Exploration of Mangrove Endophytes as Novel Sources of Tannase Producing Fungi

Summary

Scientists discovered that fungi living inside mangrove plant tissues can produce tannase, an enzyme that breaks down tannins into a useful compound called gallic acid. Two fungal species, Phyllosticta capitalensis and Aspergillus chevalieri, were found to be particularly good at producing this enzyme. This discovery is significant because tannase has many industrial applications in making medicines, processing food, and cleaning up the environment. The researchers also figured out the best conditions (temperature, pH level, and time) for these fungi to produce the most enzyme.

Background

Mangrove ecosystems are rich in microbial diversity including endophytic fungi that produce bioactive compounds and enzymes. Tannase is a valuable enzyme that breaks down tannins into gallic acid with applications in pharmaceuticals, food processing, and environmental cleanup. While several fungi produce tannase, mangrove endophytes remain largely unexplored as sources of this industrially important enzyme.

Objective

This study aimed to screen and characterize fungal endophytes isolated from mangrove plants for their ability to produce tannase enzyme. The research sought to identify novel tannase-producing strains and optimize conditions for maximum enzyme production.

Results

Thirteen fungal isolates demonstrated tannase production ability. Two isolates exhibited exceptional performance: LV_084 (Phyllosticta capitalensis) with 21.21 IU/mL and LV_074 (Aspergillus chevalieri) with 15.41 IU/mL tannase activity. Optimal conditions for enzyme production were identified as 35°C temperature, pH 5.5, and 96 hours incubation period.

Conclusion

This study represents the first report of tannase production by Phyllosticta capitalensis and Aspergillus chevalieri from mangrove endophytes. Five additional fungal species were also reported as tannase producers for the first time, expanding the microbial sources for this industrially significant enzyme and demonstrating the biotechnological potential of mangrove endophytes.
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