An endosymbiont or endobiont is any organism that lives within the body or cells of another organism most often, though not always, in a mutualistic relationship. (The term endosymbiosis is from the Greek: ἔνδον endon "within", σύν syn "together" and βίωσις biosis "living".) Examples are nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which live in the root nodules of legumes, single-cell algae inside reef-building corals and bacterial endosymbionts that provide essential nutrients to insects.
An endophyte is an endosymbiont, often a bacterium or fungus, that lives within a plant for at least part of its life cycle without causing apparent disease. Endophytes are ubiquitous and have been found in all species of plants studied to date; however, most of the endophyte/plant relationships are not well understood. Some endophytes may enhance host growth, nutrient acquisition and improve the plant's ability to tolerate abiotic stresses, such as drought and decrease biotic stresses by enhancing plant resistance to insects, pathogens and herbivores. Although endophytic bacteria and fungi are frequently studied, endophytic archaea are increasingly being considered for their role in plant growth promotion as part of the core microbiome of a plant.
Stangeria eriopus is a cycad endemic to southern Africa. It is the sole species in the genus Stangeria, most closely related to the Australian genus Bowenia, with which it forms the family Stangeriaceae.
Alternaria is a genus of Deuteromycetes fungi. All species are known as major plant pathogens. They are also common allergens in humans, growing indoors and causing hay fever or hypersensitivity reactions that sometimes lead to asthma. They are present in the human mycobiome and readily cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised people such as AIDS patients.
Phyllosticta cyclaminella is a fungal plant pathogen infecting cyclamens.
Uromyces euphorbiae is a fungal species and a plant pathogen infecting poinsettias.
Colletotrichum truncatum is a fungal species and plant pathogen on soybeans.
Phyllosticta sojaecola is a plant pathogen infecting soybean.
The Botryosphaeriales are an order of sac fungi (Ascomycetes), placed under class Dothideomycetes. Some species are parasites, causing leaf spot, plant rot, die-back or cankers, but they can also be saprophytes or endophytes. They occur world-wide on many hosts. For example, in China, infections related to Botryosphaeriales have been recorded on numerous hosts such as grapes, Caragana arborescens,Cercis chinensis, Eucalyptus, Chinese hackberry, blueberry, forest trees, and various other woody hosts.
Discosphaerina is a genus of fungi in the family Hyponectriaceae.
Plant use of endophytic fungi in defense occurs when endophytic fungi, which live symbiotically with the majority of plants by entering their cells, are utilized as an indirect defense against herbivores. In exchange for carbohydrate energy resources, the fungus provides benefits to the plant which can include increased water or nutrient uptake and protection from phytophagous insects, birds or mammals. Once associated, the fungi alter nutrient content of the plant and enhance or begin production of secondary metabolites. The change in chemical composition acts to deter herbivory by insects, grazing by ungulates and/or oviposition by adult insects. Endophyte-mediated defense can also be effective against pathogens and non-herbivory damage.
Serendipita indica is a fungal species of the order Sebacinales. It is an endophytic root-colonising species, discovered from orchid plants in the Thar desert in Rajasthan, India by Prof. Ajit Verma and group, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. The fungus has typical pear-shaped chlamydospores. S. indica can be easily grown on various substrates. It has been found to promote plant growth during its mutualistic symbiotic relationship with a wide variety of plants. Experiments have shown that S. indica increases the resistance of colonized plants against fungal pathogens. It has also been found in experiments with barley that S. indica-inoculated plants are tolerant to salt stress and more resistant to root pathogens. S. indica-infested roots also show antioxidant capacity. The fungus also induces systemic disease resistance in plants. S. indica was found to require host cell death for proliferation during mutualistic symbiosis in barley. Its genome has been sequenced and was published in 2011.
Pestalotiopsis microspora is a species of endophytic fungus capable of breaking down and digesting polyurethane. Originally identified in 1880 in fallen foliage of common ivy in Buenos Aires, it also causes leaf spot in Hypericum 'Hidcote' shrubs in Japan.
Hubertus Antonius van der Aa was a Dutch mycologist who described several genera and species of fungi. He studied at Utrecht University where he received his PhD in 1973 with the dissertation Studies in phyllosticta I.
Banana freckle is a disease caused by the fungus Guignardia musae (teleomorph) or Phyllosticta musarum (anamorph). Generally, the causal agent of disease is referred to as Guignardia-Phyllosticta sp. There are several different strains of the fungus that exist to infect different banana varieties around the globe. Symptoms include yellowing of the tissue and formation of small dark brown spots on the leaves and fruit. Within the spots, conidia or pycnidia can be found. Banana freckle is easily propagated and spread from plant to plant by rain splash and movement of infected tissue or fruit. Management of the disease consists of cutting out infected leaves, using the paper bag method, fungicide application, and proper sanitation techniques it can be stopped by applying vegeta to it. This devastating disease is extremely relevant for the major banana exporting countries of the world. In the absence of chemical control, there is about a 78% yield loss. Banana freckle disease needs to be carefully monitored in order to prevent further spread of the disease.
Lasiodiplodia citricola is an endophytic fungus. It was first isolated in northern Iran, and is named after its first known host, citrus plants. It has since been isolated in other plants in other continents, and is considered a plant pathogen. L. citricola is phylogenetically related to L. parva, but conidia of the former are longer and wider.
Lasiodiplodia hormozganensis is an endophytic fungus. It was first isolated in Hormozgan Province, Iran, from Mangifera indica, and has since been isolated in other plants in other continents, and is considered a plant pathogen. This species is phylogenetically related to L. citricola and L. parva but is distinguished by their conidial dimensions and length of their paraphyses. Conidia of L. hormozganensis are larger than those of L. parva, albeit smaller than those of L. citricola. Paraphyses of L. hormozganensis are shorter than in L. parva and L. citricola.
Diaporthe litchicola is a plant endophyte and occasionally a plant pathogen, first found on Litchi chinensis in Australia.
Pestalotiopsis pauciseta is an endophytic fungi isolated from the leaves of several medicinal plants in tropical climates. Pestalotiopsis pauciseta is known for its role in medical mycology, having the ability to produce a chemical compound called paclitaxel (taxol). Taxol is the first billion-dollar anticancer drug, notably the fungal-taxol produced by Pestalotiopsis pauciseta was determined to be comparable to standard taxol.
