biostudies-literatureBertini LMinistero dell'Università e della RicercaMinistero dell’Università e della Ricerca979https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9504944biostudies-literatureUnknown8(9)Microorganisms from extreme environments are considered as a new and valuable reservoir of bioactive molecules of biotechnological interest and are also utilized as tools for enhancing tolerance to (a)biotic stresses in crops. In this study, the fungal endophytic community associated with the leaves of the Antarctic angiosperm <i>Colobanthus quitensis</i> was investigated as a new source of bioactive molecules. We isolated 132 fungal strains and taxonomically annotated 26 representative isolates, which mainly belonged to the Basidiomycota division. Selected isolates of <i>Trametes</i> sp., <i>Lenzites</i> sp., <i>Sistotrema</i> sp., and <i>Peniophora</i> sp. displayed broad extracellular enzymatic profiles; fungal extracts from some of them showed dose-dependent antitumor activity and inhiJournal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland)Biodiversity and Bioprospecting of Fungal Endophytes from the Antarctic Plant <i>Colobanthus quitensis</i>.PMC9504944PNRA18_00147Bigini VLonga CMOCasella SSavatin DVBertini LFongaro BBasaglia MCapaldi GPolverino de Laureto PFavaro LCaruso CProietti SPerazzolli MfalseBiodiversity and Bioprospecting of Fungal Endophytes from the Antarctic Plant <i>Colobanthus quitensis</i>.Microorganisms from extreme environments are considered as a new and valuable reservoir of bioactive molecules of biotechnological interest and are also utilized as tools for enhancing tolerance to (a)biotic stresses in crops. In this study, the fungal endophytic community associated with the leaves of the Antarctic angiosperm <i>Colobanthus quitensis</i> was investigated as a new source of bioactive molecules. We isolated 132 fungal strains and taxonomically annotated 26 representative isolates, which mainly belonged to the Basidiomycota division. Selected isolates of <i>Trametes</i> sp., <i>Lenzites</i> sp., <i>Sistotrema</i> sp., and <i>Peniophora</i> sp. displayed broad extracellular enzymatic profiles; fungal extracts from some of them showed dose-dependent antitumor activity and inhi2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Sep2025-04-22T05:41:52.803Z2025-04-05T21:24:14.485ZS-EPMC95049443613570410.3390/jof8090979