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Rutgers: Host & Endophyte Metabolites from Bacillus spp. isolated from Indian snakeroot

Writer's picture: Ray SullivanRay Sullivan

Updated: Feb 2



Surendra K. Gond
Surendra K. Gond

Rauwolfia serpentina (Indian snakeroot) is a medicinal shrub producing numerous alkaloids, including reserpine and rescinnamine.  It’s mentioned in Indian manuscripts as long ago as 1000 BC.  Surendra Gond is an assistant professor of botany at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.  He is visiting the Rutgers Dept. of Plant Biology, working in Jim White’s lab on a one-year fellowship supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture to study “Corn/Endophyte Partnerships for Organic Farmers.”  In his recently published work, Professor Gond explored endophytic microbiomes of Indian snakeroot to uncover their potential for secondary metabolite production and their role in the biosynthesis of host-derived compounds.


-The study involved isolating endophytic bacteria from the leaves of Rauvolfia serpentina using a direct plating method on nutrient agar; surface sterilization of leaves was performed to ensure that only endophytic bacteria were isolated.

-Various biochemical tests were conducted to characterize the bacterial isolates.

-Secondary metabolites were extracted from the bacterial cultures using a solvent extraction method.

-Antibacterial activity was assessed using disc diffusion assays and MIC determination through broth dilution methods.

-Genomic DNA extraction and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were performed for phylogenetic analysis.

-RP-HPLC was used to detect reserpine in bacterial metabolites.

-UHPLC-HRMS using a Thermo Q Exactive+ orbitrap was employed for untargeted metabolite profiling of both plant leaves and bacterial extracts.

-The study also measured total phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant capacity, and ferric-reducing antioxidant power using established biochemical assays.


The endophytic bacteria isolates (mostly Bacillus spp., including B. mojavensis and B. wiedmannii ) from the leaves produced phenolic compounds and flavonoids with antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.  They were able to produce the host-derived compound reserpine, suggesting they have acquired or evolved the ability to synthesize this important secondary metabolite.  Metabolomic analysis revealed that the leaf extract and endophytic bacterial extracts contained diverse bioactive compounds with antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activities.


Lata R, Gond SK. Antibacterial and antioxidant potentials, detection of host origin compounds, and metabolic profiling of endophytic Bacillus spp. isolated from Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. ex Kurz. Sci Rep. 2025 Jan 15;15(1):2094. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-84893-0. PMID: 39814849; PMCID: PMC11736096.  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-84893-0#Sec23

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Jan 18
Rated 3 out of 5 stars.

Good going, keep it up

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