Zahra Tazik - Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Plant Production, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran
Kamran Rahnama - Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Plant Production, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran
James White - Department of Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S.A.
Hassan Soltanloo - Department of Biotechnology & Plant Breeding, Faculty of Plant Production, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran
Maede Hasanpour - Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Mehrdad Iranshahi - Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Objective(s): Ferula ovina is an Iranian medicinal plant. Tschimgine and stylosin are two of its major monoterpene derivatives. In this study, we proceeded to investigate some fungal endophytes from F. ovina that can produce plant secondary metabolites.Materials and Methods: The isolated endophytic fungi were fermented in potato dextrose broth (PDB) medium and their extracts were screened for the presence of the plant compounds by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Endophytes identification was performed by morphological and molecular methods. Three markers (ITS, LSU, and TEF1) were used for accurate molecular identification. Results: Forty isolates from 9 different genera of endophytic fungi were identified, of which two recently reported species of O. ferulica and Pithoascus persicus were able to produce tschimgine and stylosin. Conclusion: These fungi can be used as a substitute for the production of plant’s medicinal compounds independent of wild populations of the source plant.

Ferula ovina, Fungal endophytes, Ochroconis ferulica, Pithoascus persicus, Stylosin, Tschimgine