Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To screen the chitosan producing ability of endolichenic fungi and its antibacterial activity. METHODS: Lichen collected from mangroves was screened for endophytes and the chitosan producing ability of endolichenic fungi by submerged fermentation was also determined. Antibacterial activity was carried out against different pathogens. RESULTS: Totally 4 different groups of fungi were isolated from the lichen Roccella montagnei. Among the four genera, Aspergillus niger (A. niger) is potential to produce chitosan (1.3 g/L) on the twelfth day of incubation. Glucose plays an important role in the productivity of chitosan and the yield was maximum at 10% (1.93 g/L). Antibacterial activity revealed that Vibrio cholerae was sensitive to chitosan followed by Escherichia coli. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our findings suggest that A. niger is a potential candidate to produce more chitosan than the other strains and glucose plays an important role in the production of chitosan which proves to have a good antibacterial activity.