Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Effect of the extract of endophytic fungus, Nigrospora sphaerica CL-OP 30, against the growth of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Klebsiella pneumonia cells

Darah Ibrahim¹, Chong Chai Lee¹, Tong Woei Yenn¹, Latiffah Zakaria², Lim Sheh-Hong¹

¹Industrial Biotechnology Research Laboratory; ²Plant Pathology Research Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Penang, Malaysia.

For correspondence:- Lim Sheh-Hong Email: limshehhong77@gmail.com Tel:+60124629487

Received: 26 September 2014 Accepted: 29 August 2015 Published: 29 November 2015

Citation: Ibrahim D, Lee CC, Yenn TW, Zakaria L, Sheh-Hong L. Effect of the extract of endophytic fungus, Nigrospora sphaerica CL-OP 30, against the growth of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Klebsiella pneumonia cells. Trop J Pharm Res 2015; 14(11):2091-2097 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v14i10.20

© 2015 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the effect of the ethyl acetate extract of endophytic fungus, Nigrospora sphaerica CL-OP 30 against the growth of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Klebsiella pneumonia cells.

Methods: Time-kill assay was used to examine the effect of the extract on the bacterial growth profile. The effects of extract on ultrastructure of MRSA and K. pneumoniae cells were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM).

Results: The time-kill test revealed that the bacteriocidal activity of the extract was both concentration- and time-dependent. After 12 h treatment, interaction of extract with MRSA cells resulted in the formation of pit, disintegration of cell wall and membrane, and ultimately cell death, while K. pneumoniae cells became crumpled, and the cell walls and membranes disintegrated, resulting in leakage of their cytoplasmic contents.

Conclusion: These data suggest that the Nigrospora sphaerica CL-OP 30 extract principally affects the cell wall in growing MRSA and K. pneumonia cells.

Keywords: Endophytic fungus, Nigrospora sphaerica, Antimicrobial activity, Cellular structure degeneration