Molecular phylogeny and genetic diversity studies of some potent endophytic fungi isolated from medicinal plants (Calotropis procera and Catharanthus roseus) using 18S rRNA and RAPD analysis

Molecular identification of four endophytic fungi (Penicillium singorense, Curvularia geniculata, Aspergillus neoflavipes and Alternaria alternata) from two important medicinal plants, Calotropis procera (L.) R.Br. and Catharanthus roseus (L.) G.Don. was carried out by 18SrRNA sequencing. Genetic diversity using two RAPD primer viz. OPB-07 and OPC-06 showed good result with high polymorphism between the four strains. The sample DRC1 Accession No. MG322179 indicated strong homology with Penicillium singorense, strain DI16-118 (Accession No.  LT558940), sample DRC2 Accession No. MG322180 with Curvularia geniculata strain F1 (Accession No. KX022497), sample DRC3 Accession No. MG322181 with Aspergillus neoflavipes strain AJR1 ribosomal gene (Accession No. KX218387), sample DRC4 Accession No.  MH021686 with A. alternata strain AE1 18SrRNA gene, partial sequence, ITS1, 5.8S rRNA gene and ITS 2 complete sequence (Accession No. KY676196). Phylogenetic tree showing relatedness of sample DRC1 Accession No. MG322179 with 19 strains of Penicillium sp, DRC2 Accession No. MG322180 with 34 strains of Curvularia sp, DRC3 Accession No. MG322181 with 24 strains of Aspergillus sp and DRC4 Accession No.  MH021686 with 16 strains of Alternaria sp of diverse origin. The present investigation thus gave an insight for the detection and genetic diversity study among the fungal endophytes isolated from two important Indian medicinal plants (C. procera and C. roseus) and it would probably the first report of its own kind from West Bengal, India.   Key words: Calotropis procera, Catharanthus roseus, National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), homology search, endophytic fungi, DNA marker, Random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis, 18SrRNA sequencing.