Objective: In order to provide strains with high activity of anti-phytopathogenic fungi and antitumor activity, we studied the diversity and bioactivity of actinomycetes isolated from medicinal plant Taxus chinensis and rhizospheric soil.
Methods: Seven selective media were used to isolate actinomycetes. Experiments of anti-phytopathogenic fungi, cytotoxicity activity, and the 16S rRNA gene sequencing of them were carried out to evaluate the diversity and bioactivity. Strains with high activity were identified.
Results: A total of 277 actinomycetes were isolated, of which 111 strains were selected and assigned to 6 suborders, 7 families and 8 genera, in which Streptomyces can be divided into 10 groups. The bioactivity testing results indicated that: 30.9% isolates showed activity against at least one of the 12 phytopathogenic fungi; 44.1% strains and 33.3% strains showed cytotoxicity activity with inhibition rate above 40% against stomach cancer cell line SGC-7901 and lung cancer cell line NCI-H460 respectively.
Conclusion: Actinomycetes isolated from Taxus chinensis and rhizospheric soil is of high diversity and a good source for the selection of bioactive compounds. Streptomyces KLBMP 2170 is an excellent resource with antifungal and cytotoxicity activity for further studies.