The antibiotic resistance of microbes presents a large public health risk due to the ease of widespread disease without new tools to control their growth. This research aims to identify endophytic fungi from native prairie plants that produce antimicrobial secondary metabolites. To date, we have isolated 24 different species from the seeds and stems of 9 different prairie plants. This research poster will describe the methodologies used to identify the fungal species and give the results of bioassays used to determine the activity of the endophytic extracts. Active extracts from the bioassays were further purified using chromatography. NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry were then used to determine the structure of the compounds responsible for the observed activity. We have also attempted to grow co-cultures of purified fungal isolates in an attempt to induce the fungal species to produce new antimicrobial compounds under stress. The preliminary results of these experiments will be discussed.

Exploring the antimicrobial activity of endophytes isolated from native North American prairie plants

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.