Biofabrication of Acer palmatum-Mediated Multifunctional CuO Nanoparticles for Dye Removal, Antibacterial-Antifungal Activity, and Molecular Docking.

Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) are used in many fields from electronics to medicine due to their multifunctionality, and therefore, their production with environmentally friendly methods is a current issue. In this study, biofabricated CuONPs were obtained by using the leaf extract of Acer palmatum plant originating from the Far East to enlighten the characteristics of the novel nanoparticles differentiating from those existing in the literature. Multifunctional nature of the CuONPs was evaluated by the antibacterial, antifungal, and decolorative applications and also by performing molecular docking analysis. The fabricated CuONPs were characterized using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The absorbance seen at 270 nm in the SPR band obtained by UV-vis spectroscopy proved the presence of CuONPs, while the 602, 560, and 540 cm-1 vibrations obtained in the FT-IR spectroscopy indicated the same result. SEM images proved that the nanoparticles were in spherical form with sizes ranging from 140 to 225 nm. The result of DLS analysis showed that the average particle size was 229 nm in diameter, and CuONPs had monodisperse systems (polydispersity index, 0.184). The dye removal potency of CuONPs was also investigated by using remazol brilliant blue R (RBBR) and napthol blue black (NBB). Decolorizations (74 and 86%) of RBBR and NBB were obtained in 90 min at 50 °C, respectively. The strong antibacterial properties of the synthesized CuONPs were observed on both Gram (-) and Gram (+) bacterial strains by disk diffusion and optical analyses, and their antifungal activity was close to that of Amphotericin B, which was applied as a positive control. Molecular docking analysis was performed with Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase and Staphylococcus aureus DNA Gyrase B to analyze the antibacterial mechanisms of CuONP and observed that they exhibit good interactions with their targets with binding energies of -12.562 and -8.797 kcal/mol, respectively. Our findings suggested that CuONPs are crucial in the mechanisms of folate metabolism and DNA replication associated with bacterial proliferation. This work will provide significant guidance for the biofabrication of CuONPs and their medical and industrial applications.

Biogenic synthesis, molecular docking, biomedical and environmental applications of multifunctional CuO nanoparticles mediated Phragmites australis.

The demand for metal nanoparticles is increasing with the widening application areas while causing environmental impact including pollution, toxic byproduct generation and depletion of natural resources. Incorporating natural materials in nanoparticle synthesis can contribute toward environmental sustainability. This paper is concerned with the biogenic synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) mediated by the plant species Phragmites australis. UV-vis, FT-IR, TEM and SEM studies were used to characterize the obtained CuONPs. The synthesized nanoparticles' antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was assessed. The CuONPs' reducing power, total phenolic component content, and flavonoid content were all calculated. Additionally, the dye removal abilities of copper oxide nanoparticles using Brilliant Blue R-250 were studied. The CuONP synthesis was assessed morphological by change of color and in the UV-vis analysis by the SPR band around 320 and 360 nm. FT-IR was used to monitor the functional groups present in the synthesized CuONPs. The obtained CuONPs were spherical and between 70 and 142 nm in size, according to the SEM data and TEM analyses were in accordance with SEM results. Using disk diffusion, the CuONPs demonstrated substantial antibacterial efficacy against S. aureus and E. coli, with inhibition zones of 18.5 ± 0.8 and 12.7 ± 0.6 mm, respectively. The MBC and MIC values were 62.5 µg/mL against S. aureus and 125 µg/mL against E. coli. The antioxidant abilities of P. australis and CuONPs were also confirmed. The CuONP solution's total phenolic substance content was 9.44 µg of pyrocathecol equivalent per milligram of nanoparticle, and its total flavonoid content was 16.24 µg of catechin equivalent per milligram of nanoparticle. Additionally, the synthesized CuONPs were found to be well effective on industrial dye removal by demonstrating high decolorization of 98 %. Also, the antibacterial activity of CuONPs was investigated through the interactions with S. aureus FtsZ, dihydropteroate synthase and thymidylate kinase. In silico molecular docking analysis was applied in the confirmation of the binding sites and interactions of active sites. CuONP showed -9.067, -8,048, and -7.349 kcal/mol of binding energies in molecular docking analysis of FtsZ, dihydropteroate synthase and thymidylate kinase proteins respectively. The results of this study suggested the antimicrobial, antioxidant and decolorative effect of synthesized CuONPs that can be apply in multiple areas of R&D and industry.

Bioinspired fabrication of CuONPs synthesized via Cotoneaster and application in dye removal: antioxidant and antibacterial studies.

In this study, bioinspired fabrication of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) which are widely researched in nanotechnology field with Cotoneaster extract was performed. Cotoneaster plant extract was chosen as a good antioxidant and antibacterial agent in terms of the amount of phenolic and flavonoid compounds it contains. The obtained CuONPs were characterized by UV-Vis, FTIR, and SEM analyses. Antibacterial activity of the fabricated nanoparticles was evaluated against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Total phenolic compound, total flavonoid amount, and reducing power of the CuONPs were determined. Furthermore, paint removal properties of copper oxide nanoparticles on various dyes were investigated. Fabrication of the CuONPs was evaluated morphologically by color change and in UV spectrum by SPR band at 338 nm. The characteristic peak of CuONPs at 621 cm-1 was monitored employing FT-IR. SEM results showed that the fabricated CuONPs were spherical and between 50 and 160 nm. The CuONPs represented notable antibacterial efficiency against E. coli and S. aureus with inhibition zone of 19 ± 1 and 23 ± 2, respectively employing disk diffusion. The antioxidant properties of the CuONPs were also confirmed. Total phenolic substance content of the CuONP solution was 6.04 µg pyrocathecol equivalent/mg nanoparticle and total flavonoid content value was found as 122.46 µg catechin equivalent/mg nanoparticle. The reducing power of the fabricated CuONPs was found to be good when compared to the standard antioxidants BHA and α-tocopherol. In addition, the decolorization efficiency of the fabricated CuONPs has a strong potential on the industrial dye removal of neutral red and naphthol blue black.

The analysis of methylxanthine fractions obtained from Camellia sinensis cultivated in Turkey and effects on the in vitro inhibition of CYP2D6 enzyme.

Tea is a worldwide consumed herbal beverage and it was aimed in this study to reveal the major fractions of green and black tea in order to enlighten the in vitro inhibition potency on the well-known drug metabolizing enzyme CYP2D6 activity. Methylxanthine fractions were extracted from green and black tea and a yield of 0.265 g (1.06%) for 25 g of dried black tea and 0.302 g (1.2%) for 25 g of green tea was calculated. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis represented that the major components of the methylxanthine fractions were caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline. Methylxanthine content of black tea was 368.25 ± 4.6 µg/ml caffeine, 89.30 ± 2.3 µg/ml theobromine, and 3.40 ± 0.5 µg/ml theophylline, whereas that of green tea was 176.50 ± 3.7 µg/ml caffeine, 53.85 ± 1.4 µg/ml theobromine, and 2.06 ± 0.7 µg/ml theophylline. The results of concentration-dependent inhibition studies were 76% green tea, 75% black tea, and 55% caffeine at concentration of 10 mg/ml. The inhibition rates of green and black tea on CYP2D6 activity were 76% and 75%, respectively, where that of quinidine, the well-known inhibitor of CYP2D6, was 82%. Our results indicate that green and black tea is very likely to modify the CYP2D6 enzyme activity.

Phytosynthesis of CuONPs via Laurus nobilis: Determination of antioxidant content, antibacterial activity, and dye decolorization potential.

Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) were phytosynthesized by Laurus nobilis leaf extract, which was used as a reducing and capping agent. UV-vis spectroscopy was applied, and the spectrum of CuONPs gave a peak around 300 and 325 nm. An intense Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy between 4000 and 500 cm-1 wavelengths exhibited exterior functional groups of CuONPs. The results of scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy revealed that the green synthesized CuONPs were spherical in shape with sizes between 90 and 250 nm. Antibacterial activity of CuONPs was evaluated against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Brilliant Blue R-250 was employed in the dye decolorization studies, and CuONPs achieved 69% decolorization in 60 Min. The antioxidant activity of CuONPs was calculated by analyzing total phenolic compounds and flavonoid content. Furthermore, the reducing power of extract and nanoparticles was determined. Total phenolic compounds of CuONPs were determined as 6.7 µg of pyrocatechol equivalent/mg, while total flavonoids were measured as 236.62 µg catechin/mg sample. Results indicated that the method of CuONP formation is simple and low cost and the phytosynthesized CuONPs had antibacterial, antioxidant, and dye decolorization activity.

An accomplished procedure of horseradish peroxidase immobilization for removal of acid yellow 11 in aqueous solutions.

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) characteristics were improved by two techniques, Na-alginate entrapment and glutaraldehyde crosslinking prior to alginate entrapment, in order to enhance the stability, functionality and removal of dyes in waste water. Free, entrapped and crosslinked-entrapped enzymes were compared by activity assays, which indicated the optimum temperature is 25 °C and pH 4.0-5.0. Kinetics results showed that alginate entrapment and crosslinking prior to entrapment increased Vmax and did not cause any significant decrease in Km. The thermal resistance of the free enzyme was short-term, zero residual activity after 250 min, while the immobilized enzymes preserved more than 50% of their activity for 5 h at 60 °C. Immobilized HRP was resistant to methanol, ethanol, DMSO and THF. The storage stability of free HRP ended in 35 days whereas entrapped and crosslinked-entrapped HRPs had 87 and 92% residual activity at the 60th day, respectively. HRP was used in the decolorization of azo dye Acid yellow 11 and total decolorization (>99%) was obtained using crosslinked-entrapped HRP. Reusability studies presented the improvement that crosslinked-entrapped HRP reached 74% decolorization after 10 batches. The results demonstrated that the novel immobilized HRP can be used as an effective catalyst for dye degradation of industrial waste effluents.

Complexes of glucose oxidase with chitosan and dextran possessing enhanced stability.

In this study, the different mole ratios of glucose oxidase/chitosan/dextran-aldehyde and glucose oxidase/chitosan/dextran-sulfate complexes were synthesized. The modification of glucose oxidase by non-covalent complexation with dextran and chitosan in different molar ratios was studied in order to increase the enzyme activity. The enzyme/polymer complexes obtained were investigated by UV spectrophotometer and dynamic light scattering. Activity determination of synthesized complexes and free enzyme were performed at a temperature range. The best results were obtained by Cchitosan/Cdextran-aldehyde = 10/1 ratio and Cchitosan/Cdextran-sulfate = 1/5 ratio that were used in thermal stability, shelf life, salt stress, and ethanol effect experiments. The results demonstrated that both complexes were thermally stable at 60 °C and had superior storage stability compared to the free glucose oxidase. Complexes showed higher enzymatic activity than free enzyme in the organic solvent environment using 10% ethanol. The complexes were resistant to salt stress containing 0.1 M NaCl or CaCl2. The particle size distribution results of the triple complex evaluated the complexation of the chitosan, dextran derivative, and glucose oxidase. The average size of the triple complex in diameter was found to be 325.8 ± 9.3 nm. Overall findings suggest that the complexes of glucose oxidase, chitosan, and dextran showed significant enhancement in the enzyme activity.

Development of urea biosensor using non-covalent complexes of urease with aldehyde derivative of PEG and analysis on serum samples.

Non-covalent complexes of urease/polyethylene glycol (PEG)-aldehyde were synthesized using regular molar ratios of urease and PEG-aldehyde at room temperature. The physical properties of the non-covalent complexes were analyzed in order to investigate the impact of coupling ratio, temperature, pH, storage stability, and thermal stability. Urease activity was analyzed by UV-Vis spectrophotometer at 630 nm. The results showed that the strongest thermal resistance was obtained using nU/nPEG:1/1 (mg/mL) complex within all molar ratios tested. The enzymatic activity of nU/nPEG:1/1 complex doubled the activity of the free enzyme. Therefore, this complex was chosen to be used in the analyses. When coupled with PEG-aldehyde, urease exhibited improved activity between pH 4.0-9.0 and the optimum pH was found to be 7.0. The thermal inactivation results of the complex demonstrated that higher activity remained (40%) when compared with the free enzyme (10%) at 60 °C. The storage stability of the non-covalent complex was 4 weeks which was greater than the storage stability of the free enzyme. A kinetic model was suggested in order to reveal the mechanism of enzymatic conversion. Potentiometric urea biosensor was prepared using two different membranes: carboxylated poly vinyl chloride (PVC) and palmitic acid containing PVC. The potentiometric responses of both sensors were tested against pH and temperature and the best results were obtained at pH 7.0 and 20-30 °C. Also, selectivity of the suggested biosensors toward Na+, Li+ Ca2+, and K+ ions was evaluated and the reproducibility responses of the urea biosensors were measured with acceptable results.

Biosynthesis of palladium nanoparticles using Diospyros kaki leaf extract and determination of antibacterial efficacy.

Palladium, the building block of white gold, has been found to exhibit extraordinary properties in nanotechnological products produced in recent years. The most prominent feature of palladium is adsorbing and storing high levels of hydrogen. Therefore, the demand for palladium in the world increased excessively in the 2000s. In the present study, palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) were biosynthesized by the extract of Diospyros kaki leaves as bio-stimulator. D. kaki, also called persimmon, was collected in a local area in Istanbul Turkey. PdNP formation was screened by analyzing UV-Vis spectrophotometer at 250-550 nm. The nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscope which revealed that the biosynthesized PdNPs were in sizes ranging from 50 to 120 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy applied on both D. kaki leaf extract and PdNPs was used to decide on the reactive groups managing the reduction of the biosynthesized nanoparticles. Also, the PdNPs showed reasonably proficient antibacterial efficacy for both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and the zones of inhibition were found as 18 and 10.5 mm, respectively.

Preparation, characterization, and in vitro evaluation of isoniazid and rifampicin-loaded archaeosomes.

The ability of Archaea to adapt their membrane lipid compositions to extreme environments has brought in archaeosomes into consideration for the development of drug delivery systems overcoming the physical, biological blockades that the body exhibits against drug therapies. In this study, we prepared unilamellar archaeosomes, from the polar lipid fraction extracted from Haloarcula 2TK2 strain, and explored its potential as a drug delivery vehicle. Rifampicin and isoniazid which are conventional drugs in tuberculosis medication were loaded separately and together in the same archaeosome formulation for the benefits of the combined therapy. Particle size and zeta potential of archaeosomes were measured by photon correlation spectroscopy, and the morphology was assessed by with an atomic force microscope. Encapsulation efficiency and loading capacities of the drugs were determined, and in vitro drug releases were monitored spectrophotometrically. Our study demonstrates that rifampicin and isoniazid could be successfully loaded separately and together in archaeosomes with reasonable drug-loading and desired vesicle-specific characters. Both of the drugs had greater affinity for archaeosomes than a conventional liposome formulation. The results imply that archaeosomes prepared from extremely halophilic archaeon were compatible with the liposomes for the development of stable and sustained release of antituberculosis drugs.

Simultaneous Analysis of Monovalent Anions and Cations with a Sub-Microliter Dead-Volume Flow-Through Potentiometric Detector for Ion Chromatography.

A microliter dead-volume flow-through cell as a potentiometric detector is described in this article for sensitive, selective and simultaneous detection of common monovalent anions and cations in single column ion chromatography for the first time. The detection cell consisted of less selective anion- and cation-selective composite membrane electrodes together with a solid-state composite matrix reference electrode. The simultaneous separation and sensitive detection of sodium (Na(+)), potassium (K(+)), ammonium (NH4 (+)), chloride (Cl(-)) and nitrate (NO3 (-)) in a single run was achieved by using 98% 1.5 mM MgSO4 and 2% acetonitrile eluent with a mixed-bed ion-exchange separation column without suppressor column system. The separation and simultaneous detection of the anions and cations were completed in 6 min at the eluent flow-rate of 0.8 mL/min. Detection limits, at S/N = 3, were ranged from 0.2 to 1.0 µM for the anions and 0.3 to 3.0 µM for the cations, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of monovalent anions and cations in several environmental and biological samples.

The potential of archaeosomes as carriers of pDNA into mammalian cells.

This paper describes the formulation of archaeosomes and the evaluation of their abilities to facilitate in vitro DNA delivery. Lipids of the H.hispanica 2TK2 strain were used in archaeosome formation, which is formulated by mixing H.hispanica 2TK2 lipids with plasmid DNA encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP) or ß-galactosidase (ß-gal). Archaeosome/pDNA formation and unbound DNA were monitored by agarose gel electrophoresis. The archaeosome formulations were visualized by AFM and TEM. The zeta potential analysis showed the archaeosomes to be electronegative. The composition of archaeosomes and the DNA dose for transient transfection into HEK293 cells were optimized, and the relationship between the structure and activity of archaeosomes in DNA delivery was investigated. By themselves, archaeosomes showed low efficiency for DNA delivery, due to their anionic nature. By formulating archaeosomes with a helper molecule, such as DOTAP, CaCl2, or LiCl, the capability of archaeosomes for gene transfection is significantly enhanced. The transfection profiles of efficient archaeosomes are proved to have a long shelf-life when maintained at room temperature. Thus, the archaeal lipids have the potential to be used as transfection reagents in vitro.

Preparation of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) films from halophilic archaea and their potential use in drug delivery.

Halophilic archaea offer a potential source for production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). Hence, the experiments were carried out with five extremely halophilic archaeal isolates to determine the highest PHA-producing strain. PHA production of each isolates was separately examined in cheap carbon sources such as corn starch, sucrose, whey, apple, melon and tomato wastes. Corn starch was found to be a fairly effective substrate for PHA production. Among the strains studied here, the strain with the highest capability for PHA biosynthesis was found to be 1KYS1. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison showed that 1KYS1 closely related to species of the genus Natrinema. The closest phylogenetic similarity was with the strain of Natrinema pallidum JCM 8980 (99 %). PHA content of 1KYS1 was about 53.14 % of the cell dry weight when starch was used as a carbon source. The formation of large and uniform PHA granules was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and the biopolymer was identified as poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV). PHBV produced by 1KYS1 was blended with low molar mass polyethylene glycol (PEG 300) to prepare biocompatible films for drug delivery. Rifampicin was used as a model drug and its release from PHBV films was investigated at pH 7.4, 37 °C. It was found that PHBV films obtained from 1KYS1 were very effective for drug delivery. In conclusion, PHBV of 1KYS1 may have a potential usage in drug delivery applications.

A novel potentiometric sensor for determination of neurotoxin ß-N-oxalyl-L-α, ß-diaminopropionic acid.

A novel potentiometric sensor based on ionophore (Cd(NH2CH2CH2OCH2CH2OCH2CH2NH2)Ag3(CN)5) for the determination of ß-N-oxalyl-L-α, ß-diaminopropionic acid (ODAP) is developed. The ODAP-selective membrane sensor demonstrates high sensitivity and short response time. The detection limit of the ODAP-selective membrane sensor is about 2 × 10(-6) mol L (-1) and the response time is shorter than 6 s. The linear dynamic range of the ODAP-selective membrane sensor is between ODAP concentrations of 1.0 × 10(-2) and 1 × 10(-6) mol L (-1). The ODAP-selective membrane sensor exhibits good operational stability for at least one week in dry conditions at 4-6°C. It has a reproducible and stable response during continuous work for at least 10 h with a relative standard deviation of 0.28% (n = 18).