Abstract

The fungal strain SW-3 having antimicrobial activity was isolated from soil of crucified plants in Pocheon, Kyungki-Do, Korea. Strain SW-3 was identified as Alternaria brassicicola by its morphological characteristics, and confirmed by the analysis of the 18S gene and ITS regions of rDNA. The fungus showed a similarity of 99% with Alternaria brassicicola in the 18S rDNA sequence analysis. A. brassicicola has been reported to produce an antitumor compound, called depudecin. We found that strain SW-3 produced antimicrobial metabolites, in addition to depudecin, during sporulation under different growth conditions. The metabolite of the isolated fungus was found to have strong antifungal activity against Microsporium canis and Trichophyton rubrum, and antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aerogenes. The amount and kind of metabolites produced by the isolate were affected by growth conditions such as nutrients and growth periods.

• Keywords: rDNA; A. brassicicola; fungal metabolites; antimicrobial activity