Characterization of Secondary Metabolites from the Co-culture of Trichotomospora Caesia AC-1134 and Streptoverticillium sp. AC-1375 and Evaluation of its Antioxidant Properties.

This study aimed to produce secondary metabolites (SM) through the co-cultivation of Trichotomospora caesia AC-1134 and Streptoverticillium sp. AC-1375 and to evaluate their antioxidant properties. The fermentation was carried out on GYM, ISP, LB, and YGGS agar media. The radical scavenging activity of metabolites was studied using the ABTS and DPPH assays. The metabolites produced by the bacteria were identified with gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The GC-MS analysis revealed 39 and 28 compounds for the ethyl acetate and chloroform extracts, respectively. The compounds identified were grouped into the following classes: ketones, aldehydes, fatty acids, phthalate esters, ergot alkaloids, fatty amides, amides, esters, glycol ethers, ethers, etc. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of ethyl acetate and chloroform extracts ranged from 12.06 to 31.40% and 6.24 to 19.29%, respectively. The ABTS radical scavenging potential of the ethyl acetate and chloroform extracts ranged from 7.30 to 58.58% and 5.29 to 22.32%, respectively. The ethyl acetate extracts showed better free radical scavenging properties compared to the chloroform extracts. Co-cultivation of the two bacterial strains increased the diversity of the secondary metabolites produced. Microbial co-cultivation could be employed as an alternative to conventional monoculture techniques due to its ability to stimulate the production of additional metabolites that cannot be produced by single microbial strains.