Bozeman Magazine

The Honors College proudly presents a lecture by Dr. Gary Strobel, Professor Emeritus, Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology entitled, "The Emergence of Endophytic Microbes and Their Biological Promise." This presentation is part of the Honors Presents Lecture Series. 

As is true with animal species, plants also have an associated microflora. These organisms can be found associated with virtually all tissues and organs of the plant and can be considered the plant microbiome. Furthermore, because of the relationships that endophytes seem to have with their host plants, they make a myriad of biologically active compounds including antibiotics, antioxidants, anticancer agents, volatile antimicrobial agents, immunosuppressive compounds, plant growth promoting agents, and insecticides. These endophytic compounds represent a wide range of organic molecules including terpenoids, peptides, carbohydrates, aromatics, hydrocarbons. Most recently and quite surprisingly, some endophytes have been discovered that make hydrocarbons of the types found in diesel and gasoline fuels.  Also recently discovered are epigenetic factors relating to the biology and biochemistry of endophytes. Interestingly, only about 1-2 % of the entire spectrum of 300,000 known plants have been studied for their endophyte composition. And only a few plants have ever been completely studied including all tissues for the microbes within them. Likewise, the vast majority of plants, including those in oceans and lower plant forms, have never been examined for their endophytes. Furthermore, endophytes representing the “microbiome” of world’s major food plants as they exist in their native “centers of origin” are literally unknown. This seminar will focus on a world- wide search for novel endophytes and their ultimate utility.

This lecture is free and open to the public.