Detection of Betaproteobacteria inside the Mycelium of the Fungus Mortierella elongata

Abstract

Microscopic and molecular analyses showed the presence of endobacteria inside the mycelia of four out of twelve nitrous oxide (N₂O)-producing fungal isolates identified as Mortierella elongata. The 16S rRNA gene was successfully amplified with DNA extracted directly from the endobacterium-containing fungal strains and all sequences were related to that of Candidatus Glomeribacter gigasporarum in the family Burkholderiaceae. Bacterial endotoxin was detected in the endobacterium-positive fungal strains but only trace levels were found in endobacterium-negative strains. No significant relationship was found between the fungal N₂O-producing activity and the presence of endobacteria.