next Generation Sequencing, and phylogenetic tree construction. The acquired data will be descriptively interpreted and analyzed via the QIIME Operational Taxonomic Unit software to yield results in the form of fig endophytic bacterial species data. The species-level diversity of endophytic bacteria identified in the Iraqi and Blue Giant types of figs (Ficus carica L.) includes Weissella ghanensis, Weissella paramesenteroides, Ralstonia pickettii, Leuconostoc citreum, Pantoea stewartii, Gluconobacter cerinus, and Lactococcus lactis. This study's results demonstrate that the metagenomic method utilizing the 16S rRNA gene can identify endophytic bacteria in figs, offering the expanded potential for discovering beneficial chemicals from natural sources to combat antibacterial resistance.