First Insights into the Biochemical and Metabolomic Characterization of Marine Fungi Isolated from Salt Marshes of an Argentine Estuary

Abstract

The Bahía Blanca marshes are highly productive ecosystems that act as carbon sinks and support a diverse community of halophytic plants, including species of Distichlis, Spartina, Sarcocornia, among others. Marine fungi inhabit these ecosystems and play important roles in the decomposition of organic matter and the production of valuable biopolymers and metabolites. Despite their potential ecological and commercial importance, little is known about the identity and chemical profiles of these fungi associated with marine environments and halophytic plants in the Bahía Blanca estuary. To expand current knowledge of marine fungi in this system, three fungal species associated with marine waters and Sarcocornia perennis plants were isolated and identified: Aspergillus iizukae, Stemphylium sp. (Ascomycota), and Mucor sp. (Mucoromycota). Their biomass was analyzed to determine its biochemical and metabolic composition. Stemphylium sp. exhibited the highest protein (30.24 g/100 g dry mass) and lipid (2.65 g/100 g dry mass) contents, whereas Mucor sp. showed the highest levels of total sugars (26.13 g/100 g dry mass) and glucosamine (17.30 g/100 g dry mass). Aspergillus iizukae produced the greatest diversity of secondary metabolites. These findings provided a preliminary characterization of fungal species from this region and highlighted their potential for future biotechnological and industrial applications.

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