Ceratobasidium as a new endophyte from Bergenia ciliata: its chemical composition, enzymatic activity, and antimicrobial potential

The study of endophytic fungi has garnered considerable interest owing to their wide range of biological activity and potential implications in the fields of agriculture and medicine. The bioactive properties of the endophytic mycoflora present in Bergenia ciliata have yet to be determined. This work presents a novel finding about the identification of Ceratobasidium sp., a lesser-studied genus, as a new endophyte in the medicinal plant B. ciliata. In the current investigation, the initial isolation of Ceratobasidium sp. was denoted as BCR-1 and afterwards identified by the utilisation of phylogenetic analysis of its ITS sequence. The subsequent enzymatic investigation demonstrated that the endophyte exhibits cellulase, amylase, laccase, tyrosinase, and pectinase-producing activity. In order to determine the antibacterial efficacy of the endophyte, a screening process was conducted using ten bacterial strains and two fungal strains. Three instances showed a high level of antibacterial activity, whereas four instances showed a moderate level. Additionally, moderate inhibition was seen against both fungal strains. In addition, the ethyl acetate extracts were subjected to GC-MS analysis, which detected the presence of twelve compounds. Methyl 12,13-tetradecadienoate is the most abundant at (41.50%). This was followed by benzoic acid, silver (1+) salt (38.33%), 2-azido-2,4,6,6-pentamethylheptane (4.42%), and trans-2,4-dimethylthiane, S, S-dioxide (3.30%). This study represents the initial documentation of Ceratobasidium sp. as a novel endophyte derived from B. ciliata, exhibiting both enzymatic and antibacterial properties. This study elucidates the several functions of Ceratobasidium sp. as an endophyte, emphasising its enzymatic potential and antibacterial properties.