Molecular diversity and phylogenetic analysis of exopolymer producing fungal strains isolated from Krishna river mangrove sediments

Abstract

Mangroves salt-tolerant coastal woodlands cover 1/4th area of tropical coastlines globally and are a major driver for the accumulation of large deposits of organic matter, offer protection against coastal erosion, and a niche for a broad consortium of microbes. Yet, mangroves and mangrove fungi are the most threatened species understanding their role and distribution is becoming a pressing concern, especially when viewed in the light of rapid climate change. Therefore, the rationale of the study is to describe the fungal communities associated with the Krishna river delta mangroves. A soil investigation found that humans have a large role in the estuarine environment, as well as microbial interactions. Extensively employing a molecular sequencing method that targets the complete 5.8s rRNA [internal transcribed spacer (ITS1-ITS4)], several fungal species were isolated from the mangrove soils. Three diverse fungal populations are present in genera Penicillium, Fusarium, and Mucor, while two diverse fungal populations are present in genera Trichoderma and Paecilomyces. Fungal species diversity is shown to be modest in sample locations according to the recent research. Using CLUSTAL-W, we found that up to one-third is accounted for by phylogenetic analysis using multiple sequence alignment tool. In this study, numerous fungal species have been discovered in the harsh environment of mangrove soil, and this has helped researchers to get understanding about the variety of species in the Krishna river delta mangroves.