Bioprospecting endophytic fungi for bioactive metabolites with seed germination promoting potentials.

There is an urgent need for new bioactive molecules with unique mechanisms of action and chemistry to address the issue of incorrect use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which hurts both the environment and the health of humans. In light of this, research was done for this work to isolate, identify, and evaluate the germination-promoting potential of various plant species' fungal endophytes. Zea mays L. (maize) seed germination was examined using spore suspension of 75 different endophytic strains that were identified. Three promising strains were identified through screening to possess the ability mentioned above. These strains Alternaria alternate, Aspergilus flavus, and Aspergillus terreus were isolated from the stem of Tecoma stans, Delonix regia, and Ricinus communis, respectively. The ability of the three endophytic fungal strains to produce siderophore and indole acetic acid (IAA) was also examined. Compared to both Aspergillus flavus as well as Aspergillus terreus, Alternaria alternata recorded the greatest rates of IAA, according to the data that was gathered. On CAS agar versus blue media, all three strains failed to produce siderophores. Moreover, the antioxidant and antifungal potentials of extracts from these fungi were tested against different plant pathogens. The obtained results indicated the antioxidant and antifungal activities of the three fungal strains. GC-Mass studies were carried out to determine the principal components in extracts of all three strains of fungi. The three strains' fungus extracts included both well-known and previously unidentified bioactive compounds. These results may aid in the development of novel plant growth promoters by suggesting three different fungal strains as sources of compounds that may improve seed germination. According to the study that has been given, as unexplored sources of bioactive compounds, fungal endophytes have great potential.

Cryosphere: a frozen home of microbes and a potential source for drug discovery.

The world is concerned about the emergence of pathogens and the occurrence and spread of antibiotic resistance among pathogens. Drug development requires time to combat these issues. Consequently, drug development from natural sources is unavoidable. Cryosphere represents a gigantic source of microbes that could be the bioprospecting source of natural products with unique scaffolds as molecules or drug templates. This review focuses on the novel source of drug discovery and cryospheric environments as a potential source for microbial metabolites having potential medicinal applications. Furthermore, the problems encountered in discovering metabolites from cold-adapted microbes and their resolutions are discussed. By adopting modern practical approaches, the discovery of bioactive compounds might fulfill the demand for new drug development.

Diversity, distribution, and bioprospecting potentials of carotenogenic yeast from mangrove ecosystem.

Microbial production of carotenoids has gained significant interest for its cost-effectiveness and sustainable nature. This study focuses on 47 red-pigmented yeasts isolated from sediments and plant parts of 13 species of mangrove trees. The relative abundance and distribution of these yeasts varied with plant species and plant parts. The highest number of red yeasts was associated with the mangrove plant Avicennia officinalis (32%). Notably, the leaves harbored the highest percentage (45%) of carotenogenic yeasts, and definite compartmentalization of these yeast species was noticed in mangrove plant parts. All the isolates were molecularly identified and they belonged to the genera of Rhodotorula, Rhodosporidiobolus, and Cryptococcus. The diversity of the pigmented yeasts isolated from A. officinalis was found to be the greatest. Among these strains, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa PV 8 was identified as the most potent producer of carotenoid pigment. Under optimized conditions of physical parameters - 28 °C, pH 5, and 15% salinity led to biomass production of 9.2 ± 0.12 g/L DCW and a pigment yield of 194.78 µg/g. The pigment produced by PV 8 was identified as ß-carotene by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). This ß-carotene demonstrated strong antioxidant activity. Moreover, the carotenoid displayed promising antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant organisms, including Aeromonas sp. and Vibrio sp. In vitro studies revealed the probiotic traits of PV 8. The cytotoxicity of R. mucilaginosa PV 8 was assessed in the invertebrate model Artemia salina and the survival rate showed that it was non-toxic. Furthermore, the ß-carotene from PV 8 demonstrated the ability to transfer its vibrant color to various food products, maintaining color stability even under varied conditions. This research underscores the potential of R. mucilaginosa PV 8, as a versatile and valuable resource for the production of carotenoids.

Diversity and Bioprospection of Gram-positive Bacteria Derived from a Mayan Sinkhole.

Water-filled sinkholes known locally as cenotes, found on the Yucatán Peninsula, have remarkable biodiversity. The primary objective of this study was to explore the biotechnological potential of Gram-positive cultivable bacteria obtained from sediment samples collected at the coastal cenote Pol-Ac in Yucatán, Mexico. Specifically, the investigation aimed to assess production of hydrolytic enzymes and antimicrobial compounds. 16 S rRNA gene sequencing led to the identification of 49 Gram-positive bacterial isolates belonging to the phyla Bacillota (n = 29) and Actinomycetota (n = 20) divided into the common genera Bacillus and Streptomyces, as well as the genera Virgibacillus, Halobacillus, Metabacillus, Solibacillus, Neobacillus, Rossellomorea, Nocardiopsis and Corynebacterium. With growth at 55ºC, 21 of the 49 strains were classified as moderately thermotolerant. All strains were classified as halotolerant and 24 were dependent on marine water for growth. Screening for six extracellular hydrolytic enzymes revealed gelatinase, amylase, lipase, cellulase, protease and chitinase activities in 93.9%, 67.3%, 63.3%, 59.2%, 59.2% and 38.8%, of isolated strains, respectively. The genes for polyketide synthases type I, were detected in 24 of the strains. Of 18 strains that achieved > 25% inhibition of growth in the bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, 4 also inhibited growth in Escherichia coli ATCC 35,218. Isolates Streptomyces sp. NCA_378 and Bacillus sp. NCA_374 demonstrated 50-75% growth inhibition against at least one of the two pathogens tested, along with significant enzymatic activity across all six extracellular enzymes. This is the first comprehensive report on the biotechnological potential of Gram-positive bacteria isolated from sediments in the cenotes of the Yucatán Peninsula.

Discovery and biochemical characterization of thermostable glycerol oxidases.

Alditol oxidases are promising tools for the biocatalytic oxidation of glycerol to more valuable chemicals. By integrating in silico bioprospecting with cell-free protein synthesis and activity screening, an effective pipeline was developed to rapidly identify enzymes that are active on glycerol. Three thermostable alditol oxidases from Actinobacteria Bacterium, Streptomyces thermoviolaceus, and Thermostaphylospora chromogena active on glycerol were discovered. The characterization of these three flavoenzymes demonstrated their glycerol oxidation activities, preference for alkaline conditions, and excellent thermostabilities with melting temperatures higher than 75 °C. Structural elucidation of the alditol oxidase from Actinobacteria Bacterium highlighted a constellation of side chains that engage the substrate through several hydrogen bonds, a histidine residue covalently bound to the FAD prosthetic group, and a tunnel leading to the active site. Upon computational simulations of substrate binding, a double mutant targeting a residue pair at the tunnel entrance was created and found to display an improved thermal stability and catalytic efficiency for glycerol oxidation. The hereby described alditol oxidases form a valuable panel of oxidative biocatalysts that can perform regioselective oxidation of glycerol and other polyols. KEY POINTS: • Rapid pipeline designed to identify putative oxidases • Biochemical and structural characterization of alditol oxidases • Glycerol oxidation to more valuable derivatives.

Bioprospecting of sourdough microbial species from artisan bakeries in the city of Valencia.

This work describes the characterization of an artisanal sourdough set of bakeries located in the city of Valencia. Culture-dependent and -independent analyses detected Fructilactobacillus sanfranciscensis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kazachstania humilis as dominant species. Nevertheless, specific technological parameters, including backslopping temperature, dough yield, or the addition of salt affected microbial counting, LAB/Yeast ratio, and gassing performance, favouring the appearance of several species of Lactobacillus sp., Limosilactobacillus pontis or Torulaspora delbrueckii as additional players. Sourdough leavening activity was affected positively by yeast counts and negatively by the presence of salt. In addition, the predominance of a particular yeast species appeared to impact the dynamics of CO2 release. Seven important flavour-active compounds (ethyl acetate, 1-hexanol, 2-penthylfuran, 3-ethyl-2-methyl-1,3-hexadiene, 2-octen-1-ol, nonanal and 1-nonanol) were detected in all samples and together with 3-methyl butanol and hexyl acetate represented more than the 53% of volatile abundancy in nine of the ten sourdoughs analysed. Even so, the specific microbial composition of each sample influenced the volatile profile. For example, the occurrence of K. humilis or S. cerevisiae as dominant yeast influenced the composition of major alcohol species, while F. sanfranciscensis and L. pontis positively correlated with aldehydes and octanoic acid content. In addition, relevant correlations could be also found among different technological parameters and between these, volatile compounds and microbial species. Overall, our study emphasises on how differences in technological parameters generate biodiversity in a relatively small set of artisan sourdoughs providing opportunities for excellence and quality baking products.

Bioprospecting the potential of metabolites from a Saharan saline soil strain Nocardiopsis dassonvillei GSBS4.

Saharan soil samples collected in El-Oued province have been investigated for actinobacteria as a valuable source for the production of bioactive metabolites. A total of 273 isolates were obtained and subjected to antagonistic activity tests against human pathogenic germs. A strain with a broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity was selected and identified as Nocardiopsis dassonvillei GSBS4, with high sequence similarities to N. dassonvillei subsp. dassonvilleiT X97886.1 (99%) based on polyphasic taxonomy approach and 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene sequence analysis. The GSBS4 ethyl acetate crude extract showed strong antibacterial activity towards pathogenic bacteria and Candida albicans. It inhibited biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus with minimum inhibitory concentrations estimated at 0.144 and 1.15 mg·mL-1 , respectively. A 44% biofilm reduction was obtained for S. aureus and 61% for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Furthermore, phenols composition of the crude extract showed a significant dose-dependent antioxidant activity by α-diphenyl-ß-picrylhydrazyl (57.21%) and 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (64.29%) radicals scavenging assays. Although no inhibition was obtained on human coronavirus human coronavirus (HCoV) 229E and on model enterovirus (poliovirus 1) infection, a dose-dependent increase in cell viability of HCoV 229E-infected cells was noticed as the viability increased from 21% to 37%. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the crude extract gave a fraction showing antibacterial activity, which was analyzed by liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometric technique, providing structural features on a major purple metabolite.

Bioprospecting of endophytic fungi from semidesert candelilla (Euphorbia antisyphilitica Zucc): Potential for extracellular enzyme production.

Endophytic microbial communities colonize plants growing under various abiotic stress conditions. Candelilla (Euphorbia antisyphilitica Zucc.) is a shrub that develops functionally in arid and semi-arid zones of Mexico; these conditions generate an association between the plant and the microorganisms, contributing to the production of enzymes as a defense mechanism for resistance to abiotic stress. The objective of this research was to isolate and identify endophyte fungi of candelilla and bioprospection of these endophytic fungi for enzyme production using candelilla by-products. Fungi were isolated and identified using ITS1/ITS4 sequencing. Their potency index (PI) was evaluated in producing endoglucanase, xylanase, amylase, and laccase. Fermentation was carried out at 30°C for 8 days at 200 rpm, with measurements every 2 days, using candelilla by-products as substrate. All fungi exhibited higher cellulase, amylase, and laccase activities on the 2nd, 6th, and 8th day of fermentation, respectively, of fermentation. The fungus Aspergillus niger ITD-IN4.1 showed the highest amylase activity (246.84 U/mg), the genus Neurospora showed the highest cellulase activity, reaching up to 13.45 FPU/mg, and the strain Neurospora sp. ITD-IN5.2 showed the highest laccase activity (3.46 U/mg). This work provides the first report on the endophytic diversity of E. antisyphilitica and its potential role in enzyme production.

Bioprospecting of Selected Species of Polypore Fungi from the Western Balkans.

Growing mushrooms means meeting challenges while aiming for sustainability and circularity. Wherever the producer is located, commercial strains are the same originating from several producers. Customized strains adapted to local conditions are urgently needed. Before introducing new species to the strain development pipeline, the chemical characterization and biological activity of wild ones need to be assessed. Accordingly, the mycoceutical potential of five polypore mushroom species from Serbia was evaluated including: secondary metabolite composition, oxidative damage prevention, anti-tyrosinase, and anti-angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE). The phenolic pattern was comparable in all samples, but the amounts of specific chemicals varied. Hydroxybenzoic acids were the primary components. All samples had varying quantities of ascorbic acid, carotene, and lycopene, and showed a pronounced inhibition of lipid peroxidation (LPx) and ability to scavenge HO•. Extracts were more potent tyrosinase inhibitors but unsuccessful when faced with ACE. Fomitopsis pinicola had the strongest anti-tumor efficacy while Ganoderma lucidum demonstrated strong selectivity in anti-tumor effect in comparison to normal cells. The evaluated species provided a solid foundation for commercial development while keeping local ecology in mind.

Targeting of human fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 by a novel specific nanobody.

Inhibition of FGFR2 signaling is promising in targeted therapy of FGFR2-related tumors. In this study, anti-FGFR2 nanobodies (Nbs) were isolated through screening of an immune camelid phage display library. Four rounds of biopanning were carried out with commercial human FGFR2 antigen and enrichment was assessed by ELISA and phage titration. The gene of Nb was sub-cloned into the expression vector, and the recombinant vector was transformed into Escherichia coli WK6 cells. The recombinant protein was purified using Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. The anti-FGFR2 Nb (C13) was characterized by SDS-PAGE, western blotting, competitive inhibition ELISA, flow cytometry, MTT, and migration assay. C13 Nb recognized FGFR2 with high specificity and no cross-reactivity was observed with other tested antigens. The affinity of C13 Nb was calculated to be 1.5 × 10-9 M. Results of cytotoxicity showed that C13 Nb (10 µg/ml) inhibited 85% of the proliferation of T-47D cells (p < 0.001). In addition, C13 inhibited the migration of 68% of T-47D toward the source of the growth factor (p < 0.01). The flow cytometry showed that C13 Nb bound to the surface of FGFR2+ cells, T-47D cell line (96%). Results indicate the potential of anti-FGFR2 Nb for targeted therapy of FGFR2-overexpressing tumors after complementary investigations.

Bioprospecting photosynthetic microorganisms for the removal of endocrine disruptor compounds.

Endocrine disruption compounds can be found in various daily products, like pesticides, along with cosmetic and pharmaceutical commodities. Moreover, occurrence of EDCs in the wastewater alarms the urgency for their removal before discharge owing to the harmful effect for the environment and human health. Compared to implementation of physical and chemical strategies, cultivation of photosynthetic microorganisms has been acknowledged for their high efficiency and eco-friendly process in EDCs removal along with accumulation of valuable byproducts. During the process, photosynthetic microorganisms remove EDCs via photodegradation, bio-adsorption, -accumulation, and -degradation. Regarding their high tolerance in extreme environment, photosynthetic microorganisms have high feasibility for implementation in wastewater treatment plant. However, several considerations are critical for their scaling up process. This review discussed the potency of EDCs removal by photosynthetic microorganisms and focused on the efficiency, mechanism, challenge, along with the prospect. Details on the mechanism's pathway, accumulation of valuable byproducts, and recent progress in scaling up and application in real wastewater were also projected in this review.

Exploring fungal bioemulsifiers: insights into chemical composition, microbial sources, and cross-field applications.

The demand for emulsion-based products is crucial for economic development and societal well-being, spanning diverse industries such as food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and oil extraction. Formulating these products relies on emulsifiers, a distinct class of surfactants. However, many conventional emulsifiers are derived from petrochemicals or synthetic sources, posing potential environmental and human health risks. In this context, fungal bioemulsifiers emerge as a compelling and sustainable alternative, demonstrating superior performance, enhanced biodegradability, and safety for human consumption. From this perspective, the present work provides the first comprehensive review of fungal bioemulsifiers, categorizing them based on their chemical nature and microbial origin. This includes polysaccharides, proteins, glycoproteins, polymeric glycolipids, and carbohydrate-lipid-protein complexes. Examples of particular interest are scleroglucan, a polysaccharide produced by Sclerotium rolfsii, and mannoproteins present in the cell walls of various yeasts, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Furthermore, this study examines the feasibility of incorporating fungal bioemulsifiers in the food and oil industries and their potential role in bioremediation events for oil-polluted marine environments. Finally, this exploration encourages further research on fungal bioemulsifier bioprospecting, with far-reaching implications for advancing sustainable and eco-friendly practices across various industrial sectors.

Bioprospecting the American Alligator Peptidome for antiviral peptides against Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus.

The innate immune protection provided by cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs) has been shown to extend to antiviral activity, with putative mechanisms of action including direct interaction with host cells or pathogen membranes. The lack of therapeutics available for the treatment of viruses such as Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) underscores the urgency of novel strategies for antiviral discovery. American alligator plasma has been shown to exhibit strong in vitro antibacterial activity, and functionalized hydrogel particles have been successfully employed for the identification of specific CAMPs from alligator plasma. Here, a novel bait strategy in which particles were encapsulated in membranes from either healthy or VEEV-infected cells was implemented to identify peptides preferentially targeting infected cells for subsequent evaluation of antiviral activity. Statistical analysis of peptide identification results was used to select five candidate peptides for testing, of which one exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition of VEEV and also significantly inhibited infectious titers. Results suggest our bioprospecting strategy provides a versatile platform that may be adapted for antiviral peptide identification from complex biological samples.

Constructing a Myxobacterial Natural Product Database to Facilitate NMR-Based Metabolomics Bioprospecting of Myxobacteria.

Myxobacteria are fascinating prokaryotes featuring a potent capacity for producing a wealth of bioactive molecules with intricate chemical topology as well as intriguing enzymology, and thus it is critical to developing an efficient pipeline for bioprospecting. Herein, we construct the database MyxoDB, the first public compendium solely dedicated to myxobacteria, which enabled us to provide an overview of the structural diversity and taxonomic distribution of known myxobacterial natural products. Moreover, we demonstrated that the cutting-edge NMR-based metabolomics was effective to differentiate the biosynthetic priority of myxobacteria, whereby MyxoDB could greatly streamline the dereplication of multifarious known compounds and accordingly speed up the discovery of new compounds. This led to the rapid identification of a class of linear di-lipopeptides (archangimins) and a rare rearranged sterol (corasterol) that were endowed with unique chemical architectures and/or biosynthetic enzymology. We also showcased that NMR-based metabolomics, MyxoDB, and genomics can also work concertedly to accelerate the targeted discovery of a polyketidic compound pyxipyrrolone C. All in all, this study sets the stage for the discovery of many more novel natural products from underexplored myxobacterial resources.

Bioprospecting of the probiotic potential of yeasts isolated from a wine environment.

Autochthonous yeasts of oenological origin are adapted to highly stressful and selective environments, which makes them potential candidates for probiotics. The objective of the present study was to explore the probiotic potential of 96 native yeasts of oenological origin, their biosafety, resistance to gastrointestinal tract conditions and adhesion properties. Regarding biosafety, 66 isolates shown negative hemolytic activity, negative urease activity and susceptibility to 3 or more antifungals. After the gastrointestinal resistance test, 15 isolates were selected that showed growth at different temperatures, tolerance to low pH and the presence of bile salts in in vitro tests. In general, survival after simulated conditions of the gastrointestinal tract was high and more restrictive was the duodenal. The results of the adhesion properties showed highly variable hydrophobicity and a high percentage of autoaggregation at 24 h. The maximum production of biofilm was detected in the Pichia strains. Of a total of 96 yeast strains, 15 non-Saccharomyces yeasts presented suitable properties as probiotic candidates. The native winemaking strains performed better than the reference probiotic strain, Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii CNCM I-745, which reaffirms that these strains are promising probiotic candidates and further studies are necessary to confirm their probiosis.

Bioprospecting of desert actinobacteria with special emphases on griseoviridin, mitomycin C and a new bacterial metabolite producing Streptomyces sp. PU-KB10-4.

BACKGROUND: Bioprospecting of actinobacteria isolated from Kubuqi desert, China for antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxic metabolites production and their structure elucidation. RESULTS: A total of 100 actinobacteria strains were selectively isolated from Kubuqi desert, Inner Mongolia, China. The taxonomic characterization revealed Streptomyces as the predominant genus comprising 37 different species, along with the rare actinobacterial genus Lentzea. The methanolic extracts of 60.8% of strains exhibited potent antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and high to mild in vitro cytotoxicity against PC3 (prostate cancer) and A549 (lung carcinoma) cell lines. The metabolomics analysis by TLC, HPLC-UV/vis, HPLC-MS and NMR showed the presence of compounds with molecular weights ranging from 100 to 1000 Da. The scale-up fermentation of the prioritized anti-Gram-negative strain PU-KB10-4 (Streptomyces griseoviridis), yielded three pure compounds including; griseoviridin (1; 42.0 mgL- 1) with 20 fold increased production as compared to previous reports and its crystal structure as monohydrate form is herein reported for the first time, mitomycin C (2; 0.3 mgL- 1) and a new bacterial metabolite 4-hydroxycinnamide (3; 0.59 mgL- 1). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of the bioprospecting and exploration of actinobacteria from Kubuqi desert and the metabolite 4-hydroxycinnamide (3) is first time isolated from a bacterial source. This study demonstrated that actinobacteria from Kubuqi desert are a potential source of novel bioactive natural products. Underexplored harsh environments like the Kubuqi desert may harbor a wider diversity of actinobacteria, particularly Streptomyces, which produce unique metabolites and are an intriguing source to develop medicinally valuable natural products.

Bioprospecting acid- and arsenic-tolerant plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria for mitigation of arsenic toxicity in acidic agricultural soils.

Widespread use of chemical fertilizers and falling productivity in traditional agricultural practices has led to the biodiversity hotspot of North-Eastern region of India to face imminent threat to soil nutrients and biodiversity. The present work aimed to isolate rhizobacteria from Oryza sativa L. to evaluate their plant growth-promoting traits like indole, ammonia, siderophore production, and phosphate solubilization followed by in vitro plant growth promotion and anti-fungal assessment against Curvularia oryzae. Moreover, presence of heavy metals such as arsenic in chemical fertilizers and in groundwater contributes to arsenic contamination of agricultural soil. Taking this into consideration for the present study, the background metal content of the bulk soil, roots and grains of rice was measured. Arsenic tolerance of the rhizobacterial isolates was assessed using different concentrations of arsenite- and arsenate-supplemented media. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic tree analysis identified the isolates as Bacillus paramycoides, B. albus, B. altitudinis, B. koreensis, B. megaterium, B. wiedmannii, B. paramycoides, Chryseobacterium gleum, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Pseudomonas shirazica. Considering the acidic nature of the paddy growing soil, the growth kinetics of the isolates were monitored in acid and arsenic-supplemented conditions for 48 h of growth. Few isolates showed potent anti-fungal activity against the late blight phytopathogen, Curvularia oryzae MTCC 2605, apart from being potential growth promoters. The findings open vistas for the mass production of the characterized PGP rhizobacteria for their application in rehabilitation of the degrading arsenic contaminated paddy fields.

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.

Efficient Hapten-Specific Biopanning Strategy Based on the Fe3O4@ENR-Functionalized Core-Shell Magnetic Nanoparticles.

The biopanning of target-specific phages is one of the most critical steps in the preparation of single-domain antibodies. In the traditional biopanning of haptens, the nonspecific binding of library phages to macromolecular proteins is one of the most challenging problems in preparing single-domain antibodies. In this research, Fe3O4@ENR-functionalized core-shell magnetic nanoparticles (FMNPs) were silylated and aminated by tetraethyl orthosilicate and (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane, and target enrofloxacin was coupled onto the surface by the carbodiimide method. The magnetic nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, particle size distribution, zeta potential, transmission electron microscopy observation, and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A biopanning strategy based on Fe3O4@ENR FMNPs was then established to solve the problem in the traditional solid-phase biopanning process. The results showed that a considerable number of enrofloxacin (ENR)-positive phages were screened by only one round of biopanning. Finally, two ENR-specific shark-derived single-domain genes were identified and validated by monoclonal phage ELISA, gene sequencing, and biolayer interferometry technology. Our study provides a new biopanning strategy based on Fe3O4@ENR FMNPs for efficiently providing phages specific to haptens.

Bioprospecting for new exopolysaccharide-producing microalgae of marine origin.

Microalgae are photosynthetic organisms that can produce biomolecules with industrial interest, including exopolysaccharides (EPS). Due to their structural and compositional diversity, microalgae EPS present interesting properties that can be considered in cosmetic and/or therapeutic areas. Seven microalgae strains from three different lineages, namely Dinophyceae (phylum Miozoa), Haptophyta, and Chlorophyta, were investigated as EPS producers. All strains were found to be EPS producers, though the highest EPS yield was obtained for Tisochrysis lutea, followed by Heterocapsa sp. (126.8 and 75.8 mg L-1, respectively). Upon assessment of the polymers' chemical composition, significant contents of unusual sugars, including fucose, rhamnose, and ribose, were found. Heterocapsa sp. EPS stood out due to its high content of fucose (40.9 mol%), a sugar known to confer biological properties to polysaccharides. The presence of sulfate groups (10.6-33.5 wt%) was also noticed in the EPS produced by all microalgae strains, thus contributing to the possibility that these EPS might have biological activities worth exploring.