Detection of Betaproteobacteria inside the Mycelium of the Fungus Mortierella elongata

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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.