Identification of an endophytic fungus Pilidiella guizhouensis isolated from Eupatorium chinense L. and its extracellular polysaccharide

Structure characteristics and function of a novel extracellular polysaccharide from Bacillus thuringiensis strain 4D19

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are entomopathogenic bacteria that produce different kinds of insecticidal proteins. However, studies on Bt exopolysaccharides are lacking. Here, we aimed to explore the characteristics and insecticidal synergism of EPS, an exopolysaccharide from Bt strain 4D19. The molecular weight of EPS-2 was 58.0 kDa, which consisted of mannose (44.2%), GlcN (35.5%), D-GalN (8.0%), glucose (5.5%), arabinose (5.1%), galactose (0.9%), Man-UA (0.3%) and Glc-UA (0.2%). The toxicity of insecticidal proteins against Plutella xylostella was increased by adding EPS. EPS-2 bound to Cry1Ac protoxin and promoted the binding of Cry1Ac protoxin to the gut membrane of P. xylostella, but did not bind to activated toxins. These results suggested that EPS-2 may bind to the protoxin C-terminal region to enhance insecticidal activity. Our findings indicated that Bt strains produce exopolysaccharide to enhance the toxicity of insecticidal crystal proteins, which could be applied in biopesticide research and product development.

Aptitude of endophytic microbes for production of novel biocontrol agents and industrial enzymes towards agro-industrial sustainability

Background

Endophytes have continued to receive increased attention worldwide, probably, due to the enormous biotechnological potentials spanning through various industrial sectors. This paper outlines the biotechnological potentials of endophytes in biocontrol and industrial enzyme production, and the possible contribution towards achieving agro-industrial sustainability using published articles on endophytes in both Web of Science and Scopus (1990–2020).

Main body of the abstract

This review discusses the potential of endophytes to produce novel secondary metabolites with effective biocontrol activity against insect pests and plant pathogens. More so, the aptitude of endophytes for production of a wide range of enzymes with potential applications in agriculture, energy and health is discussed in this review. Furthermore, this review highlights the emerging potentials of endophytes in the production of exopolysaccharide and fatty acids. This paper also advocates the need for bioprospecting endophytes for novel biocontrol agents against termites, which are known for causing significant damage to forest and stored products.

Short conclusion

Exploration of endophytes for biocontrol and production of biomolecules of industrial significance could contribute significantly towards agricultural and industrial sustainability.