Antibacterial activity of endophytic fungi in pometia pinnata against staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

Endophytic fungi associated with medicinal plants are able to produce bioactive compounds which potentially contain medicinal ingredients. Matoa (Pometia pinnata J. R. Forst & G. Forst) is one of Indonesian medicinal plants. This research aimed to test antibacterial activities of ethyl acetate extract of P. pinnata’s endophytic fungi to Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and also identify isolates having high antibacterial activity. Antibacterial activity test was conducted by using paper disc diffusion. The fungi were identified in morphological and molecular manner with amplification and sequencing of ITS region. Bacterial cells exposed to the extract were observed by using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Isolate AM72 was found out to have the highest antibacterial activity compared to other 12 isolates tested, with inhibition zone diameter of 31.57 mm to S. aureus and 22.87 mm to MRSA. Isolate AM72 was identified as Lasiodiplodia theobromae. Isolate BMB identified as Aspergillus oryzae produced inhibition zone with 21.96 mm diameter to S. aureus and 21.50 mm diameter to MRSA. Antibacterial compounds produced by isolate AM72 were found out to be able to damage bacterial cell walls.