Isolation and Screening of Antibacterial-Producing Endophytic Actinomycetes from Hollyhock (Alcea rosea)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran

Abstract

Actinomycete bacteria are widely recognized for their ability to produce a diverse array of bioactive compounds, particularly antibiotics, and contribute significantly to the discovery of naturally derived antimicrobial agents. This study focused on the isolation and characterization of actinomycete strains from hollyhock (Alcea rosea) plant tissues to assess their antibacterial potential against clinically relevant pathogens. The target pathogens included Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli. A total of 110 bacterial isolates were obtained, with 62 isolates confirmed as Actinomycetes through PCR amplification of the 16S rRNA gene. Approximately 46.5% of these isolates exhibited antibacterial activity, with pronounced effects against B. cereus and S. aureus, suggesting their potential role in combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Genetic analysis revealed the presence of non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) genes, indicating that the produced antimicrobial compounds may originate from NRPS pathways. However, no polyketide synthase (PKS) genes were detected, which may limit the diversity of bioactive metabolites. These findings highlight the pharmaceutical potential of hollyhock-associated Actinomycetes as promising sources of novel antimicrobial agents. Future studies should focus on the isolation and structural characterization of active compounds, elucidation of their mechanisms of action, and in vivo evaluation of their therapeutic efficacy in treating bacterial infections.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Microbiology, Metabolites and Biotechnology

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 18 February 2025

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