Antimicrobial activity of endophytic fungi from marine Sponge Haliclona fascigera

Fungi associated with marine sponge Haliclona fascigera has shown a promising source in the search for new antimicrobial compounds. We have isolated 25 endophytic fungi from the sponge, which were cultured in Sabouraud Dextrose Broth (SDB) for 4 weeks at 25-27 ºC. The ethyl acetate extracts of the isolates-broth were then tested for its antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans by using agar diffusion method. The zone of inhibition was measured and expressed in millimeters. There were 8 isolates of the fungi that considered active to Staphylococcus aureus, i.e. HF2 isolate (14,5 mm), HF8 isolate (12,5 mm), HF9 isolate (14 mm), HF13 isolate (16,5 mm), HF14 isolate (11 mm), HF19 isolate (14,5 mm), HF21 isolate (14,5 mm), HF22 isolate (13 mm), and 1 isolate active to C. albicans, i.e. HF16 isolate (12,5 mm). The identification of the bioactive fungi isolates was done by comparing its macroscopic and microscopic characteristic based on literature. From the study, it can be concluded that fungi associated with marine sponge Haliclona fascigera possesses potentially antimicrobial activity which might be due to the presence of bioactive metabolite compounds.