A novel bioprospecting strategy via 13C-based high-throughput probing of active methylotrophs inhabiting oil reservoir surface soil.

Methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) have long been considered as a microbial indicator for oil and gas prospecting. However, due to the phylogenetically narrow breath of ecophysiologically distinct MOB, classic culture-dependent approaches could not discriminate MOB population at fine resolution, and accurately reflect the abundance of active MOB in the soil above oil and gas reservoirs. Here, we presented a novel microbial anomaly detection (MAD) strategy to quantitatively identify specific indicator methylotrophs in the surface soils for bioprospecting oil and gas reservoirs by using a combination of 13C-DNA stable isotope probing (SIP), high-throughput sequencing (HTS), quantitative PCR (qPCR) and geostatistical analysis. The Chunguang oilfield of the Junggar Basin was selected as a model system in western China, and type I methanotrophic Methylobacter was most active in the topsoil above the productive oil wells, while type II methanotrophic Methylosinus predominated in the dry well soils, exhibiting clear differences between non- and oil reservoir soils. Similar results were observed by quantification of Methylobacter pmoA genes as a specific bioindicator for the prediction of unknown reservoirs by grid sampling. A microbial anomaly distribution map based on geostatistical analysis further showed that the anomalous zones were highly consistent with petroleum, geological and seismic data, and validated by subsequent drilling. Over seven years, a total of 24 wells have been designed and drilled into the targeted anomaly, and the success rate via the MAD prospecting strategy was 83 %. Our results suggested that molecular techniques are powerful tools for oil and gas prospecting. This study indicates that the exploration efficiency could be significantly improved by integrating multi-disciplinary information in geophysics and geomicrobiology while reducing the drilling risk to a greater extent.

Bioprospecting of Artemisia genus: from artemisinin to other potentially bioactive compounds.

Species from genus Artemisia are widely distributed throughout temperate regions of the northern hemisphere and many cultures have a long-standing traditional use of these plants as herbal remedies, liquors, cosmetics, spices, etc. Nowadays, the discovery of new plant-derived products to be used as food supplements or drugs has been pushed by the exploitation of bioprospection approaches. Often driven by the knowledge derived from the ethnobotanical use of plants, bioprospection explores the existing biodiversity through integration of modern omics techniques with targeted bioactivity assays. In this work we set up a bioprospection plan to investigate the phytochemical diversity and the potential bioactivity of five Artemisia species with recognized ethnobotanical tradition (A. absinthium, A. alba, A. annua, A. verlotiorum and A. vulgaris), growing wild in the natural areas of the Verona province. We characterized the specialized metabolomes of the species (including sesquiterpenoids from the artemisinin biosynthesis pathway) through an LC-MS based untargeted approach and, in order to identify potential bioactive metabolites, we correlated their composition with the in vitro antioxidant activity. We propose as potential bioactive compounds several isomers of caffeoyl and feruloyl quinic acid esters (e.g. dicaffeoylquinic acids, feruloylquinic acids and caffeoylferuloylquinic acids), which strongly characterize the most antioxidant species A. verlotiorum and A. annua. Morevoer, in this study we report for the first time the occurrence of sesquiterpenoids from the artemisinin biosynthesis pathway in the species A. alba.

Bioprospecting of endophytic fungi from medicinal plant Anisomeles indica L. for their diverse role in agricultural and industrial sectors.

Endophytes are microorganisms that inhabit various plant parts and cause no damage to the host plants. During the last few years, a number of novel endophytic fungi have been isolated and identified from medicinal plants and were found to be utilized as bio-stimulants and bio fertilizers. In lieu of this, the present study aims to isolate and identify endophytic fungi associated with the leaves of Anisomeles indica L. an important medicinal plant of the Terai-Duars region of West Bengal. A total of ten endophytic fungi were isolated from the leaves of A. indica and five were identified using ITS1/ITS4 sequencing based on their ability for plant growth promotion, secondary metabolite production, and extracellular enzyme production. Endophytic fungal isolates were identified as Colletotrichum yulongense Ai1, Colletotrichum cobbittiense Ai2, Colletotrichum alienum Ai2.1, Colletotrichum cobbittiense Ai3, and Fusarium equiseti. Five isolates tested positive for their plant growth promotion potential, while isolates Ai4. Ai1, Ai2, and Ai2.1 showed significant production of secondary metabolites viz. alkaloids, phenolics, flavonoids, saponins, etc. Isolate Ai2 showed maximum total phenolic concentration (25.98 mg g-1), while isolate Ai4 showed maximum total flavonoid concentration (20.10 mg g-1). Significant results were observed for the production of extracellular enzymes such as cellulases, amylases, laccases, lipases, etc. The isolates significantly influenced the seed germination percentage of tomato seedlings and augmented their growth and development under in vitro assay. The present work comprehensively tested these isolates and ascertained their huge application for the commercial utilization of these isolates both in the agricultural and industrial sectors.

Bioprospecting for Rhizobacteria with the Ability to Enhance Drought Tolerance in Lessertia frutescens.

Lessertia frutescens is a multipurpose medicinal plant indigenous to South Africa that is used for the management of cancer, stomach ulcers, wounds, etc. The use and demand for the raw materials from this plant have been increasing steadily over the years, putting strain on the dwindling wild populations. Although cultivation may provide relief to the strained supply, the persistent drought climate poses a threat to the plant's growth and productivity. This study explored three plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria isolates, TUTLFNC33, TUTLFNC37 and TUTLFWC74, obtained from the root nodules of Lessertia frutescens as potential bioinoculants that can improve yield, biological activities and the production of secondary metabolites in the host plant. Isolate TUTLFNC37 was identified as the most promising isolate for inoculation of Lessertia frutescens under drought conditions as it induced drought tolerance through enhanced root proliferation, osmolyte proline accumulation and stomatal closure. Superior biomass yield, phenolics, triterpenes and antioxidant activity were evident in the extracts of Lessertia frutescens inoculated with TUTLFNC37 and under different levels of drought. Furthermore, the metabolomics of the plant extracts demonstrated the ability of the isolate to withstand drastic changes in the composition of unique metabolites, sutherlandiosides A-D and sutherlandins A-D. Molecular families which were never reported in the plant (peptides and glycerolipids) were detected and annotated in the molecular networks. Although drought had deleterious effects on Lessertia frutescens, isolate TUTLFNC37 alleviated the impact of the stress. Isolate TUTLFNC37 is therefore the most promising, environmentally friendly alternative to harmful chemicals such as nitrate-based fertilizers. The isolate should be studied to establish its field performance, cross infectivity with other medicinal plants and competition with inherent soil microbes.

Anti-cancer bioprospecting on medicinal plants from Indonesia: A review.

The Indonesian archipelago is home to the second largest biodiversity in the world and is inhabited by more than 300 ethnic groups with a total population of more than 270 million. The indigenous population still rely on traditional medicine practices, especially the use of plant-based remedies. Although modern science-based exploration on Indonesian medicinal plants started with the European settlement in the archipelago in the 16th century, it was not until the 1970's that the phytochemistry of Indonesian medicinal plants was recognized for its potency. The need for new cancer cures to increase the quality of human life has led to the bioprospecting of medicinal plants including those of Indonesian origin. Despite published reports on the anticancer potency of Indonesian medicinal plants, to date there has been no comprehensive review on this topic. In this manuscript, we review the phytochemical and pharmacological studies on medicinal plants from Indonesia related to cancer therapy. Established databases (GARUDA, SciFinder, and PubMed) were used to collate data from 1990 to 2022, resulting in the description of 134 medicinal plants and their phytochemical and pharmacological properties including examples containing potent agents against breast, leukaemia, cervix, lung, and colon cancer cell lines based on in vitro bioassays and in vivo evaluation. These findings provide valuable insights into the bioprospecting of Indonesian medicinal plant providing directions for future studies, including the development of new therapeutics, both as botanicals or by using conventional dosage.

Bioprospecting-based untargeted metabolomics identifies alkaloids as potential anti-inflammatory bioactive markers of Ocotea species (Lauraceae).

BACKGROUND: Species within the Ocotea genus (Lauraceae), have demonstrated an interesting profile of bioactivities. Renowned for their diverse morphology and intricate specialized metabolite composition, Ocotea species have re-emerged as compelling candidates for bioprospecting in drug discovery research. However, it is a genus insufficiently studied, particularly regarding anti-inflammatory activity. PURPOSE: To investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of Ocotea spp. extracts and determine the major markers in this genus. METHODS: Extracts of 60 different Ocotea spp. were analysed by an ex vivo anti-inflammatory assay in human whole blood. The experiment estimates the prostaglandin E2 levels, which is one of the main mediators of the inflammatory cascade, responsible for the classical symptoms of fever, pain, and other common effects of the inflammatory process. Untargeted metabolomics analysis through liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry was performed, along with statistical analysis, to investigate which Ocotea metabolites are correlated with their anti-inflammatory activity. RESULTS: The anti-inflammatory screening indicated that 49 out of 60 Ocotea spp. extracts exhibited significant inhibition of PGE2 release compared to the vehicle (p < 0.05). Furthermore, 10 of these extracts showed statistical similarity to the reference drugs. The bioactive markers were accurately identified using multivariate statistics combined with a fold change (> 1.5) and adjusted false discovery rate analysis as unknown compounds and alkaloids, with a majority of aporphine and benzylisoquinolines. These alkaloids were annotated with an increased level of confidence since MSE spectra were compared with comprehensive databases. CONCLUSION: This study represents the first bioprospecting report revealing the anti-inflammatory potential of several Ocotea spp. The determination of their anti-inflammatory markers could contribute to drug discovery and the chemical knowledge of the Ocotea genus.

The bioprospecting potential of Clusia fluminensis Planch. & Triana: a scoping review.

Many biological activities are described for the Clusiaceae family. Clusia fluminensis, a species from Brazilian flora, is mainly employed for ornamental purposes. This review aimed to depict the current knowledge of C. fluminensis from a bioprospecting standpoint. "Clusia fluminensis" search term was applied in Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed and Bireme databases according to PRISMA-ScR statement. Selected papers on Phytochemistry or Bioactivity followed hand searching procedures. Bioactivity preclinical studies considered in vitro or in vivo biological systems, treated with plant extracts or isolated compounds. The outcomes were compared with standard or no treatment control groups. Critical appraisal of individual trials considered completeness in the research fields. Our results showed that 81% of the selected papers presented high level of completeness, 69% revealed phytochemical parameters and 31% biological applications of plant extracts and isolated compounds. Polyisoprenylated benzophenones, terpenoids, sterols and phenolic compounds were identified. Antiviral, insecticidal and snake antivenom activities were reported. In conclusion, the phytochemical data reinforce the reported activities. Potential applications in personal care, nutritional supplementation and pharmaceutical, food, chemical or textile industries were also identified. Toxicological and phytochemical complementary studies may be required.

Bioprospecting of endophytes associated with Solanum species: a mini review.

Endophytes are considered the repository of bioactive compounds as they contain a wide variety of chemically and structurally diverse secondary metabolites. The endophytes associated with Solanum species have been studied for the last few years. Therefore, the present study aimed to discuss the bioactive compounds produced by endophytes associated with Solanum species and their biological activities. Our study reveals that among the Solanum species, only 13 species have been studied in the context of endophytes so far. Overall, a total number of 98 bioactive compounds have been reported from endophytes associated with Solanum species, of which 64 compounds are from fungi and 34 compounds from bacteria. These bioactive compounds belong to different chemical groups such as sterols, flavonoids, volatiles, and many others and exhibited diverse biological activities including antimicrobial, anticancer, antiparasitic, antioxidants, and plant growth-promoting activity. Moreover, the endophytic fungi were reported to produce two compounds that are often present in the host plants. These condensed data may open the door for further research and provide details on potent endophytes associated with Solanum species.

Bioprospecting of the Antarctic Bacillus subtilis strain for potential application in leaching hydrocarbons and trace elements from contaminated environments based on functional and genomic analysis.

The production of secondary metabolites including biosurfactants by the Bacillus subtilis ANT_WA51 and the evaluation of its ability to leach metals and petroleum derivatives from the soil, using post-culture medium was investigated. The ANT_WA51 strain isolated from a pristine, harsh Antarctic environment produces the biosurfactants surfactin and fengycin, which reduce the surface tension of molasses-based post-culture medium to 26.6 mN m-1 at a critical micellization concentration (CMC) of 50 mg L-1 and a critical micelle dilution (CMD) of 1:19. The presence of biosurfactants and other secondary metabolites in the post-culture medium contributed to significant removal of xenobiotics from contaminated soils in the batch washing experiment - 70% hydrocarbons and 10-23% metals (Zn, Ni and Cu). The isolate's tolerance to different abiotic stresses, including freezing, freeze-thaw cycles, salinity (up to 10%), the presence of metals - Cr(VI), Pb(II), Mn(II), As(V) (up to 10 mM) and Mo(VI) (above 500 mM) and petroleum hydrocarbons (up to 20.000 mg kg-1) as well as the confirmed metabolic activity of these bacteria in toxic environments in the OxiTop® system indicate that they can be used directly in bioremediation. Comparative genomic analysis of this bacteria revealed a high similarity of its genome to the associated plant strains from America and Europe indicating the wide applicability of plant growth-promoting Bacillus subtilis and that the data can be extrapolated to a wide range of environmental strains. An important aspect of the study was to present the absence of inherent features which would indicate its clear pathogenicity enables its safe use in the environment. Based on the obtained results, we also conclude that the use of post-culture medium, obtained on low-cost byproducts like molasses, for leaching contaminants, especially hydrocarbons, is a promising bioremediation method that can be a replacement for the use of synthetic surfactants and provides a base for further large-scale research but the selection of an appropriate leaching may be dependent on the concentration of contaminants.

Bioprospecting of Targeted Phenolic Compounds of Dictyota dichotoma, Gongolaria barbata, Ericaria amentacea, Sargassum hornschuchii and Ellisolandia elongata from the Adriatic Sea Extracted by Two Green Methods.

The content of bioactive compounds in four brown and one red algae from the Adriatic Sea (Dictyota dichotoma, Gongolaria barbata, Ericaria amentacea, Sargassum hornschuchii and Ellisolandia elongata) is explored. The efficiency of two different extraction methods viz. ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) to obtain the extracts rich in phenolic compounds was compared. The effect of the extraction solvent to modulate the phenolic profile was assessed. In general, the mixture ethanol/water in an isovolumetric proportion showed the best results. The total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (AA), as well as the individual polyphenolic profile, were evaluated for five target algae. TPC values ranged between 0.2 mg GAE/g (for E. elongata) and 38 mg GAE/g (for S. hornschuchii). Regarding the quantification of individual polyphenols by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis, the presence of a high number of hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives (mainly of 3- and 4-hydroxybenzoic acids) in all species was noted. In G. barbata their concentrations reached up to 500 mg/kg. IC50 values (ABTS assay) ranged between 44 mg/L (for S. hornschuchii) and 11,040 mg/L (for E. elongata). This work contributes to the in-depth characterization of these little-explored algae, showing their potential as a natural source of phenolic compounds.

Bioprospecting and potential of cactus mucilages: A bibliometric review.

Cactus mucilage (CMU) have been widely studied in various applications. This review addresses the sources, extraction methods, composition, biological properties and CMU applications with the help of bibliometric analysis to select scientific articles available in the Web of Science database and evaluated by VOSviewer (2001-2021). CMU are generally characterized as an arabinogalactan-type polysaccharide, a source of carbohydrates and proteins, minerals, fatty acids, essential amino acids and phenolic compounds. Such attributes contribute to its functionality as emulsifying, stabilizing, foaming and gelling agents. Therefore, it has been used in dairy, bakery, emulsified and powdered products, in addition, as microencapsulating substances, producing edible coatings and forming ecological films. Its main beneficial features consist of antioxidant, antimicrobial, prebiotic, healing, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemic and slimming effects. Thus, this review provides the CMU main evidences in the literature, which reveal their scientific importance, what can boost new research for the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

In silico bioprospecting of antiviral compounds from marine fungi and mushroom for rapid development of nutraceuticals against SARS-CoV-2.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) affects human respiratory function that causes COVID-19 disease. COVID-19 has spread rapidly all over the world and became a pandemic within no time. Therefore, it is the need of hour to screen potential lead candidates from natural resources like edible mushrooms and marine fungi. These natural resources are very less explored till now and known to be the source for many medicinal compounds with several health benefits. These medicinal compounds can be easily exploited for the faster development of nutraceuticals for controlling SARS-CoV-2 infections. Our Insilico research suggests, bioactive compounds originating from mushroom and marine fungi shows strong potential to interact with ACE2 receptor or main protease of SARS-CoV-2, showing the inhibition activity towards the enzymatic protease. We performed a series of Insilico studies for the validation of our results, which includes Molecular docking, drug likeness property investigation by Swiss ADME tools, MD simulation, and thermodynamically stable free binding energy calculation. Overall, these results suggest that Ganodermadiol and Heliantriol F bioactive compounds originating from edible mushroom has strong potential to be developed as low-cost nutraceutical against SARS-CoV-2 viral infection. The drug candidate isolated from marine fungi and edible mushroom are highly unexplored for the development of potential alternative drug against SARS-CoV-2 virus with minimum side effects. Though our in silico studies of these compounds are showing a promising results against SARS-CoV-2 main protease and ACE2 receptor binding domain, the effectiveness of these bioactive compounds should be further validated by proper clinical trials.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Bioprospecting of endophytic actinobacterium associated with Aloe ferox mill for antibacterial activity.

BACKGROUND: The emergence of drug resistance among pathogens has resulted in renewed interest in bioprospecting for natural microbial products. METHODS: This study aimed to bioprospecting endophytic actinobacterium associated with Aloe ferox Mill for its antibacterial activity. Endophytic actinomycetes were isolated from the gel of A. ferox Mill by surface sterilization technique using actinomycete isolation agar. The isolate with a promising antibacterial activity was identified using 16S rRNA sequence analysis. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extract was assessed by the micro-dilution method and its effect on the respiratory chain dehydrogenase (RCD) activity was ascertained by the iodonitrotetrazolium chloride (INT) assay. Fourier transform-infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS) were employed to identify functional groups and the chemical constituents, respectively. RESULTS: The actinobacterium was found to be Streptomyces olivaceus CP016795.1. Its extract displayed noteworthy antibacterial activity (MIC ≤1 mg/mL) against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25925), Bacillus cereus (ATCC 10102), and Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922); and showed an inhibitory effect on the RCD activity. FTIR spectrum displayed hydroxyl, amine, and aromatic groups, and the GC-MS revealed 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural as the main constituent (19.47%). CONCLUSIONS: S. olivaceus CP016795.1 can serve as a potential source of effective antibacterial compounds.

Bioprospecting of fungal endophytes from Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz with antioxidant and cytotoxic activity.

Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz, a medicinal plant, shows numerous pharmacological properties which may be attributed to the bioactive compounds produced by O. indicum or due to associated endophytes. In the present study, leaf of O. indicum was evaluated for the presence of associated fungal endophytes, and antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of bioactive compounds produced from them. Using culture-dependent approach, eight fungal endophytes belonging to five different genera were identified. Two endophytes Daldinia eschscholtzii and Ectophoma multirostrata have been reported for the first time from the leaf of O. indicum plant. High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) of ethyl acetate (EA) extract of isolated fungal endophytes showed a distinct fingerprinting profile in EA extract of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Among identified endophytes, EA extract of C. gloeosporioides showed significant antioxidant activity against DPPH free radical, superoxide anion radical, nitric oxide radical and hydroxyl radical with EC50 values of 22.24±1.302 µg/mL, 67.46±0.576 µg/mL, 80.10±0.706 µg/mL and 61.55±1.360 µg/mL, respectively. EA extract of C. gloeosporioides exhibited potential cytotoxicity against HCT116, HeLa and HepG2 cancer cell lines with IC50 values of 76.59 µg/mL, 176.20 µg/mL and 1750.70 µg/mL, respectively. A comparative HPTLC fingerprinting and the antioxidant activity of C. gloeosporioides associated with two different hosts (leaf of O. indicum and dead twigs of other plant) showed that C. gloeosporioides produces bioactive compounds in a host-dependent manner.

Bioprospecting Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria for Enhancing the Biological Properties and Phytochemical Composition of Medicinally Important Crops.

Traditionally, medicinal plants have long been used as a natural therapy. Plant-derived extracts or phytochemicals have been exploited as food additives and for curing many health-related ailments. The secondary metabolites produced by many plants have become an integral part of human health and have strengthened the value of plant extracts as herbal medicines. To fulfil the demand of health care systems, food and pharmaceutical industries, interest in the cultivation of precious medicinal plants to harvest bio-active compounds has increased considerably worldwide. To achieve maximum biomass and yield, growers generally apply chemical fertilizers which have detrimental impacts on the growth, development and phytoconstituents of such therapeutically important plants. Application of beneficial rhizosphere microbiota is an alternative strategy to enhance the production of valuable medicinal plants under both conventional and stressed conditions due to its low cost, environmentally friendly behaviour and non-destructive impact on fertility of soil, plants and human health. The microbiological approach improves plant growth by various direct and indirect mechanisms involving the abatement of various abiotic stresses. Given the negative impacts of fertilizers and multiple benefits of microbiological resources, the role of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in the production of biomass and their impact on the quality of bio-active compounds (phytochemicals) and mitigation of abiotic stress to herbal plants have been described in this review. The PGPR based enhancement in the herbal products has potential for use as a low cost phytomedicine which can be used to improve health care systems.

Bioprospecting microalgae and cyanobacteria for biopharmaceutical applications.

Microalgae and cyanobacteria have sparked a lot of interest due to their potential in various industries like biorefineries, biopharmaceuticals, food supplements, nutraceuticals, and other high-value products. Polysaccharides, vitamins, proteins, enzymes, and steroids are valuable products isolated from microalgae and cyanobacteria and potentially used in health and biomedical applications. Bioactive compounds derived from microalgae and cyanobacteria exhibit various pharmaceutical properties like antibacterial, anticancer, antiviral, antialgal, and antioxidant. From the properties listed above, the research for novel antibiotics has become particularly appropriate. In addition, the possible emergence of resistance against pathogens, as well as the potential decline in antibiotic efficacy, has prompted researchers to look for a new source of antibiotics. Microalgae and cyanobacteria have indicated a great and unexplored potential among these sources. For this reason, microalgae and cyanobacteria have been highlighted for their efficiency in different industrial sectors, as well as for their potential uses in the betterment of human and environmental health. This review gives an overview of bioactive compounds and metabolites with several biological properties isolated from microalgae and cyanobacteria for treating different animal and human diseases.

Jellyfish Bioprospecting in the Mediterranean Sea: Antioxidant and Lysozyme-Like Activities from Aurelia coerulea (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa) Extracts.

Marine invertebrates represent a vast, untapped source of bioactive compounds. Cnidarians are represented by nearly 10,000 species that contain a complex mixture of venoms, collagen, and other bioactive compounds, including enzymes, oligosaccharides, fatty acids, and lipophilic molecules. Due to their high abundance in coastal waters, several jellyfish taxa may be regarded as candidate targets for the discovery of novel lead molecules and biomaterials and as a potential source of food/feed ingredients. The moon jellyfish Aurelia coerulea is one of the most common jellyfish worldwide and is particularly abundant in sheltered coastal lagoons and marinas of the Mediterranean Sea, where it first appeared-as an alien species-in the last century, when Pacific oyster cultivation began. In the present study, the antioxidant and lysozyme antibacterial activities associated with extracts from different medusa compartments-namely the umbrella, oral arms, and secreted mucus-were investigated. Extracts from the oral arms of A. coerulea displayed significant antioxidant activity. Similarly, lysozyme-like activity was the highest in extracts from oral arms. These findings suggest that A. coerulea outbreaks may be used in the search for novel cytolytic and cytotoxic products against marine bacteria. The geographically wide occurrence and the seasonally high abundance of A. coerulea populations in coastal waters envisage and stimulate the search for biotechnological applications of jellyfish biomasses in the pharmaceutical, nutritional, and nutraceutical sectors.

Bioprospecting beneficial endophytic bacterial communities associated with Rosmarinus officinalis for sustaining plant health and productivity.

The present study aimed to isolate and identify root endophytic bacteria with multifunctional plant growth promoting (PGP) traits from medicinal plant Rosmarinus officinalis grown in the North-Western Himalayas. A total of 42 strains were isolated, exhibiting variable degrees of PGP traits, including phosphate solubilization (10-375 µg/mL), indole-3-acetic acid (6-66 µg/mL), siderophore (32.37%-301.48% SU) production and antifungal activity in terms of percent growth inhibition (% GI) against Fusarium oxysporum (44.44%-77.77% GI), Fusarium graminearum (48.88%-71.42% GI) and Rhizoctonia solani (44.44%-77.7% GI). The 16S rDNA sequencing results showed lineage of these strains to 15 genera viz., Aneurinibacillus, Bacillus, Beijerinckia, Cedecea, Ensifer, Enterobacter, Kosakonia, Lactobacillus, Lysobacter, Oxynema, Pseudomonas, Pantoea, Paenibacillus, Pseudoxanthomonas and Serratia. Out of 42 strains, 11 potential strains were selected for in vivo growth studies of R. officinalis. The results showed that the inoculation of Bacillus subtilis KU21, Pseudomonas aeruginosa SI12, and Cedecea lapagei KU14 significantly increased the physical growth parameters of plant over uninoculated control viz., number of lateral of branches (43.95%-46.39%), stem height (29.04%-38.57%), root length (32.31%-37.14%), shoot (34.76%-40.91%) and root biomass (62.89%-70.70%). Physiological characteristics such as total chlorophyll (30.41%-30.96%), phenol (14.43%-24.55%) and carotenoids (34.26%-39.87%) content, also showed a relative increase as compared to uninoculated control; furthermore, the macronutrients (NPK) contents of the plant as well as soil also showed an increase. The developed module may be recommended for sustainable production of R. officinalis in the North-Western Himalayan region without hampering the soil health and fertility.

Targeted 16S rRNA gene and ITS2 amplicon sequencing of leaf and spike tissues of Piper longum identifies new candidates for bioprospecting of bioactive compounds.

Piper longum (also known as Indian long pepper) is widely used in Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani medicine systems. The principle bioactive compound of this plant is piperine, which mainly accumulates in the fruits called spikes. The report of piperine production by endophytic microbes isolated from Piper sp., motivated us to investigate the endophytic microbial diversity associated with the spikes vis-à-vis leaves (which contain negligible levels of piperine). This is the first report to use metagenomics approach to unravel the endophytic microbial diversity in P. longum. Our results indicate that 2, 56, 631 bacterial OTUs and 1090 fungal OTUs were picked cumulatively from both the tissues. Although bacterial and fungal endophytes occupy the same niche, remarkable differences exist in their diversity and abundance. For instance, the most abundant bacterial genera in spikes were Nocardioides and Pseudonocardia (Phylum Actinobacteria; reported to produce bioactive compounds); while, in leaves were Larkinella and Hymenobacter (Phylum Bacteriodetes). Likewise, the fungal endophytes, Periconia, Cladosporium and Coniothyrium (which have been earlier reported to produce commercially important metabolites including piperine), were also present in high abundance in spikes, in comparison to leaves. Further, the results of PICRUSt analysis reveal the high metabolic potential of spike-associated bacteria for secondary metabolism, namely biosynthesis of alkaloids (including pyridine/piperidine), terpenes, flavonoids and antibiotics. Therefore, our findings indicate that the endophytes abundant or unique in spikes could be explored for bioprospecting of novel/commercially important metabolites; an approach that has both ecological and economical benefits.

Symbioses of Cyanobacteria in Marine Environments: Ecological Insights and Biotechnological Perspectives.

Cyanobacteria are a diversified phylum of nitrogen-fixing, photo-oxygenic bacteria able to colonize a wide array of environments. In addition to their fundamental role as diazotrophs, they produce a plethora of bioactive molecules, often as secondary metabolites, exhibiting various biological and ecological functions to be further investigated. Among all the identified species, cyanobacteria are capable to embrace symbiotic relationships in marine environments with organisms such as protozoans, macroalgae, seagrasses, and sponges, up to ascidians and other invertebrates. These symbioses have been demonstrated to dramatically change the cyanobacteria physiology, inducing the production of usually unexpressed bioactive molecules. Indeed, metabolic changes in cyanobacteria engaged in a symbiotic relationship are triggered by an exchange of infochemicals and activate silenced pathways. Drug discovery studies demonstrated that those molecules have interesting biotechnological perspectives. In this review, we explore the cyanobacterial symbioses in marine environments, considering them not only as diazotrophs but taking into consideration exchanges of infochemicals as well and emphasizing both the chemical ecology of relationship and the candidate biotechnological value for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications.