Acetoin is a natural compound and is widely used in various industries such as food, dairy, cosmetics, paint, and pharmaceutical industry. The study aimed to enhance acetoin production through Bacillus subtilis by employing strain selection, mutagenesis, nutritional evaluation, and utilization of cell immobilization for enhanced acetoin production. A strain coded as SFS-13 was isolated from agricultural soil and identified as B. subtilis SFS-13. The acetoin production and glucose-consuming efficiency by wild-type SFS-13 were 8.62 ± 0.04 g/L and 25.33 ± 0.02

Solid‑state fermentation was optimized using Aspergillus niger ISL‑09 and Bacillus subtilis 01‑21 with orange peel as substrate for pectin lyase production. The optimal conditions were: substrate level 10 g, moisture content 25 mL for A. niger and 5 mL for B. subtilis, inoculum size 10

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are essential gut microbiota metabolites with significant effects that are well recognized for their anti-inflammatory benefits, yet their pro-inflammatory and pleiotropic properties have received little attention in literature. SCFAs produced by gut bacteria from one to five carbons engage with a network of G-protein-coupled receptors such as FFAR2/GPR43, FFAR3/GPR41, Olfr78 and monocarboxylate transporters (MCT-1-MCT-4) to influence host physiology. Through established signalling pathways including Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK), mTOR and Gαi/Gαq, SCFAs serve as acetyl CoA precursors that facilitate lipogenesis, gluconeogenesis and cholesterol synthesis while also activating NFκB and reactive oxygen species pathways (e.g. succinate), potentially resulting in vascular inflammation. While SCFAs typically suppress inflammation through histone deacetylase inhibition and immune regulation, pro-inflammatory roles emerge in specific settings. Within immune compartments, SCFAs exhibit cell-specific effects, from priming cell-driven pro-inflammatory roles in one type of immune cell to suppression of inflammatory mediators in others. Moreover, SCFAs can lead to fibrotic remodelling, an intensified form of inflammation in both intestinal and distant tissues. This review aims to demonstrate the complex biphasic bridge between aggravation and resolution influenced by factors such as cell type, study methodologies, receptors, dose dependency, age, metabolic changes and inherent properties and concludes with the significance of particular and accurate research approaches to mimic the true environment and observe SCFA effects employing humanized mice, gut-on-chip systems and organoids for more precise and relevant results.

Antibiotic resistance and biofilm-associated infections are major global health concerns, requiring sustainable antimicrobial alternatives. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial, antifungal, and antibiofilm potential of biosurfactants produced by Bacillus strains (H1, H2, and H5) isolated from the fat of Catla catla, a freshwater fish from the Sutlej River, Pakistan. The biosurfactants were extracted, purified, and characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography, and mass spectrometry. Quantitative analysis revealed that strain H5 produced the highest levels of surfactin (107.5 ± 0.3 mg L-1) and iturin A (60.5 ± 0.5 mg L-1). The biosurfactants exhibited strong antibacterial activity, producing inhibition zones of up to 28.3 ± 0.3 mm against Bacillus licheniformis and 24.3 ± 0.3 mm against Escherichia coli. Minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations against Staphylococcus aureus were 6.6 ± 0.6 µg mL-1 and 11.8 ± 0.4 µg mL-1, respectively. Antifungal tests showed up to 34.6 ± 0.3 mm inhibition zones against Fusarium moniliforme. Antibiofilm assays demonstrated that the extracellular biosurfactant from strain H2 achieved the highest inhibition (82.7 ± 0.3 %) at 50 µg mL-1. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the isolates as Bacillus subtilis (PV789583), Bacillus thuringiensis (PV789584), and Bacillus cereus (PV789585). These findings indicate that biosurfactants derived from Catla catla fat as a substrate represent a cost-effective and eco-friendly source of potent antimicrobial and antibiofilm compounds with promising biotechnological and therapeutic applications.

The development of eco-friendly nano-biofertilizers offers a promising strategy for enhancing crop productivity while minimizing environmental impact. The present research aimed to synthesize novel green ZnO nanoparticles from L. macroides bacteria and to examine their nano-biofertilizer properties on rice crop growth and yield. The green synthesis process involved the microbial reduction of zinc salts, as characterized through UV-Vis spectroscopy (absorption peak at 370 nm), X-ray diffraction (hexagonal wurtzite structure), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (functional groups indicating protein-mediated stabilization), and scanning electron microscopy (agglomerated morphology with an average size of 13.07 nm). Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis confirmed a high-purity elemental composition of zinc (Zn) and oxygen (O). Field trials were conducted with foliar application of ZnO NPs at concentrations of 60 ppm and 80 ppm. The 80-ppm treatment significantly outperformed all other groups in key agronomic parameters: root length (14 ± 0.1 cm), shoot length (87 ± 0.5 cm), root and shoot fresh weights (3.0 ± 0.05 g and 17.0 ± 0.5 g), number of tillers (17 ± 0.5), panicles (26 ± 0.5), and seeds per panicle (234 ± 0.5). The highest yield (850 ± 1 g/plot) was observed in the 80-ppm treatment, with the lowest zinc leaching (1.8 ± 0.1 mg/kg) and optimal soil pH (6.3 ± 0.05). These findings demonstrate the dual role of ZnO NPs as a micronutrient source and bio-stimulant, offering a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers in rice production. Future research should focus on crop-specific optimization, long-term ecological impact, and economic feasibility.

The present study presents a new approach to boost citric acid production by combining genetic improvement and enzyme inhibition in the fungus Aspergillus niger. A mutant strain, named NA-CYS3, was developed by chemically treating the wild-type strain to make it resistant to L-cysteine HCl, a chemical that normally limits growth. This mutant showed better tolerance and higher productivity. Optimal fermentation conditions including medium volume (50 mL), acidity (pH: 4.5), inoculum size (10

This study presents an eco-friendly approach to optimizing the extraction of bioactive compounds from false turkey-tail (Stereum ostrea) mushroom biomass and their application in green synthesis of Cu(II) nanocomposites for antibiofilm applications. Key extraction parameter biomass concentration (0.15

In this study, the synthesis of polyphenol oxidase (PPO)-functionalized aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanoconjugates (NCs) using Pleurotus ostreatus extracts has been carried out, which also assesses their antioxidant, phenolic degradation, and molecular interaction capabilities through the combined experimental and computational methods. PPO extraction optimization showed optimal enzyme activity (maximum of 130 U/mL) to be at 3% biomass concentration, 25 mL of extractant, 120 min of incubation time, and 40 degrees C. The structural characterization revealed that PPO was successfully synthesized onto Al2O3 NCs, and the presence of crystalline Al2O3 NCs phases, enzyme-to-nanoparticle interactions via Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, morphology (spherical to global) via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and particle sizes (nanoscale) via dynamic light scattering (DLS) process were found. PPO-coated Al2O3 NCs performed better antioxidant capacity, with the highest diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging rate of 66.64 +/- 3.33%, which was better than both the free Al2O3 NCs and the natural antioxidant ascorbic acid in the same solution. The use of immobilized Al2O3 NCs in assays of phenolic wastewater treatment showed better degradation efficiency, which yielded a 1.69-fold increase in enzyme activity under fluorescent light and a 1.86-fold increase in enzyme activity under photocatalytic conditions, suggesting an effective catalytic turnover and adsorption of the pollutant. Molecular docking showed that the phenolics in mushrooms had a high binding affinity with PPO-related targets, and rutin (-123.16kcal/mol), catechin (-118.90kcal/mol), and apigenin (-118.23kcal/mol) had significantly high binding affinities compared with ascorbic acid (-85.22 kcal/mol). The adsorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion (ADME), and toxicity studies confirmed positive pharmacokinetics and low predicted toxicity in lead compounds, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed reduced highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy gaps and increased electronic reactivity in apigenin as compared to ascorbic acid. Taken together, these results ensure the use of PPO-coated Al2O3 NCs as an efficient, sustainable, and multi-functional platform of antioxidant applications and phenolic wastewater treatment.

Aspergillus terreus is a pathogen as well as an industrial organism. Current study deals with in vitro evaluation of A. terreus as a potential candidate for starch-based industries and susceptibility of toxigenic isolates to plant essential oils. Conventionally identified A. terreus soil isolates (n=25) were screened for mycotoxin production by TLC. Non- toxigenic isolates were selected for starch hydrolysis using starch agar. Toxigenic A. terreus were selected for antifungal activity of plant-derived essential oils (Nigella sativa, Elettaria cardamomum, Eucalyptus globulus, Cinnamomum verum Cuminum cyminum, and Syzygium aromaticum) by agar well diffusion and micro-broth dilution method. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC ≥ 0.65±0.22µL/mL) was observed for Cuminum cyminum. So, it was used for inhibitory effect on growth and toxin production in broken grains. Cuminum cyminum EO inhibited the growth of A. terreus (0.00±0.00 cfu/g) in inoculated group and OTA production was also close to uninoculated group. Starch hydrolysis to colony diameter ratio helped for selection of isolates for further experiments. In starch hydrolysis, two isolates AST-01 and AST-02 produced highest ratios, which were 2.25±.08 and 1.76±.04 respectively. Influence of maize flour, wheat bran and rice husk with varying concentration, incubation temperature and pH were evaluated on starch hydrolysis potential. The hydrolytic potential quantified by dinitorosalisylic acid (DNS) method. A. terreus AST-02 had the highest hydrolytic potential (102.96±2.61IU) under incubation of 3% wheat bran at 37 °C and pH 6.0. It is concluded that A. terreus is a potential candidate for starch-based industries and further crop contamination by toxigenic species could be curtailed using essential oil as a feed preservative.

Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) production from agricultural waste offers a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics. This study optimized PHB production using B. licheniformis NA-cys8 on raw and pretreated corncobs supplemented with sugarcane molasses via solid-state fermentation. Optimal fermentation conditions were: pretreated corncobs (5 g) or raw corncobs (7.5 g), molasses (25 mL; 3.75 g total sugar), inoculum (4

In this study, an aqueous extract of Spirulina platensis was utilized as a reducing and stabilizing agent for the green synthesis of silver-zinc oxide nanocomposites (Ag-ZnO). The S. platensis extract was optimized at a concentration of 0.5%, stored at 4°C and centrifuged at 6000 rpm for 5 min. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy of the extract showed a broad absorbance band in the 330- to 380-nm region and a shoulder in the 520- to 620-nm range, corresponding to bioactive metabolites. The formation of silver-zinc oxide nanocomposites was confirmed by characteristic absorbance in the 300- to 400-nm region under optimized conditions. Particle size analysis using a Zetasizer revealed an average particle size of approximately 204 nm with a polydispersity index of 0.28. Functional groups, crystallinity, and surface morphology were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. Due to increasing concerns over antibiotic resistance, the antibacterial potential of the synthesized nanocomposites was evaluated by the disk diffusion method showing a maximum zone of inhibition of 35 ± 0.4 nm against Pseudomonas aeruginosa at 13 μg/mL. The Ag-ZnO nanocomposites exhibited a notable antioxidant activity, indicating a concentration-dependent DPPH radical scavenging activity with a maximum inhibition of 67.3% at 517 nm, compared to 60.12 for ascorbic acid. Furthermore, cytotoxic evaluation against the BT-549 breast cancer cell line revealed a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 6.401 μg/mL. These findings indicate that S. platensis-mediated silver-zinc oxide nanocomposites exhibit promising biological activity.

Inulinases (β-fructanohydrolases) are hydrolyzing enzymes with an extensive range of industrial applications such as synthesis of fructose syrup, bioethanol, and certain chemicals, such as citric acid, lactic acid. In this work, extracellular inulinase was produced from Candida tropicalis NRRL-Y-1552 using a stationary culture technique (ScT) with molasses as the basal fermentation medium. The highest enzyme production (15.08 U/mL) was obtained at 30 °C, pH 4.5, 100 mL molasses, and 48 h incubation. Initially the enzyme activity was not encouraging (6.3 U/mL) but after optimizations, the enzyme production significantly increased (20.4 U/mL, P ≤ 0.05). The enzyme yield was 69.1%. The size and age of inoculum (1.5 mL, 12 h old) was optimized for maximum production of enzyme. The exo-inulinase production data was subjected to artificial neutral network (ANN) to create a reliable association between the predicted and experimental outcomes. Decision tree techniques were used to forecast the validation of the model. The model’s performance was significantly improved by the ANN’s linear coefficient correlation value. The significance of the study lies in investigating ANN model of static-culture exo-inulinase synthesis enabled by C tropicalis NRRL-Y-1552 using blackstrap sugarcane molasses, making the process ecofriendly and economically feasible for scale up studies.

The green synthesis of copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) using mushroom biomass is an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative to conventional chemical and physical methods. The bioactive compounds in the mushroom biomass act as reducing and stabilizing agents, facilitating the nanoparticle synthesis without the need for toxic reagents. This study explores the biosynthesis of Cu NPs, an aqueous mushroom extract from S. ostrea. The development of a dark ocher color confirmed the formation of SO-Cu (II) NPs. Various parameters were optimized, including concentration of CuSO4.5H2O, extract level, and procurement period to achieve enhanced nanoparticle yield. The optimal concentration of CuSO4.5H2O was 1 M, the optimal extract level was 1%, while the procurement period determined was 45 min. The synthesized Cu NPs were characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, and SEM. UV-vis spectroscopy showed a distinct surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak in the range of similar to 290 nm. SEM showed the structure, FTIR revealed distinct functional groups, and the crystalline nature of myco-synthesized Cu NPs was confirmed by XRD analysis. Concentration-dependent antimicrobial activity was observed, as 10 & micro;L produced better results than 5 & micro;L. This mushroom-mediated synthesis approach aligns with green chemistry principles, offering a low-cost, nontoxic, and scalable method with promising implications in medicine.

This study presents a novel approach to hyaluronic acid (HA) production from wild-type Bacillus subtilis strain PV154141.1, avoiding the need for genetic modifications commonly used in previous research. HA production was conducted under aseptic conditions using submerged fermentation in a medium containing glucose, lactose, yeast extract and tryptone. Critical fermentation parameters including media composition, incubation temperature, initial pH, and inoculum level, were optimized resulting in a significantly enhanced HA yield. Following optimization, HA was extracted using two distinct methods, the conventional ethanol method, which mainly relies on centrifugation and ethanol usage, and the CTAB-ethanol method, which involves greater volumes of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and ethanol. Results indicated that the CTAB-ethanol method yielded significantly higher HA concentrations (472 µg/ml) compared to the conventional method (59.1 µg/ml), using the same experimental setup, because of the combined effect of CTAB, NaCl and ethanol for selective precipitation of HA, which is statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy further characterized the extracted HA, confirming its desired molecular structure and associated functional groups. Characteristic absorption peaks for HA were identified at 685.83, 834.92, 998.92, 1148.02, 1297.1, 1617.66, 2892.41, and 3257.69 cm− 1. Each peak represents a specific biomolecule. The functional groups present in our sample included amide groups, hydroxyl groups, polyphenols, and proteoglycan sugar rings, confirming the presence of HA in the sample. The optimized fermentation process and a more efficient extraction technique contribute to advancing HA production methodologies. This research contributes a cost-effective and scalable approach to HA production, positioning wild-type B. subtilis as a promising non-GMO alternative for industrial applications in biotechnology, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

In this study, the synthesis of polyphenol oxidase (PPO)-functionalized aluminum oxide (Al 2 O[Formula: see text] nanoconjugates (NCs) using Pleurotus ostreatus extracts has been carried out, which also assesses their antioxidant, phenolic degradation, and molecular interaction capabilities through the combined experimental and computational methods. PPO extraction optimization showed optimal enzyme activity (maximum of 130 U/mL) to be at 3% biomass concentration, 25 mL of extractant, 120 min of incubation time, and [Formula: see text]C. The structural characterization revealed that PPO was successfully synthesized onto Al 2 O 3 NCs, and the presence of crystalline Al 2 O 3 NCs phases, enzyme-to-nanoparticle interactions via Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, morphology (spherical to global) via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and particle sizes (nanoscale) via dynamic light scattering (DLS) process were found. PPO-coated Al 2 O 3 NCs performed better antioxidant capacity, with the highest diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging rate of 66.64 ± 3.33%, which was better than both the free Al 2 O 3 NCs and the natural antioxidant ascorbic acid in the same solution. The use of immobilized Al 2 O 3 NCs in assays of phenolic wastewater treatment showed better degradation efficiency, which yielded a 1.69-fold increase in enzyme activity under fluorescent light and a 1.86-fold increase in enzyme activity under photocatalytic conditions, suggesting an effective catalytic turnover and adsorption of the pollutant. Molecular docking showed that the phenolics in mushrooms had a high binding affinity with PPO-related targets, and rutin (−123.16 kcal/mol), catechin (−118.90 kcal/mol), and apigenin (−118.23 kcal/mol) had significantly high binding affinities compared with ascorbic acid (−85.22 kcal/mol). The adsorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion (ADME), and toxicity studies confirmed positive pharmacokinetics and low predicted toxicity in lead compounds, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed reduced highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy gaps and increased electronic reactivity in apigenin as compared to ascorbic acid. Taken together, these results ensure the use of PPO-coated Al 2 O 3 NCs as an efficient, sustainable, and multi-functional platform of antioxidant applications and phenolic wastewater treatment.

Lipases from Rhizopus oligosporus and their mutant variants have significant potential for industrial applications, particularly in biodiesel production and biotechnology. This study has focused on optimizing lipase production and evaluating its performance in biodiesel synthesis, as well as on investigating the effects of fermentation methods, mutagenesis, and enzyme applications. A comparative analysis of solid-state fermentation (SSF) and submerged fermentation (SmF) revealed that SmF, at 30 °C, pH 6.5, with 1

This study presents a green nanobiotechnological platform for enhanced L-DOPA biosynthesis. Intracellular tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) was immobilized onto silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) biosynthesized using extract of the edible mushroom Agaricus arvensis and subsequently applied for the aerobic biotransformation of synthetic L-tyrosine. The AgNPs were produced using the mushroom extract as a natural reducing agent and optimized for “TH” activity under controlled conditions: 2.5

This study evaluated and compared the wound-healing effects of biosurfactant-loaded ointments derived from the viscera of Catla catla fish at concentrations of 25, 50, and 75 µg/mL. The results demonstrated significant improvements in wound contraction and tissue regeneration. The greater wound contraction (84.31 ± 1.7 %) was observed in the group treated with the 75 µg/mL ointment group on day 10, showing a significant difference from the negative control (69.68 ± 1.3 %) (p ≤ 0.05). Histological analysis revealed re-epithelization and hair follicle formation in the 75 µg/mL ointment group, indicating complete tissue regeneration. To further confirm the efficacy of ointments, antioxidant assays were performed. On day 10, the 75 µg/mL ointment group showed a significantly higher glutathione level (GSH) (51.3 ± 2.8 mg/L) than the negative control group (20.9 ± 0.8 mg/L, p < 0.01). Additionally, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were significantly higher in the 50 µg/mL ointment group than in the control group, with values of 208.0 ± 3.3 U/mL for SOD and 207.4 ± 4.0 U/L for GSH-Px (p < 0.01), respectively. These findings suggest that biosurfactant ointments enhance wound healing by promoting wound contraction, strengthening antioxidant defense, and supporting tissue regeneration, highlighting their potential as effective alternative to conventional wound treatments.

The increasing cost and sustainability concerns associated with soybean meal (SBM) necessitate alternative protein sources for aquaculture feeds. This study evaluated graded replacement of SBM with silkworm pupae meal (SWPM; 0, 25, 50, and 75 %) combined with probiotics in Pangasius pangasius. Among ten screened probiotic strains, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum showed strong antimicrobial activity against major fish pathogens. A 90-day feeding trial demonstrated that diets containing 25 % and 50 % SWPM significantly improved growth performance compared to the control, increasing final body weight from 19.83 g to 27.39 g and 28.54 g, respectively, with a concurrent reduction in feed conversion ratio from 1.29 to 1.22 (p ≤ 0.001). Antioxidant capacity was markedly enhanced, as evidenced by reduced lipid peroxidation and elevated activities of superoxide dismutase (upto 236.9U/mg) and catalase (43.9U/mg) in the liver, kidney, and intestine (p ≤ 0.001). Gene expression analysis revealed downregulation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6, alongside strong upregulation of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (2.1-fold) at 25-50 % SWPM, whereas 75 % inclusion induced pro-inflammatory signaling. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of 25-50 % SWPM combined with probiotics is optimal for enhancing growth, antioxidant defense, digestive efficiency, and immune homeostasis in P. pangasius, supporting its use in sustainable functional aquafeeds.