Corrigendum: Performance evaluation of Moringa oleifera seeds aqueous extract for removing Microcystis aeruginosa and microcystins from municipal treated-water.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1329431.].

Natural Inhibitory Treatment of Fungi-Induced Deterioration of Carbonate and Cellulosic Ancient Monuments: Isolation, Identification and Simulation of Biogenic Deterioration.

Fungi play a significant role in the deterioration of various types of monuments. Therefore, the protection of ancient monuments from fungal attacks is an important goal that must attract the attention of researchers worldwide. A total of 69 fungal isolates were recovered from 22 deteriorated objects compromising paper, textiles, wood, and stone in the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) storeroom, Cairo, Egypt. The isolates were identified as 12 different species categorized into three different genera, namely, Aspergillus (9 species), Penicillium (2 species) and Trichoderma (1 species). Among them, Aspergillus fumigatus was the most prevalent species. Three essential oils were assessed for antifungal activity and compared with the antifungal effects of five synthetic microcides to identify a natural inhibitory treatment. Thyme oil and sodium azide were found to be the most active growth inhibitors, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 625 and 100 ppm, with inhibition zone diameters of 19.0 ± 0.70 - 23.76 ± 1.15 and 13.30 ± 0.35 - 19.66 ± 0.54 mm, respectively. An in vitro simulation of the biodeterioration process was conducted using spores of the A. fumigatus strain NMEC-PSTW.1 on model cubes made of paper, textile, wood, and stone materials. The changes in the characteristics of the artificially deteriorated materials were analyzed using environmental scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results revealed changes in the morphology, physical properties, and chemical composition induced by A. fumigatus NMEC-PSTW.1. Overall, thyme oil is recommended as a natural inhibitor to protect carbonate and cellulosic monuments in NMEC against fungal attack.

Retrieval of Cu2+ and Cd2+ ions from aqueous solutions using sustainable guar gum/PVA/montmorillonite nanocomposite films: effect of temperature and adsorption isotherms.

Uncontrolled or improperly managed wastewater is considered toxic and dangerous to plants, animals, and people, as well as negatively impacting the ecosystem. In this research, the use of we aimed to prepare polymer nanocomposites (guar gum/polyvinyl alcohol, and nano-montmorillonite clay) for eliminating heavy metals from water-based systems, especially Cu2+ and Cd2+ ions. The synthesis of nanocomposites was done by the green method with different ratios of guar gum to PVA (50/50), (60/40), and (80/20) wt%, in addition to glycerol that acts as a cross-linker. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis of the prepared (guar gum/PVA/MMT) polymeric nano-composites' structure and morphology revealed the presence of both guar gum and PVA's functional groups in the polymeric network matrix. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis was also performed, which verified the creation of a nanocomposite. Furthermore, theromgravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrated the biocomposites' excellent thermal properties. For those metal ions, the extreme uptake was found at pH 6.0 in each instance. The Equilibrium uptake capacities of the three prepared nanocomposites were achieved within 240 min. The maximal capacities were found to be 95, 89 and 84 mg/g for Cu2+, and for Cd2+ were found to be 100, 91, 87 mg/g for guar gum (80/20, 60/40 and 50/50), respectively. The pseudo-2nd-order model with R2 > 0.98 was demonstrated to be followed by the adsorption reaction, according to the presented results. In less than 4 hours, the adsorption equilibrium was reached. Furthermore, a 1% EDTA solution could be used to revitalize the metal-ion-loaded nanocomposites for several cycles. The most promising nanocomposite with efficiency above 90% for the removal of Cu2+ and Cd2+ ions from wastewater was found to have a guar (80/20) weight percentage, according to the results obtained.

Investigating Sulforaphane's anti-virulence and anti-quorum sensing properties against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Background: P. aeruginosa, a significant bacterium, can cause severe illness and resistance to antibiotics. Quorum sensing (QS) systems regulate virulence factors production. Targeting QS could reduce bacteria pathogenicity and prevent antibiotic resistance. Cruciferous vegetables contain sulforaphane, known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and antimicrobial properties. Aim: We aimed to examine the inhibitory influences of sulforaphane, at a sub-inhibitory concentration (» minimum inhibitory concentration, MIC), on virulence and QS in P. aeruginosa. Materials and methods: The sulforaphane's anti-virulence actions at sub-inhibitory concentrations were explored in vitro and in vivo. A sub-MIC concentration of sulforaphane was combined with anti-pseudomonal drugs, and the results of this combination were assessed. The virtual affinity of sulforaphane for the receptors of QS was studied, and its effect on the expression of QS genes was quantified. Results: Sulforaphane significantly decreased the biofilm formation, motility, ability to withstand oxidative stress, and the synthesis of virulence extracellular enzymes such as proteases, hemolysins, and elastase, as well as other virulence factors like pyocyanin. In addition, sulforaphane lessened the severity of P. aeruginosa infection in mice. Sulforaphane reduced the antipseudomonal antibiotics' MICs when used together, resulting in synergistic effects. The observed anti-virulence impacts were attributed to the ability of sulforaphane to inhibit QS via suppressing the QS genes' expression. Conclusion: Sulforaphane shows promise as a potent anti-virulence and anti-QS agent that can be used alongside conventional antimicrobials to manage severe infections effectively. Furthermore, this study paves the way for further investigation of sulforaphane and similar structures as pharmacophores for anti-QS candidates.

Alleviating chromium-induced oxidative stress in Vigna radiata through exogenous trehalose application: insights into growth, photosynthetic efficiency, mineral nutrient uptake, and reactive oxygen species scavenging enzyme activity enhancement.

Trehalose serves as a crucial osmolyte and plays a significant role in stress tolerance. The influence of exogenously added trehalose (1 and 5 mM) in alleviating the chromium (Cr; 0.5 mM) stress-induced decline in growth, photosynthesis, mineral uptake, antioxidant system and nitrate reductase activity in Vigna radiata was studied. Chromium (Cr) significantly declined shoot height (39.33%), shoot fresh weight (35.54%), shoot dry weight (36.79%), total chlorophylls (50.70%), carotenoids (29.96%), photosynthesis (33.97%), net intercellular CO2 (26.86%), transpiration rate (36.77%), the content of N (35.04%), P (35.77%), K (31.33%), S (23.91%), Mg (32.74%), and Ca (29.67%). However, the application of trehalose considerably alleviated the decline. Application of trehalose at both concentrations significantly reduced hydrogen peroxide accumulation, lipid peroxidation and electrolyte leakage, which were increased due to Cr stress. Application of trehalose significantly mitigated the Cr-induced oxidative damage by up-regulating the activity of reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (182.03%), catalase (125.40%), ascorbate peroxidase (72.86%), and glutathione reductase (68.39%). Besides this, applied trehalose proved effective in enhancing ascorbate (24.29%) and reducing glutathione content (34.40%). In addition, also alleviated the decline in ascorbate by Cr stress to significant levels. The activity of nitrate reductase enhanced significantly (28.52%) due to trehalose activity and declined due to Cr stress (34.15%). Exogenous application of trehalose significantly improved the content of osmolytes, including proline, glycine betaine, sugars and total phenols under normal and Cr stress conditions. Furthermore, Trehalose significantly increased the content of key mineral elements and alleviated the decline induced by Cr to considerable levels.

Enhancing salt stress tolerance in wheat (Triticum aestivum) seedlings: insights from trehalose and mannitol.

Salinity stress, an ever-present challenge in agriculture and environmental sciences, poses a formidable hurdle for plant growth and productivity in saline-prone regions worldwide. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effectiveness of trehalose and mannitol induce salt resistance in wheat seedlings. Wheat grains of the commercial variety Sakha 94 were divided into three groups : a group that was pre-soaked in 10 mM trehalose, another group was soaked in 10 mM mannitol, and the last was soaked in distilled water for 1 hour, then the pre soaked grains cultivated in sandy soil, each treatment was divided into two groups, one of which was irrigated with 150 mM NaCl and the other was irrigated with tap water. The results showed that phenols content in wheat seedlings increased and flavonoids reduced due to salt stress. Trehalose and mannitol cause slight increase in total phenols content while total flavonoids were elevated highy in salt-stressed seedlings. Furthermore, Trehalose or mannitol reduced salt-induced lipid peroxidation. Salt stress increases antioxidant enzyme activities of guaiacol peroxidase (G-POX), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and catalase (CAT) in wheat seedlings, while polyphenol oxidase (PPO) unchanged. Trehalose and mannitol treatments caused an increase in APX, and CAT activities, whereas G-POX not altered but PPO activity were decreased under salt stress conditions. Molecular docking confirmed the interaction of Trehalose or mannitol with peroxidase and ascorbic peroxidase enzymes. Phenyl alanine ammonia layase (PAL) activity was increased in salt-stressed seedlings. We can conclude that pre-soaking of wheat grains in 10 mM trehalose or mannitol improves salinity stress tolerance by enhancing antioxidant defense enzyme and/or phenol biosynthesis, with docking identifying interactions with G-POX, CAT, APX, and PPO.

The anti-staphylococcal fusidic acid as an efflux pump inhibitor combined with fluconazole against vaginal candidiasis in mouse model.

BACKGROUND: Candida albicans is the most common fungus that causes vaginal candidiasis in immunocompetent women and catastrophic infections in immunocompromised patients. The treatment of such infections is hindered due to the increasing emergence of resistance to azoles in C. albicans. New treatment approaches are needed to combat candidiasis especially in the dwindled supply of new effective and safe antifungals. The resistance to azoles is mainly attributed to export of azoles outside the cells by means of the efflux pump that confers cross resistance to all azoles including fluconazole (FLC). OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the possible efflux pump inhibiting activity of fusidic acid (FA) in C. albicans resistant isolates and the potential use of Fusidic acid in combination with fluconazole to potentiate the antifungal activity of fluconazole to restore its activity in the resistant C. albicans isolates. METHODS: The resistance of C. albicans isolates was assessed by determination of minimum inhibitory concentration. The effect of Fusidic acid at sub-inhibitory concentration on efflux activity was assayed by rhodamine 6G efflux assay and intracellular accumulation. Mice model studies were conducted to evaluate the anti-efflux activity of Fusidic acid and its synergistic effects in combination with fluconazole. Impact of Fusidic acid on ergosterol biosynthesis was quantified. The synergy of fluconazole when combined with Fusidic acid was investigated by determination of minimum inhibitory concentration. The cytotoxicity of Fusidic acid was tested against erythrocytes. The effect of Fusidic acid on efflux pumps was tested at the molecular level by real-time PCR and in silico study. In vivo vulvovaginitis mice model was used to confirm the activity of the combination in treating vulvovaginal candidiasis. RESULTS: Fusidic acid showed efflux inhibiting activity as it increased the accumulation of rhodamine 6G, a substrate for ABC-efflux transporter, and decreased its efflux in C. albicans cells. The antifungal activity of fluconazole was synergized when combined with Fusidic acid. Fusidic acid exerted only minimal cytotoxicity on human erythrocytes indicating its safety. The FA efflux inhibitory activity could be owed to its ability to interfere with efflux protein transporters as revealed by docking studies and downregulation of the efflux-encoding genes of both ABC transporters and MFS superfamily. Moreover, in vivo mice model showed that using fluconazole-fusidic acid combination by vaginal route enhanced fluconazole antifungal activity as shown by lowered fungal burden and a negligible histopathological change in vaginal tissue. CONCLUSION: The current findings highlight FA's potential as a potential adjuvant to FLC in the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis.

Eco-friendly approach to decrease the harmful effects of untreated wastewater on growth, yield, biochemical constituents, and heavy metal contents of carrot (Daucus carota L.).

Here, the impact of irrigation using untreated wastewater (WW) on carrots (Daucus carota L.) was examined. We hypothesized that the addition of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), dry algal powder (Spirulina platensis or Chlorella vulgaris), and Salix alba leaves powder would function as chelators for harmful contaminants in wastewater. The findings showed that irrigation of carrot plants with the sampled untreated wastewater led to significant decreases in the shoot lengths, fresh, dry weights of shoots and roots at stage I, the diameter of roots, pigment content, carotenoids, total soluble carbohydrate content, and soluble protein content. Furthermore, a significantly increased level of proline, total phenols, and the activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) was identified in stage I samples. In contrast to the stage I, the length of the roots, the number of leaves on each plant, wet and dry weights of the stage II roots were all greatly enhanced. In spite of the increased yield due to the wastewater irrigation, carrot roots irrigated with wastewater had significantly more cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and lead (Pb) than is considered safe. Our data clearly show that the application of Spirulina platensis, Chlorella vulgaris, EDTA, and leaves powder of salix was able to alleviate the toxicity of wastewater on carrot plants. For example, we recorded a significant decrease in the accumulation of carrot's Cd, Ni, Co, and Pb contents. We conclude that the treatments with Spirulina platensis and Chlorella vulgaris can be utilized as eco-friendly tools to lessen the damaging effects of wastewater irrigation on carrot plants.

In vitro efficacy of Boswellia carterii resin extracts formulated as an emulsifiable concentrate against Tetranychus urticae and phytopathogenic fungi.

Contemporary agriculture heavily relies on pesticides for pest eradication and disease management. Consequently, current study was carried out to assess the acaricidal/antifungal efficacy of emulsifiable concentrate (10 % EC) derived from Boswellia carterii (B. carterii) against adult females of Tetranychus urticae (T. urticae), and five fungal pathogens. The meticulous examination of the chemical constitution of the crude extracts derived from the resin of B. carterii was conducted through the employment of the venerable technique known as Gas-Liquid Chromatography (GLC). The formulated petroleum-ether extract (FPEE) and formulated ethyl-acetate extract (FEAE) of B. carterii at a concentration of 10 mg ml-1 exhibited notable antioxidant activity with rates of 62.0 % and 90.8 %, respectively. In vitro, the FEAE exhibited potent inhibition against all the tested phytopathogenic fungi at different concentrations, whereas FPEE showed comparatively less efficacy. Interestingly, at 4000 ppm concentration, FEAE completely ceased the mycelial growth compared with the control. Moreover, following a span of 72 h of intervention, FPEE exhibited a greater degree of toxicity towards mature females of the T. urticae. This was evidenced by the LC50 value of 422.52 parts per million (ppm) for FPEE, which surpassed the LC50 value of 539.50 ppm observed for FEAE. In summary, the present study indicates that B. carterii resin formulated as an emulsifiable concentrate (10 % EC) can offer a natural and effective alternative for integrated pest management, thereby reducing reliance on synthetic pesticides and offering a more environmentally sustainable strategy for pest control.

Multidrug resistant and multivirulent avian bacterial pathogens: tackling experimental leg disorders using phytobiotics and antibiotics alone or in combination.

Locomotor disorders caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial pathogens denote one of the most detrimental issues that collectively threaten the poultry industry leading to pronounced economic losses across the world. Hence, searching for effective alternatives, especially those extracted from plant origins became of great priority targeting a partial or complete replacement of chemical antimicrobials to tackle their developing resistance. Therefore, we aimed to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Salmonella species, Mycoplasma synoviae (M. synoviae), and Escherichia coli (E. coli) recovered from 500 broilers and ducks (250 each) with locomotor disorders in various farms in Dakahlia and Sharkia Governorates, Egypt. Additionally, we assessed, for the first time, the in vitro antimicrobial effectiveness of marjoram, garlic, ginger and cinnamon essential oils (EOs) against MDR and multivirulent bacterial isolates as well as the in vivo efficiency of the most effective antibiotics and EOs either separately or in combination in the treatment of experimentally induced poultry leg disorders. The overall prevalence rates of S. aureus, E. coli, Salmonella species, and M. synoviae were 54, 48, 36, and 2%, respectively. Salmonella species and S. aureus prevailed among ducks and broilers (36 and 76%, respectively). Notably, MDR was observed in 100, 91.7, 81.1, and 78.5% of M. synoviae, E. coli, Salmonella, and S. aureus isolates, respectively. Our in vitro results displayed that marjoram was the most forceful EO against MDR and multivirulent chicken vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA) and duck S. Typhimurium isolates. The current in vivo results declared that marjoram in combination with florfenicol or amoxicillin/clavulanic acid succeeded in relieving the induced duck and chicken leg disorders caused by S. Typhimurium and VRSA, respectively. This was evidenced by improvement in the clinical and histopathological pictures with a reduction of bacterial loads in the experimental birds. Our encountered successful in vitro and in vivo synergistic effectiveness of marjoram combined with florfenicol or amoxicillin/clavulanic acid recommends their therapeutic application for leg disorders and offers opportunities for reducing the antibiotics usage in the poultry industry.

Evaluation of flaxseed lignan-enriched extract targeting autophagy, apoptosis, and hedgehog pathways against experimentally induced obesity.

Objective: This research investigated secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) flax extract effects on apoptosis, hedgehog (Hh), autophagy, and the anti-oxidation process in experimentally induced obesity. Materials and Methods: Forty rats were separated into two sets regarding either receiving a normal balanced diet or a high-fat diet (HFD) and then distributed into four groups: GI: The control group had a regular diet for 12 weeks. GII: animals received a high-fat meal and saline by gastric gavage. GIII: HFD obese rats treated with SDG extract orally (10 mg/kg/b.w.) and 1.18 mg SDG/kg in the diet for 4 weeks GIV: Normal balanced diet rats received SDG extract orally (10 mg/kg/b.w.) and 1.18 mg SDG/kg of chow for 12 weeks in addition to their regular balanced diet. Results: The administration of SDG extract exhibited a significant drop in body weight, glucose, lipid profile, and leptin compared to the obese group. It also improved the antioxidant levels (lowering the levels of malondialdehyde while increasing the total antioxidant capacity) and anti-inflammatory status (decreasing interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha). SDG extract downregulates the expression of HH genes (protein patched homolog 1, Hh-interacting protein, glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1, and smoothened receptor) in conjunction with the modulation of autophagy genes and apoptotic proteins. Conclusion: SDG extract showed improved anti-inflammatory and antioxidant status and downregulated the expression of HH genes while modulating autophagy genes and apoptotic proteins among obese rats, suggesting that it may be used to avert and manage obesity and its correlated complications by modulating oxidation, inflammation, autophagy, and apoptosis. Advanced future research on the SDG autophagy pathway to address obesity and its complications is mandatory.

Biochar improves the growth and physiological traits of alfalfa, amaranth and maize grown under salt stress.

Purpose: Salinity is a main factor in decreasing seed germination, plant growth and yield. Salinity stress is a major problem for economic crops, as it can reduce crop yields and quality. Salinity stress occurs when the soil or water in which a crop is grown has a high salt content. Biochar improve plant growth and physiological traits under salt stress. The aim of the present study, the impact of biochar on growth, root morphological traits and physiological properties of alfalfa, amaranth and maize and soil enzyme activities under saline sands. Methods: We studied the impact of biochar on plant growth and the physiological properties of alfalfa, amaranth and maize under salt stress conditions. After 40 days, plant growth parameters (plant height, shoot and root fresh weights), root morphological traits and physiological properties were measured. Soil nutrients such as the P, K and total N contents in soil and soil enzyme activities were analyzed. Results: The results showed that the maize, alfalfa, and amaranth under biochar treatments significantly enhanced the plant height and root morphological traits over the control. The biochar on significantly increased the total root length, root diameter, and root volume. Compared to the control, the biochar significantly increased the chlorophyll a and b content, total chlorophyll and carotenoid content under salt stress. Furthermore, the biochar significantly increased enzyme activities of soil under salt stress in the three crops. Conclusions: Biochar treatments promote plant growth and physiological traits of alfalfa, amaranth, and maize under the salt stress condition. Overall, biochar is an effective way to mitigate salinity stress in crops. It can help to reduce the amount of salt in the soil, improve the soil structure, and increase the availability of essential nutrients, which can all help to improve crop yields.

Pre and postharvest characteristics of Dahlia pinnata var. pinnata, cav. As affected by SiO2 and CaCO3 nanoparticles under two different planting dates.

Agriculture faces many challenges because of climate changes. The nutrients present in nano-sized form improve plant productivity, especially when used at the appropriate planting time. Field experiments were conducted as a factorial experiment for evaluating two planting dates (20th September and 20th October), foliar application with nanoparticles (NPs) including silica nanoparticles (SiO2-NPs) at 1.5 and 3 mM, calcium carbonate nanoparticles (CaCO3-NPs) at 5 and 10 mM and distilled water (control) on pre- and post-harvest characteristics of Dahlia pinnata var. pinnata Cav. The results indicate that the interactions during the late planting time (20th October) and exogenous applications of SiO2-NPs at 1.5 mM or CaCO3-NPs at 10 mM have improved plant growth including plant height, stem diameter, fresh and dry weights of plant, leaf area, inflorescence diameter, inflorescence stalk length, branches number, tuber numbers, inflorescences number on the plant, and the vase life. At the same time, insignificant differences appeared in the interaction during the planting dates and SiO2 or CaCO3 -NPs concentrations on inflorescence stalk diameter, total soluble solids, membrane stability index, maximum increase in fresh weight (FW), and Si and Ca contents. In addition, all exogenous applications of NPs at the late planting time promoted the plant growth characteristics like lignin %, cellulose %, inflorescence water content, change in FW, and total water uptake. Moreover, the controls through the two planting dates recorded the maximum change in water uptake and water loss values. In short, it can be recommended to use SiO2-NPs at 1.5 mM or CaCO3-NPs at 10 mM as a foliar application at the late planting time (20th October) for obtaining the optimum quantitative and qualitative parameters of D. pinnata.

Tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) as an emerging source of protein and bioactive peptides: A narrative review.

Tea residues represent one of the major agricultural wastes that are generated after the processing of tea. They account for 21-28% of crude protein and are often discarded without the extraction of valuable proteins. Due to various bioactivity and functional properties, tea proteins are an excellent alternative to other plant-based proteins for usage as food supplements at a higher dosage. Moreover, their good gelation capacity is ideal for the manufacturing of dairy products, jellies, condensation protein, gelatin gel, bread, etc. The current study is the first to comprehend various tea protein extraction methods and their amino acid profile. The preparation of tea protein bioactive peptides and hydrolysates are summarized. Several functional properties (solubility, foaming capacity, emulsification, water/oil absorption capacity) and bioactivities (antioxidant, antihypertensive, antidiabetic) of tea proteins are emphasized.

Therapeutic Switching of Rafoxanide: a New Approach To Fighting Drug-Resistant Bacteria and Fungi.

Control and management of life-threatening bacterial and fungal infections are a global health challenge. Despite advances in antimicrobial therapies, treatment failures for resistant bacterial and fungal infections continue to increase. We aimed to repurpose the anthelmintic drug rafoxanide for use with existing therapeutic drugs to increase the possibility of better managing infection and decrease treatment failures. For this purpose, we evaluated the antibacterial and antifungal potential of rafoxanide. Notably, 70% (70/100) of bacterial isolates showed multidrug resistance (MDR) patterns, with higher prevalence among human isolates (73.5% [50/68]) than animal ones (62.5% [20/32]). Moreover, 22 fungal isolates (88%) were MDR and were more prevalent among animal (88.9%) than human (87.5%) sources. We observed alarming MDR patterns among bacterial isolates, i.e., Klebsiella pneumoniae (75% [30/40; 8 animal and 22 human]) and Escherichia coli (66% [40/60; 12 animal and 28 human]), and fungal isolates, i.e., Candida albicans (86.7% [13/15; 4 animal and 9 human]) and Aspergillus fumigatus (90% [9/10; 4 animal and 5 human]), that were resistant to at least one agent in three or more different antimicrobial classes. Rafoxanide had antibacterial and antifungal activities, with minimal inhibitory concentration (MICs) ranging from 2 to 128 µg/mL. Rafoxanide at sub-MICs downregulated the mRNA expression of resistance genes, including E. coli and K. pneumoniae blaCTX-M-1, blaTEM-1, blaSHV, MOX, and DHA, C. albicans ERG11, and A. fumigatus cyp51A. We noted the improvement in the activity of ß-lactam and antifungal drugs upon combination with rafoxanide. This was apparent in the reduction in the MICs of cefotaxime and fluconazole when these drugs were combined with sub-MIC levels of rafoxanide. There was obvious synergism between rafoxanide and cefotaxime against all E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates (fractional inhibitory concentration index [FICI] values ≤ 0.5). Accordingly, there was a shift in the patterns of resistance of 16.7% of E. coli and 22.5% of K. pneumoniae isolates to cefotaxime and those of 63.2% of C. albicans and A. fumigatus isolates to fluconazole when the isolates were treated with sub-MICs of rafoxanide. These results were confirmed by in silico and mouse protection assays. Based on the in silico study, one possible explanation for how rafoxanide reduced bacterial resistance is through its inhibitory effects on bacterial and fungal histidine kinase enzymes. In short, rafoxanide exhibited promising results in overcoming bacterial and fungal drug resistance. IMPORTANCE The drug repurposing strategy is an alternative approach to reducing drug development timelines with low cost, especially during outbreaks of disease caused by drug-resistant pathogens. Rafoxanide can disrupt the abilities of bacterial and fungal cells to adapt to stress conditions. The coadministration of antibiotics with rafoxanide can prevent the failure of treatment of both resistant bacteria and fungi, as the resistant pathogens could be made sensitive upon treatment with rafoxanide. From our findings, we anticipate that pharmaceutical companies will be able to utilize new combinations against resistant pathogens.

Genome-wide analysis revealed the stepwise origin and functional diversification of HSDs from lower to higher plant species.

Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSDs) is an oil-body sterol protein (steroleosin) with an NADP(H) binding domain that belongs to the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) superfamily. There are numerous studies on the characterization of HSDs in plants. However, thus far, the evolutionary differentiation and divergence analysis of these genes remain to be explored. The current study used an integrated method to elucidate the sequential evolution of HSDs in 64 sequenced plant genomes. Analyses were conducted on their origins, distribution, duplication, evolutionary paths, domain functions, motif composition, properties, and cis-elements. Results indicate that except for algae, HSD1 was widely distributed in plant species ranging from lower to higher plants, while HSD5 was restricted to terrestrial plants, and HSD2 was identified in fewer monocots and several dicot plants. Phylogenetic analysis of HSD proteins revealed that monocotyledonous HSD1 in moss and ferns appeared closest to the outgroup, V. carteri HSD-like, M. musculus HSD1, and H. sapiens HSD1. These data support the hypothesis that HSD1 originated in bryophytes and then in non-vascular and vascular plants, followed by HSD5 only in land plants. Gene structure analysis suggests that HSDs in plant species came up with a fixed number of six exons, and the intron phase was primarily 0, 1, 0, 0, and 0. Similarly, duplication analysis revealed that segmental duplications were the main reason for HSDs in plant species. Physicochemical properties suggest that dicotyledonous HSD1s and HSD5s were mainly acidic. The monocotyledonous HSD1s and HSD2s and the dicotyledonous HSD2s, HSD3s, HSD4s, and HSD6s were mainly basic, implying that HSDs in plants may have a variety of functions. Cis-regulatory elements and expression analysis revealed that HSDs in plants might have roles in several abiotic stresses. Due to the high expression of HSD1s and HSD5s in seeds, these HSDs in plants may have roles in fatty acid accumulation and degradation.

Antifungal Activity of Cell-Free Filtrate of Probiotic Bacteria Lactobacillus rhamnosus ATCC-7469 against Fungal Strains Isolated from a Historical Manuscript.

Herein, twelve fungal strains were isolated from a deteriorated historical manuscript dated back to the 18th century. The obtained fungal strains were identified, using the traditional method and ITS sequence analysis, as Cladosporium herbarum (two strains), Aspergillus fumigatus (five strains), A. ustus (one strain), A. flavus (two strains), A. niger (one strain), and Penicillium chrysogenum (one strain). The ability of these fungal strains to degrade the main components of the paper was investigated by their activity to secrete extracellular enzymes including cellulase, amylase, gelatinase, and pectinase. The cell-free filtrate (CFF) ability of the probiotic bacterial strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus ATCC-7469 to inhibit fungal growth was investigated. The metabolic profile of CFF was detected by GC-MS analysis, which confirmed the low and high molecular weight of various active chemical compounds. The safe dose to be used for the biocontrol of fungal growth was selected by investigating the biocompatibility of CFF and two normal cell lines, Wi38 (normal lung tissue) and HFB4 (normal human skin melanocyte). Data showed that the CFF has a cytotoxic effect against the two normal cell lines at high concentrations, with IC50 values of 525.2 ± 9.8 and 329.1 ± 4.2 µg mL-1 for Wi38 and HFB4, respectively. The antifungal activity showed that the CFF has promising activity against all fungal strains in a concentration-dependent manner. The highest antifungal activity (100%) was recorded for a concentration of 300 µg mL-1 with a zone of inhibition (ZOI) in the ranges of 21.3 ± 0.6 to 17.7 ± 0.5 mm. At a concentration of 100 µg mL-1, the activity of CFF remained effective against all fungal strains (100%), but its effectiveness decreased to only inhibit the growth of eight strains (66%) out of the total at 50 µg mL-1. In general, probiotic bacterial strains containing CFF are safe and can be considered as a potential option for inhibiting the growth of various fungal strains. It is recommended that they be used in the preservation of degraded historical papers.

Biogenic silver nanoparticles eradicate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated from the sputum of COVID-19 patients.

In recent investigations, secondary bacterial infections were found to be strongly related to mortality in COVID-19 patients. In addition, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria played an important role in the series of bacterial infections that accompany infection in COVID-19. The objective of the present study was to investigate the ability of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles from strawberries (Fragaria ananassa L.) leaf extract without a chemical catalyst to inhibit Gram-negative P. aeruginosa and Gram-positive Staph aureus isolated from COVID-19 patient's sputum. A wide range of measurements was performed on the synthesized AgNPs, including UV-vis, SEM, TEM, EDX, DLS, ζ -potential, XRD, and FTIR. UV-Visible spectral showed the absorbance at the wavelength 398 nm with an increase in the color intensity of the mixture after 8 h passed at the time of preparation confirming the high stability of the FA-AgNPs in the dark at room temperature. SEM and TEM measurements confirmed AgNPs with size ranges of ∼40-∼50 nm, whereas the DLS study confirmed their average hydrodynamic size as ∼53 nm. Furthermore, Ag NPs. EDX analysis showed the presence of the following elements: oxygen (40.46%), and silver (59.54%). Biosynthesized FA-AgNPs (ζ = -17.5 ± 3.1 mV) showed concentration-dependent antimicrobial activity for 48 h in both pathogenic strains. MTT tests showed concentration-dependent and line-specific effects of FA-AgNPs on cancer MCF-7 and normal liver WRL-68 cell cultures. According to the results, synthetic FA-AgNPs obtained through an environmentally friendly biological process are inexpensive and may inhibit the growth of bacteria isolated from COVID-19 patients.

Green Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using an Aqueous Extract of Punica granatum for Antimicrobial and Catalytic Activity.

The peel aqueous extract of Punica granatum was utilized to fabricate zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) as a green approach. The synthesized NPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy, which was attached to an energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX). Spherical, well arranged, and crystallographic structures of ZnO-NPs were formed with sizes of 10-45 nm. The biological activities of ZnO-NPs, including antimicrobial and catalytic activity for methylene blue dye, were assessed. Data analysis showed that the antimicrobial activity against pathogenic Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as unicellular fungi, was observed to occur in a dose-dependent manner, displaying varied inhibition zones and low minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values in the ranges of 6.25-12.5 µg mL-1. The degradation efficacy of methylene blue (MB) using ZnO-NPs is dependent on nano-catalyst concentration, contact time, and incubation condition (UV-light emission). The maximum MB degradation percentages of 93.4 ± 0.2% was attained at 20 µg mL-1 after 210 min in presence of UV-light. Data analysis showed that there is no significant difference between the degradation percentages after 210, 1440, and 1800 min. Moreover, the nano-catalyst showed high stability and efficacy to degrade MB for five cycles with decreasing values of 4%. Overall, P. granatum-based ZnO-NPs are promising tools to inhibit the growth of pathogenic microbes and degradation of MB in the presence of UV-light emission.