Molecular identification and profiling of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of Porostereum sp. HGBS16 and Neurospora sp. PAMS29: Chambal ravine soil fungal isolates

The study is aimed at the molecular identification of ravine soil fungal isolates and their volatile organic compounds (VOCs) profiling. Chambal ravines of Morena, located at latitude 26?5?N and longitude 78?0? E at an elevation of 177 meters. Ravine soil is marked for depleted nutrients. The isolates were identified by macroscopic and microscopic examinations followed by molecular identification the extracted fungal DNA was amplified for specific internal transcribed spacer primer (ITS1/ITS4). The products were sequenced and deposited in GenBank (NCBI), sequence similarity was checked and a phylogram was constructed. The isolates were identified and named Porostereum sp. HGBS16 and Neurospora sp. PAMS29. The VOCs/bioactive molecules were allowed to produce under static submerged fermentation. VOCs/bioactive molecules extracted with polar solvent and characterized by GCMS analysis. Besides playing an active role in communication, the obtained VOCs have other useful attributes of industrial and other beneficial uses. The prevailing compounds produced by Neurospora sp. PAMS29 is octasiloxane (50.32%) followed by the production of octadecane (42.67%) and cyclopentasiloxane (7.01%) whereas Porostereum sp. HGB16 displayed bicyclo (2.2.1) heptane-2-one (86.09%), followed by dodecane (6.09%) and tetradecane (4.05%). The VOC octadecane is reported as a pheromone, a chemical messenger which is useful for mating in fungi. The Presence of octadecane confirms that Neurospora sp. PAMS29 used Pheromones as the mating messenger. Both fungal extracts showed the presence of vitamin C under screening test and exhibited good DPPH free radical scavenging activity with 76.74±7.81 inhibition by Porostereum sp. HGB16 whereas Neurospora sp. PAMS29 showed 82.1±6.47 percent inhibition activity. Results showed that the VOCs produced by fungal isolates have the potential for industrial uses and can be used in body care products in place of synthetic polysiloxanes, though the D5 is already reported to be used in cosmetics. This study introduces new fungal strains and their VOCs to the microbial research domain. Simultaneously the isolates are producing vitamin C and also exhibited the DPPH free radical scavenging activities. Both isolates are aromatic therefore it can be used in the perfume industry. Concluding, this is the first attempt at molecular identification of ravine soil fungal isolates and exploration of their VOCs. These results supported that VOCs are not waste products, they are very useful products at a certain level.