Characterization of bacterial-associated with Egyptian Tirmania nivea and Terfezia canariensis

Recently, various studies investigate the cultivable microbial diversity of different truffles species. However, this study is still very limited for Egyptian desert truffles. Two morphologically different kinds of wild desert truffles collected from Western Egyptian Desert were characterized using general description in combination with ITS-rDNA data. The phylogeographic analysis of the obtained sequences in comparison to Mediterranean genera from GeneBank revealed the identification of white truffle as Tirmania nivea with 100% identity of isolate from Libya. While the red truffles were Terfezia canariensis which was grouped in one clade with isolates from Canary Island Spain and Portugal. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis indicated bacterial cells inhabiting the healthy gleba of the truffles. The cultivable bacterial isolates were Gram-positive related to the Firmicutes phyla identified as Bacillus boroniphilusMZ361726 (B2), Lactococcus lactisMZ361727 (B4), Bacillus licheniformisMZ361728 (B7), Bacillus haynesiiMZ361729 (B8), and Bacillus velezensisMZ361730 (B11) based on partial sequencing of 16S rRNA. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) of the most potent identified strains (B4, B7, and B11), revealed bioactive compounds showing antimicrobial activity as docosahexaenoic acid, fucosterol, and kolaflavanone which exist in truffle literatures. In conclusion, our findings reveal new insight into the microbiota associated with T. nivea and T. canerienasis and supported that these organisms represent a rich source for the development of novel antimicrobial bioactive compounds. •SEM analysis indicated bacterial cells inhabiting the gleba of truffles.•LC-MS of the most potent identified strains, revealed bioactive compounds.•Biologically relevant compounds have not been assessed before.