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Morphological and Phylogenetic Characterization of Endophytic Fungi Isolated from Brown Algae (Phaeophyceae) in Korea

Summary

Researchers in Korea isolated and identified three types of fungi never before recorded in the country that live inside brown seaweed. These fungi were found in Sargassum species collected from Korean coastal areas and were identified using DNA analysis and microscopy. The discovery reveals that Korean seaweed harbors diverse fungal communities that may produce useful compounds for medicine and agriculture, highlighting the unexplored potential of marine ecosystems.

Background

Seaweed-associated endophytic fungi have ecological significance and potential applications as biological resources. Brown algae (Phaeophyceae), particularly Sargassum species, provide essential habitat structures in marine ecosystems while serving economic value in food, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology. Research on fungal endophytes from marine macroalgae in Korea remains limited compared to terrestrial counterparts.

Objective

This study aimed to isolate and identify endophytic fungi from two brown algae species (Sargassum thunbergii and S. muticum) collected from intertidal zones in Korea. The research sought to characterize these fungi using morphological features and multilocus phylogenetic analyses to contribute to understanding of fungal diversity associated with brown algae.

Results

Three previously unrecorded fungal species in Korea were identified: Neopyrenochaeta telephoni, Trichoderma cyanodichotomum, and Microascus intricatus. Phylogenetic analyses using concatenated gene sequences confirmed the identities of all three strains with high bootstrap support. Detailed morphological descriptions and phylogenetic relationships were provided for each species.

Conclusion

This study successfully identified three novel fungal species from Korean brown algae, expanding knowledge of fungal diversity in marine ecosystems. The findings highlight the ecological and biotechnological potential of marine-derived fungi, suggesting future research should focus on functional roles and metabolite characterization of these endophytes.
  • Published in:Mycobiology,
  • Study Type:Descriptive Study,
  • Source: 10.1080/12298093.2025.2535776, PMID: 40792186
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