IDENTIFICATION AND ISOLATION OF ENDOPHYTIC FUNGI PRODUCING L-ASPARAGINASE IN REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ASTERATCEA FAMILY

L-asparaginase is an important anticancer enzyme used in the first-line treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This study was conducted to isolate L asparaginase-producing endophytic fungi from medicinal plants of the Asteraceae family. Seven healthy medicinal plants from the Asteraceae family were selected for the isolation of endophytic fungi using standard surface sterilization methods. A total of 837 isolates belonging to 84 species consisted of stem (55.6%), leaf (31.1%), root (10.6%) and flower (2.7%). Initial screening of L-asparaginase-producing endophytes was performed by qualitative plate assay on modified Czapex dox agar medium. L-asparaginase-producing endophytes were identified as Plectosphaerella, Fusarium, Stemphylium, Septoria, Alternaria, Didymella, Phoma, Chaetosphaeronema, Sarocladium, Nemania, Epicoccum, Ulocladium and Cladosporium species. This study showed that endophytic fungi from members of Asteraceae have high L-asparaginase production potential and can be used as an alternative source for anticancer production.