On the other hand, amylases (aamylase,b-amylases and glucoamylases) which
are the amylolytic enzymes convert starch into different sugar solutions also con-
tained in endophytic fungi. Fungal amylases especially glucoamylases are widely
used in industries.Aspergillussp. andRhizopussp. are often used as sources for the
production of glucoamylases (Pandey et al. 2000 ). In a study endophytic
Fusicoccum sp. showed strong amylolytic activity under in vitro conditions
(Champreda et al. 2007 ). Similarly, the endophyticCylindro cephalumsp. isolated
from medicinal plantAlpinia calcarata(Haw.) Roscoe found to produce amylase
under 30 °C and at pH 7.0 in the presence of maltose and sodium nitrate sources
(Sunitha et al. 2012 ). In another study, enzymes of endophytic strains belonged to
Gibberella pulicaris, Acremoniumsp., and Nodulisporiumsp. hydrolysed raw
sagostarch to produce solely glucose whereas amylases ofSynnematoussp. pro-
duced glucose and maltose (Marlida et al. 2000 ).
Another import enzyme secreted by a group of endophytic fungi are lipases
which are hydrolytic enzymes that in vivo break the ester bond of triacyl glycerol
releasing free fatty acids and glycerol being then classified as a special class of
esterases (Oliveira et al. 2012 ). They also catalyze interesterification, alcoholysis,
acidolysis, esterification and aminolysis reactions under proper conditions
(Damassoet al. 2008 ). EndophyticRhizopusoryzaeisolated from Mediterranean
plants found to be producers of membrane bound lipases (Torres et al. 2003 ).
Similarly, protees are enzymes which hydrolyse peptide bonds of proteins, they are
also called proteolytic enzymes or proteinases. Few year back, a novelfibrinolytic
enzyme was discovered from endophytic Fusarium sp. isolated from
Chrysanthemumstems (Wu et al. 2009 ).
Fungi are the major decomposers of lignocelluloses in several ecosystems and
play an essential role in cycling of carbon and other nutrients. The main hydrolytic
enzymes involved in lignocelluloses degradation are exo and endoglucanases,
b-glycosidase, exo and endoxylanases and b-xylosidases (Dyk and Pletschke
2012 ). Correa et al. ( 2014 ) reported that for complete degradation of lignocellulose
materials, laccases, manganese peroxidise and lignin peroxidise (oxidative
enzymes) and additional hemicelluloses (e.g., acetyl esterase, b-glucuronidase,
endo-1, 4-b-mannanase,a-galactosidase) and oxidoreductases (aryl alcohol oxi-
dase, glucose-1-oxidase, glyoxal oxidase, pyranose-2-oxidase) are also needed.
3.3 Endophytic Fungi and Nutrient Cycling
The importance of phyllospheric endophytic fungi to ecosystem functioning via soil
processes has aroused increasing interest during the past decade. The endophytes
may affect plant litter quality, organisms that control litter decomposition, and the
availability of nutrients in plant communities. Endophytes are likely to affect the
decomposition of plant litter and soil nutrient trans formations at least in three ways
(i) by acting as saprophytes in abscised plant parts and aiding their decay (ii) by
affecting the amount and/or quality of plant litter (iii) by affecting the abundance
3 Endophytic Fungi Bioremediation 51