Induction of antimicrobial, antioxidant metabolites production by co-cultivation of two red-sea-sponge-associated Aspergillus sp. CO2 and Bacillus sp. COBZ21.

The growing spread of infectious diseases has become a potential global health threat to human beings. According to WHO reports, in this study, we investigated the impact of co-cultivating the isolated endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. CO2 and Bacillus sp. COBZ21 as a method to stimulate the production of natural bioactive substances. (GC/MS)-based metabolomics profiling of two sponge-associated microbes, Aspergillus sp. CO2 and Bacillus sp. COBZ21, revealed that the co-culture of these two isolates induced the accumulation of metabolites that were not traced in their axenic cultures. By detection of different activities of extracts of Bacillus sp. COBZ21 and Aspergillus sp. CO2 and coculture between Bacillus sp. COBZ21 and Aspergillus sp. CO2. It was noted that the coculture strategy was the reason for a notable increase in some different activities, such as the antimicrobial activity, which showed potent activity against Escherichia coli ATCC 25,922, Staphylococcus aureus NRRLB-767, and Candida albicans ATCC 10,231. The antibiofilm activity showed significant biofilm inhibitory activity toward Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 10,145, and Staph aureus NRRLB-767, with activity up to 53.66, 71.17, and 47.89%, while it showed low activity against E. coli ATCC 25,922, while the antioxidant activity based on the DPPH assay showed maximum activity (75.25%). GC-MS investigations revealed the presence of variable chemical constituents belonging to different chemical categories, which reflected their chemical diversity. The main components are (+-) cis-Deethylburnamine (2.66%), Bis(3,6,9,12-tetraoxapentaethylene) crowno-N,N,N',N'-tetra methylpphanediamine (2.48%), and 11-phenyl-2,4,6,8-tetra(2-thienyl)-11-aza-5,13-dithiaeteracyclo[7.3.0.1(2,8)0.0(3,7)] trideca-3,6-diene-10,12,13-trione (3.13%), respectively, for Bacillus sp. axenic culture, Aspergillus sp. CO2, Aspergillus sp. CO2, and Bacillus sp. COBZ21 coculture. By studying the ADME-related physicochemical properties of coculture extract, the compound showed log Po/w values above 5 (8.82). The solubility of the substance was moderate. In order to provide a comprehensive definition of medicinal chemistry and leadlikness, it is important to note that the latter did not meet the criteria outlined in the rule of three (RO3). The toxicity prediction of the coculture extract was performed using the ProTox II web server, which showed that the selected compound has no pronounced toxicity.

Biogenic selenium nanoparticles and selenium/chitosan-Nanoconjugate biosynthesized by Streptomyces parvulus MAR4 with antimicrobial and anticancer potential.

BACKGROUND: As antibiotics and chemotherapeutics are no longer as efficient as they once were, multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogens and cancer are presently considered as two of the most dangerous threats to human life. In this study, Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) biosynthesized by Streptomyces parvulus MAR4, nano-chitosan (NCh), and their nanoconjugate (Se/Ch-nanoconjugate) were suggested to be efficacious antimicrobial and anticancer agents. RESULTS: SeNPs biosynthesized by Streptomyces parvulus MAR4 and NCh were successfully achieved and conjugated. The biosynthesized SeNPs were spherical with a mean diameter of 94.2 nm and high stability. Yet, Se/Ch-nanoconjugate was semispherical with a 74.9 nm mean diameter and much higher stability. The SeNPs, NCh, and Se/Ch-nanoconjugate showed significant antimicrobial activity against various microbial pathogens with strong inhibitory effect on their tested metabolic key enzymes [phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI), pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and nitrate reductase (NR)]; Se/Ch-nanoconjugate was the most powerful agent. Furthermore, SeNPs revealed strong cytotoxicity against HepG2 (IC50 = 13.04 µg/ml) and moderate toxicity against Caki-1 (HTB-46) tumor cell lines (IC50 = 21.35 µg/ml) but low cytotoxicity against WI-38 normal cell line (IC50 = 85.69 µg/ml). Nevertheless, Se/Ch-nanoconjugate displayed substantial cytotoxicity against HepG2 and Caki-1 (HTB-46) with IC50 values of 11.82 and 7.83 µg/ml, respectively. Consequently, Se/Ch-nanoconjugate may be more easily absorbed by both tumor cell lines. However, it exhibited very low cytotoxicity on WI-38 with IC50 of 153.3 µg/ml. Therefore, Se/Ch-nanoconjugate presented the most anticancer activity. CONCLUSION: The biosynthesized SeNPs and Se/Ch-nanoconjugate are convincingly recommended to be used in biomedical applications as versatile and potent antimicrobial and anticancer agents ensuring notable levels of biosafety, environmental compatibility, and efficacy.

Silver and gold nanoparticles: Eco-friendly synthesis, antibiofilm, antiviral, and anticancer bioactivities.

For the first time in this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were green synthesized by the cost-effective and eco-friendly procedure using Cotton seed meal and Fodder yeast extracts. The biosynthesized NPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering analysis (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Furthermore, the biosynthesized NPs were tested in vitro against biofilm formation by some pathogenic negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella sp., Salmonella sp., and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and negative bacteria (staphylococcus aureus) as well as against human denovirus serotype 5 (HAdV-5) and anticancer activity using HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cells. UV-Vis absorption spectra of reaction mixture of AgNPs and AuNPs exhibited maximum absorbance at 440 nm and 540 nm, respectively. This finding was confirmed by DLS measurements that the highest intensity of the AgNPs and AuNPs were 84 nm and 73.9 nm, respectively. FTIR measurements identified some functional groups detected in Cotton seed meal and Fodder yeast extracts that could be responsible for reduction of silver and gold ions to metallic silver and gold. The morphologies and particle size of AgNPs and AuNPs were confirmed by the TEM and SAED pattern analysis. Biosynthesized AgNPs and AuNPs showed good inhibitory effects against biofilms produced by Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella sp., Salmonella sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, they showed anticancer activities against hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG-2) and antiviral activity against human adenovirus serotype 5 infection in vitro. Finally, the results of this study is expected to be extremely helpful to nano-biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and food packing applications through developing antimicrobial and/or an anticancer drugs from ecofriendly and inexpensive nanoparticles with multi-potentiality.

Cholinesterase Inhibitors from an Endophytic Fungus Aspergillus niveus Fv-er401: Metabolomics, Isolation and Molecular Docking.

Alzheimer's disease poses a global health concern with unmet demand requiring creative approaches to discover new medications. In this study, we investigated the chemical composition and the anticholinesterase activity of Aspergillus niveus Fv-er401 isolated from Foeniculum vulgare (Apiaceae) roots. Fifty-eight metabolites were identified using UHPLC-MS/MS analysis of the crude extract. The fungal extract showed acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) inhibitory effects with IC50 53.44 ± 1.57 and 48.46 ± 0.41 µg/mL, respectively. Two known metabolites were isolated, terrequinone A and citrinin, showing moderate AChE and BuChE inhibitory activity using the Ellman's method (IC50 = 11.10 ± 0.38 µg/mL and 5.06 ± 0.15 µg/mL, respectively for AChE, and IC50 15.63 ± 1.27 µg/mL and 8.02 ± 0.08 µg/mL, respectively for BuChE). As evidenced by molecular docking, the isolated compounds and other structurally related metabolites identified by molecular networking had the required structural features for AChE and BuChE inhibition. Where varioxiranol G (-9.76 and -10.36 kcal/mol), penicitrinol B (-9.50 and -8.02 kcal/mol), dicitrinol A (-8.53 and -7.98 kcal/mol) and asterriquinone CT5 (-8.02 and -8.25 kcal/mol) showed better binding scores as AChE and BuChE inhibitors than the co-crystallized inhibitor (between -7.89 and 7.82 kcal/mol) making them promising candidates for the development of new drugs to treat Alzheimer's.

Bioactive secondary metabolites from marine Actinomyces sp. AW6 with an evaluation of ADME-related physicochemical properties.

This study was designed to evaluate the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic potentials of the marine actinomycetes spp. isolated from the Red Sea water, Hurghada, Egypt. Out of 80 actinomycetes isolates, one isolate AW6 was selected based on its antioxidant activity (IC50 about 5.24 µg/mL which scavenged 91% of formed DPPH free radicals) and antimicrobial potential against E. coli, S. aureus, B. subtilis, and P. aeruginosa, A. niger, and C. albicans. The strain was identified based on phenotypic and genotypic analysis, and deposited in the GenBank with accession number OK090864.1. Cultivation of the selected strain on rice, chromatographic purification, and structural elucidation led to the isolation of two compounds C1: umbelliferone, and C2: 1-methoxy-3-methyl-8-hydroxy-anthraquinone. The antimicrobial activity of the obtained compounds showed that C1 and C2 have low antibacterial activity toward S. aureus and E. coli with no pronounced activity toward P. aeruginosa, C. albicans, and A. niger. Additionally, the antioxidant activity of C1 and C2 revealed that C2 has a good antioxidant activity, with DPPH scavenging activity reaching (55.25%), followed by C1 (30.20%). Moreover, both compounds displayed anti-Gyr-B enzyme activity with IC50 value of (3.79 ± 0.21 µM) for C1, and (IC50 = 13 ± 0.71 µM) for C2. The ADME-related physicochemical properties of the obtained compound were predicted using SwissADME web tools and the ProToxii webserver was used to estimate in silico toxicity.

Statistical optimization of chromium (VI) reduction using response surface methodology (RSM) by newly isolated Stenotrophomonas sp. (a novel strain).

Isolation of Microorganisms capable of reducing toxic chromium (VI) into less toxic one (Cr (III)) has been given attention due to their significance in bioremediation of the contaminated sites. In the present study, Stenotrophomonas sp. Crt94-4A an isolated strain from tannery wastewater and identified genetically by 16s rRNA gene sequencing was able to grow at concentrations up to 354 mg/L of Cr (VI). The results revealed 1% (w/v) NaCl, 2% (v/v) (2 × 106 CFU) inoculum size, and PH 7 in culture containing glucose and peptone as carbon and nitrogen sources respectively were the best conditions for Cr (VI) reduction. Statistical optimization was performed using Plackett-Burman design where peptone, inoculum size, and NaCl had significant effects on Cr (VI) reduction which were tested by three factors Box-Behnken design (BBD) to determine their correlation. The reduction capacity of Cr (VI) by Stenotrophomonas Sp. Crt94-4A was increased from 82, 55, and 23 to 96, 76, and 45% at 88.5, 177 and 354 mg/L of Cr (VI) respectively, which make this strain a good candidate for bioremediation of Cr (VI).

The Chemical Profiling, Docking Study, and Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activities of the Endophytic fungi Aspergillus sp. AP5.

Growing data suggest that Aspergillus niger, an endophytic fungus, is a rich source of natural compounds with a wide range of biological properties. This study aimed to examine the antimicrobial and antibiofilm capabilities of the Phragmites australis-derived endophyte against a set of pathogenic bacteria and fungi. The endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. AP5 was isolated from the leaves of P. australis. The chemical profile of the fungal crude extract was identified by spectroscopic analysis using LC-HRESIMS. The fungal-derived extract was evaluated for its antimicrobial activity towards a set of pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains including Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella sp., Candida albicans, and Aspergillus niger. Moreover, antibiofilm activity toward four resistant biofilm-forming bacteria was also evaluated. Additionally, a neural-networking pharmacophore-based visual screening predicted the most probable bioactive compounds in the obtained extract. The AP5-EtOAc extract was found to have potent antibacterial activities against S. aureus, E. coli, and Klebsiella sp., while it exhibited low antibacterial activity toward P. Vulgaris and P. aeruginosa and displayed anticandidal activity. The AP5-EtOAc extract had significant antibiofilm activity in S. aureus, followed by P. aeruginosa. The active metabolites' antifungal and/or antibacterial activities may be due to targeting the fungal CYP 51 and/or the bacterial Gyr-B.

Identification of Antibacterial Metabolites from Endophytic Fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, Isolated from Albizia lucidior Leaves (Fabaceae), Utilizing Metabolomic and Molecular Docking Techniques.

The rapid spread of bacterial infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus has become a problem to public health despite the presence of past trials devoted to controlling the infection. Thus, the current study aimed to explore the chemical composition of the extract of endophytic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, isolated from Albizia lucidior leaves, and investigate the antimicrobial activity of isolated metabolites and their probable mode of actions. The chemical investigation of the fungal extract via UPLC/MS/MS led to the identification of at least forty-two metabolites, as well as the isolation and complete characterization of eight reported metabolites. The antibacterial activities of isolated metabolites were assessed against S. aureus using agar disc diffusion and microplate dilution methods. Compounds ergosterol, helvolic acid and monomethyl sulochrin-4-sulphate showed minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 15.63, 1.95 and 3.90 µg/mL, respectively, compared to ciprofloxacin. We also report the inhibitory activity of the fungal extract on DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, which led us to perform molecular docking using the three most active compounds isolated from the extract against both enzymes. These active compounds had the required structural features for S. aureus DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV inhibition, evidenced via molecular docking.

Thais savignyi tissue extract: bioactivity, chemical composition, and molecular docking.

CONTEXT: Thais savignyi Deshayes (Muricidae) is widely distributed in the Red Sea. Its abundance and the history of Muricidae in traditional medicine make it a tempting target for investigation. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the chemical profile and biological activities of T. savignyi tissue extracts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Methanol, ethanol, acetone, and ethyl acetate extracts from T. savignyi tissue were compared in their antioxidant by total antioxidant capacity, DPPH free radical scavenging, and total phenolic content. In addition, the antimicrobial, and antibiofilm properties (at 250 µg/mL) of the extracts were tested against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. The antioxidant extract with greatest activity was assessed for cytotoxicity (range 0.4-100 µg/mL) against 3 human cancer cell lines (UO-31, A549 and A431), and its chemical composition was investigated using GC-MS. Moreover, docking simulation was performed to predict its constituents' binding modes/scores to the active sites of thymidylate kinase. RESULTS: The ethyl acetate extract (Ts-EtOAc) showed the highest total antioxidant capacity (551.33 mg AAE/g dry weight), total phenolics (254.46 mg GAE/g dry weight), and DPPH scavenging (IC50= 24.0 µg/mL). Ts-EtOAc exhibited strong antibacterial (MIC: 3.9 µg/mL against K. pneumoniae), antibiofilm (MIC: 7.81 µg/mL against S. aureus), and antifungal (MIC: 3.9 µg/mL against C. albicans) activities and considerable cytotoxicity against cancer cells (UO-31: IC50= 19.96 ± 0.93, A549: IC50= 25.04 ± 1.15 µg/mL). GC-MS identified multiple bioactive metabolites in Ts-EtOAc extract belonging to miscellaneous chemical classes. Molecular docking studies revealed that the constituents of Ts-EtOAc have antibacterial potential. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: T. savignyi extract has considerable antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities. Further studies are needed to isolate the active constituents of this snail for comprehensive drug discovery tests.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy versus extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for renal insufficiency.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect and outcome of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) versus extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) in patients with renal insufficiency. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective randomized clinical study of 104 renal insufficiency patients with renal stones (serum creatinine 2-4 mg/dl and eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 more than 3 months) randomized into two groups: Group A underwent PNL; Group B underwent shock wave lithotripsy (SWL). Treatment effects and outcomes compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Between Group A of 50 patients and Group B of 54 cases, demographic data showed no statistically significant differences. The stone-free rate was 84% in Group A versus 26.6% in Group B after the first SWL session. After completion of all SWL sessions, the rate was 88.9% for Group B. Comparing pre and postoperative results of Group A, there is significant improvement of serum creatinine concentrations by 9.1% (p = 0.001), significant improvement of creatinine clearance (p = 0.000) and eGFR (p = 0.003). Although regarding Group B preoperatively and 3 months after SWL there is significant improvement by 8.7% (p = 0.0001), which is less than that of Group A, there is also, improvement of eGFR by 6.7% (p = 0.001), which is less than the eGFR improvement in Group A (12.3%). But there is no statistically significant difference is noted for creatinine clearance in Group B (p = 0.09). CONCLUSION: The outcomes for PNL and SWL in patients with renal insufficiency and renal stones are encouraging as minimally invasive procedures with no negative effects on kidney function.

Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activities of the Fungal Metabolites Isolated from the Marine Endophytes Epicoccum nigrum M13 and Alternaria alternata 13A.

Epicotripeptin (1), a new cyclic tripeptide along with four known cyclic dipeptides (2-5) and one acetamide derivative (6) were isolated from seagrass-associated endophytic fungus Epicoccum nigrum M13 recovered from the Red Sea. Additionally, two new compounds, cyclodidepsipeptide phragamide A (7) and trioxobutanamide derivative phragamide B (8), together with eight known compounds (9-16), were isolated from plant-derived endophyte Alternaria alternata 13A collected from a saline lake of Wadi El Natrun depression in the Sahara Desert. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined based on the 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data, HRESIMS data, and a comparison with the reported literature. The absolute configurations of 1 and 7 were established by advanced Marfey's and Mosher's ester analyses. The antimicrobial screening indicated that seven of the tested compounds exhibited considerable (MIC range of 2.5-5 µg/mL) to moderate (10-20 µg/mL) antibacterial effect against the tested Gram-positive strains and moderate to weak (10-30 µg/mL) antibacterial effect against Gram-negative strains. Most of the compounds exhibited weak or no activity against the tested Gram-negative strains. On the other hand, four of the tested compounds showed considerable antibiofilm effects against biofilm forming Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains.

Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using isolated Bacillus subtilis: characterization, antimicrobial activity, cytotoxicity, and their performance as antimicrobial agent for textile materials.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have unique properties and a large range of applications. Biosynthesis of stable AgNPs using the extracellular filtrate of Bacillus subtilis was proved by the characteristic surface plasmon resonance at about 420-430 nm. They were polycrystalline with spherical, hexagonal, and irregular shapes and they were negatively charged (-40 mV) with an average diameter of 20 nm. FTIR spectrum confirmed the presence of protein molecules coating AgNPs. The optimum conditions for the synthesis of tested AgNPs were 1:6 filtrate dilution, 1 mM AgNO3, pH 7, 30 °C , 48 h contact time under static and illuminating conditions. The synthesized AgNPs showed antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus cereus, and Salmonella typhi, antifungal activity against Candida albicans and antiviral activity against rotavirus. Also, they showed potent cytotoxic effects on lung and hepatic carcinoma human cell lines. Meanwhile, the acute toxicity study against mice showed no significant changes in hematological, biochemical, and histological parameters of AgNPs treated mice. They also showed mild hepatoprotective effect in thioacetamide (TAA) - induced hepatic fibrosis in rats. AgNPs treated textiles fabrics showed high antimicrobial activities against different pathogenic microorganisms as well as UV protection adequacy.

Diverse bioactive metabolites from Penicillium sp. MMA derived from the red sea: structure identification and biological activity studies.

A soft coral-derived fungus Penicillium sp. among other isolates e high antibacterial, anti-yeast and cytotoxic activities. The fungus, Penicillium sp. MMA, isolated from Sarcphyton glaucoma, afforded nine diverse compounds (1-9). Their structures were identified by 1D and 2 D NMR and ESI-MS spectroscopic data as two alkaloids: veridicatol (1), aurantiomide C (2); one sesquiterpene, aspterric acid (3); two carboxylic acids, 3,4-dihydroxy-benzoic acid; (4) and linoleic acid (5); three steroids, ergosterol (6), ß-Sitosterol (7), ß-Sitosterol glucoside (8) along with the sphingolipid, cerebroside A (9). Biologically, the antimicrobial, antioxidant, in vitro cytotoxicity and antibiofilm activities were studied in comparison with the fungal extract. The in silico computational studies were implemented to predict drug and lead likeness properties for 1-4. The fungus was taxonomically characterized by morphological and molecular biology (18srRNA) approaches.

Comparative Correlation Between Chemical Composition and Cytotoxic Potential of the Coral-Associated Fungus Aspergillus sp. 2C1-EGY Against Human Colon Cancer Cells.

Cancer is a leading cause of death in several countries. In the search for new anticancer drugs, marine organisms have played an important role in the discovery of lead compounds and the development of new pharmaceuticals for their wide diversity of chemical structures and biological activities. In the present study, the cytotoxicity on colorectal cancer cells HCT116 exerted by marine fungus Aspergillus sp. 2C1-EGY extracts associated with the soft coral Sinularia sp. was investigated; the sub-fractions Fr 2c and Fr 2d had significantly high cytotoxic activity (88 and 85%, respectively). Moreover, the major hexadecanoic, octadecanoic, and octadecenoic acids as well as their methyl esters were isolated. GC/MS analysis revealed the identification of 46 major and minor compounds, from which 19 saturated and unsaturated fatty acids and eight fatty acid esters were identified.

Structural, dielectric, and antimicrobial evaluation of PMMA/CeO2 for optoelectronic devices.

In the current report, we have successfully synthesized nanocomposites of PMMA incorporating different doping of CeO2 through a chemical approach. XRD results reflects decent matching for CeO2 nanoparticles with 29 nm crystallite size. FTIR spectroscopy demonstrates the characteristic functional groups validating the successful formation of the composite. The optical study of PMMA and the nanocomposites has proven that the optical properties such as band gap, refractive index, optical permittivity, and loss tangent factor are affected by adding CeO2 to the PMMA matrix.The peak residing around 420 nm by UV measurements is allocated to occurring electrons photoexcitation from the valence to conduction band inherent in CeO2. The dielectric measurements were achieved using broadband dielectric spectroscopy upon a wide span of frequencies (10-1-107 Hz) and within temperatures from - 10 to 80 °C with a step of 10 °C. The permittivity decreases by adding CeO2 and the dielectric parameters are thermally enhanced, however, the temperature influence is based on CeO2 content, the higher the CeO2 amount, the higher the influence of temperature. The results of the nanocomposites revealed antibacterial activity counter to gram-positive bacteria strain (S. aureus, and B. subtilis), and gram-negative bacteria (E. coli, and K. pneumoniae), yeast (C. albicans, as well as fungi (A. niger). Inherently, the change in CeO2 concentration from 0.01 to 0.1 wt% delivers maximum influence against gram-negative bacteria. These PMMA CeO2-doped composites are beneficial for optoelectronic areas and devices.

Production of laccase enzyme from Curvularia lunata MY3: purification and characterization.

Laccase-producing fungus (MY3) was successfully isolated from soil samples collected from Mansoura Governorate, Egypt. This fungal isolate has shown a high laccase production level over other isolated fungi. The identity of this isolate was determined by the molecular technique 18SrRNA as Curvularia lunata MY3. The enzyme purification was performed using ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by Sephacryl S-200 and DEAE-Sepharose column chromatography. The denatured enzyme using SDS-PAGE had a molar mass of 65 kDa. The purified laccase had an optimum temperature at 40 °C for enzyme activity with 57.3 kJ/mol activation energy for 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) oxidation. The enzyme had an optimum pH of 5.0, and it has shown a high stability at the acidic range (4.5 to 5.5). Mn2+ and Mg2+ ions enhanced the enzyme activity, while most of the enzyme activity was inhibited by Hg2+. Some compounds such as 2-mercaptoethanol, L-cysteine, and sodium azide at a concentration of 10 mmol/L had shown a high suppression effect on the enzyme activity. The enzyme strongly oxidized ABTS and syringaldazine and moderately oxidized DMP and guaiacol. The antimicrobial activity of the purified enzyme towards three pathogenic strains (Escherichia coli ATCC-25922, Staphylococcus aureus NRRLB-767, and Candida albicans ATCC-10231) was evaluated for the potential use as an antimicrobial therapeutic enzyme.

Anti-Cancer and Anti-Oxidant Bioactive Metabolites from Aspergillus fumigatus WA7S6 Isolated from Marine Sources: In Vitro and In Silico Studies.

Cancer is a huge global disease burden. Every year, tens of millions of people worldwide are diagnosed with cancer, and more than half of them die as a result of it. The great biodiversity of the marine environment has increasingly piqued the interest of experts, especially in the field of drug discovery. The marine fungus Aspergillus fumigatus WA7S6 has been selected among a group of fungi isolated from marine sponges as it exhibits a pronounced antimicrobial activity toward a group of pathogenic microbes. The fungus has been identified genetically by amplification and analysis of its 18srRNA gene. The fungus crude extract has been obtained by cultivation of the fungus on rice media. The crude extract was tested for antibacterial activity against a variety of pathogenic microorganisms. The results demonstrated a pronounced antimicrobial action against P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, A. niger, and Candida albicans. Furthermore, we tested the antioxidant potential of the Aspergillus fumigatus WA7S6 crude extract using three different methods: ATBS, DPPH, and lipid peroxidation assays. Results showed that the crude extract WA7S6 had an IC50 value of 21.35 µg/mL. The anticancer potential of the crude extract was also evaluated against cancer cell lines such as Hela, MCF, and WI-38. The chemical profiling of the fungus extract was identified via GC-mass and in silico molecular docking of the identified compounds on heme oxygenase, as a stress protein included in cellular protection, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities, suggesting that some compounds, such as 9-Tetradecynoic acid, 11-Hexadecynoic acid, methyl ester, and dehydromevalonic lactone, could be relevant for antioxidant purposes.

Bio-fabricated zinc oxide nanoparticles mediated by endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. SA17 with antimicrobial and anticancer activities: in vitro supported by in silico studies.

Introduction: In recent years, the world's attention has been drawn to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) because to the frightening prospect of growing death rates. Nanomaterials are being investigated due to their potential in a wide range of technical and biological applications. Methods: The purpose of this study was to biosynthesis zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) using Aspergillus sp. SA17 fungal extract, followed by characterization of the produced nanoparticles (NP) using electron microscopy (TEM and SEM), UV-analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Results and Discussion: The HR-TEM revealed spherical nanoparticles with an average size of 7.2 nm, and XRD validated the crystalline nature and crystal structure features of the generated ZnONPs, while the zeta potential was 18.16 mV, indicating that the particles' surfaces are positively charged. The FT-IR was also used to identify the biomolecules involved in the synthesis of ZnONPs. The antibacterial and anticancer properties of both the crude fungal extract and its nano-form against several microbial strains and cancer cell lines were also investigated. Inhibition zone diameters against pathogenic bacteria ranged from 3 to 13 mm, while IC50 values against cancer cell lines ranged from 17.65 to 84.55 M. Additionally, 33 compounds, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, coumarins, organic acids, anthraquinones, and lignans, were discovered through chemical profiling of the extract using UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS. Some molecules, such pomiferin and glabrol, may be useful for antibacterial purposes, according to in silico study, while daidzein 4'-sulfate showed promise as an anti-cancer metabolite.

Characterization, antimicrobial and antitumor activity of superoxide dismutase extracted from Egyptian honeybee venom (Apis mellifera lamarckii).

BACKGROUND: Superoxide dismutase is an important antioxidative stress enzyme which is found in honeybee venom and has a wide pharmaceutical and medical applications. RESULTS: We reported the purification and characterization of venom SOD from Egyptian honeybee Apis mellifera lamarckii and termed BVSOD. It was purified to homogeneity from the Egyptian honeybee venom. The purification procedures included crude extraction, DEAE-cellulose anion exchange column chromatography, and Sephacryl S-300 gel filtration column chromatography. The purified BVSOD is found to be homogeneous as investigated by native PAGE. It exhibited homodimeric structure with a molecular weight of native form of 32 kDa and subunits of 16.0 kDa. It displayed the maximum activity at pH 7.4. CuCl2, ZnCl2, and MgCl2 and elevated the activity of BVSOD, while CoCl2, FeCl2, and NiCl2 inhibited BVSOD activity. Potassium cyanide and hydrogen peroxide were most potent inhibitors for BVSOD activity suggesting that it is a Cu/Zn-SOD type. CONCLUSIONS: The purified BVSOD is found to have antimicrobial and antitumor activities which can be used for various medical and clinical applications.

Bioactive Metabolite from Endophytic Aspergillus versicolor SB5 with Anti-Acetylcholinesterase, Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Activities: In Vitro and In Silico Studies.

Endophytic fungi are a highly unpredictable group of microorganisms that can create a diverse range of secondary metabolites with biological activity. These metabolites enhance the host's ability to tolerate stress caused by various factors, such as disease, insects, pathogens, and herbivores. The secondary metabolites produced by endophytic fungi may have potential applications in agriculture, pharmacy, and medicine. The purpose of this study was to examine the anti-acetylcholinesterase activity of secondary metabolites extracted from endophytic fungi. Aspergillus versicolor SB5 was one of the many endophytic fungi isolated from Juncus rigidus and identified genetically with accession number ON872302. Our study utilized fermentation and microbial cultivation techniques to obtain secondary metabolites. During the course of our investigation, we isolated a compound called Physcion (C1) from the endophytic fungus Aspergillus versicolor SB5. We subsequently identified that C1 possesses inhibitory activity against COX-2 and LOX-1, with IC50 values of 43.10 and 17.54 µg/mL, respectively, making it an effective anti-inflammatory agent. Moreover, we found that C1 also exhibited potent anticholinesterase activity (86.9 ± 1.21%). In addition to these promising therapeutic properties, our experiments demonstrated that C1 possesses strong antioxidant capacity, as evidenced by its ability to scavenge DPPH, ABTS, O2 radicals, and NO and inhibit lipid peroxidation. To further investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying C1 pharmacological properties, we employed SwissADME web tools to predict the compound's ADME-related physicochemical properties and used Molecular Operating Environment and PyMOL for molecular docking studies.