Metabolic Profiling and In Vitro Assessment of the Biological Activities of the Ethyl Acetate Extract of Penicillium chrysogenum “Endozoic of Cliona sp. Marine Sponge” from the Red Sea (Egypt)

Marine sponge-derived endozoic fungi have been gaining increasing importance as promising sources of numerous and unique bioactive compounds. This study investigates the phytochemical profile and biological activities of the ethyl acetate extract of Penicillium chrysogenum derived from Cliona sp. sponge. Thirty-six compounds were tentatively identified from P. chrysogenum ethyl acetate extract along with the kojic acid (KA) isolation. The UPLC-ESI-MS/MS positive ionization mode was used to analyze and identify the extract constituents while 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy were used for kojic acid (KA) structure confirmation. The antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities were assessed in vitro. Both the extract and kojic acid showed potent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with MIC 250 ± 0.82 µg/mL. Interestingly, the extract showed strong antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans with MIC 93.75 ± 0.55 and 19.53 ± 0.48 µg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, KA showed the same potency against Fusarium oxysporum and Cryptococcus neoformans with MIC 39.06 ± 0.85 and 39.06 ± 0.98 µg/mL, respectively. Ultimately, KA showed strong antioxidant activity with IC₅₀ 33.7 ± 0.8 µg/mL. Moreover, the extract and KA showed strong cytotoxic activity against colon carcinoma (with IC₅₀ 22.6 ± 0.8 and 23.4 ± 1.4 µg/mL, respectively) and human larynx carcinoma (with equal IC₅₀ 30.8 ± 1.3 and ± 2.1 µg/mL, respectively), respectively. The current study represents the first insights into the phytochemical profile and biological properties of P. chrysoenum ethyl acetate extract, which could be a promising source of valuable secondary metabolites with potent biological potentials.     

Water balance of centre pivot irrigated pasture in northern Victoria, Australia

The irrigated dairy industry in Australia depends on pasture as a low-cost source of fodder for milk production. The industry is under increasing pressure to use limited water resources more efficiently. Pasture is commonly irrigated using border-check but there is growing interest amongst dairy irrigators to explore the potential for overhead sprinklers to save water and/or increase productivity. This paper reports on a detailed water balance study that evaluated the effectiveness of centre pivot irrigation for pasture production. The study was conducted between 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 on a commercial dairy farm in the Shepparton Irrigation Region in northern Victoria. More than 90% of supplied water (irrigation plus rainfall) was utilized for pasture growth. Deep drainage of respectively 90 and 93 mm was recorded for the two observation seasons. During the 2004/2005 season, deep drainage resulted from large unseasonal summer rainfall events. Over the 2005/2006 season, deep drainage resulted from excess irrigation. The cumulative pasture dry matter (DM) production was 15.5 and 11.3 tonnes DM ha⁻¹ for the two irrigation seasons, with an agronomic water use efficiency (WUE) of 16 and 12 kg DM ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ respectively. The farmer's intuitive irrigation scheduling was found to be very effective; the pattern of irrigation application closely matched measured pasture water use, prevented water stress and resulted in high irrigation efficiency.     

Biotechnological and Ecological Potential of Micromonospora provocatoris sp. nov., a Gifted Strain Isolated from the Challenger Deep of the Mariana Trench

A Micromonospora strain, isolate MT25^T, was recovered from a sediment collected from the Challenger Deep of the Mariana Trench using a selective isolation procedure. The isolate produced two major metabolites, n-acetylglutaminyl glutamine amide and desferrioxamine B, the chemical structures of which were determined using 1D and 2D-NMR, including ¹H-¹⁵N HSQC and ¹H-¹⁵N HMBC 2D-NMR, as well as high resolution MS. A whole genome sequence of the strain showed the presence of ten natural product-biosynthetic gene clusters, including one responsible for the biosynthesis of desferrioxamine B. Whilst 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses showed that the isolate was most closely related to the type strain of Micromonospora chalcea, a whole genome sequence analysis revealed it to be most closely related to Micromonospora tulbaghiae 45142^T. The two strains were distinguished using a combination of genomic and phenotypic features. Based on these data, it is proposed that strain MT25^T (NCIMB 15245^T, TISTR 2834^T) be classified as Micromonospora provocatoris sp. nov. Analysis of the genome sequence of strain MT25^T (genome size 6.1 Mbp) revealed genes predicted to responsible for its adaptation to extreme environmental conditions that prevail in deep-sea sediments.     

Stimulation of in vitro organogenesis from epicotyl explants and successive micropropagation round in Cassia angustifolia Vahl.: an important source of sennosides

This report describes a protocol for the in vitro shoot induction and plant regeneration from epicotyl explants of Cassia angustifolia on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6-benzyladenine (BA), Kinetin and 2-iP (0.5–10.0 μM). MS medium supplemented with BA (5.0 μM) was the most effective in inducing adventitious shoots and growth. The highest rate of shoot multiplication was achieved on MS medium supplemented with BA (5.0 μM) and Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA, 1.0 μM). The nodal segments excised from the shoots regenerated from BA (5.0 μM) and IAA (1.0 μM) were used as explants for next three round of micropropagation. The number of shoots significantly increased at successive round of micropropagation. For rooting, MS medium supplemented with 2.0 μM indole-3-butyric acid proved to be better than that supplemented with IAA or α-naphthalene acetic acid. The in vitro raised plantlets with well developed shoot and roots were successfully established in earthen pots containing garden soil and were grown in greenhouse. About 52 plants (85 %) survived out of 60 plants transferred in garden soil.     

Therapeutic Potential of Marine Bioactive Peptides against Human Immunodeficiency Virus: Recent Evidence,Challenges, and Future Trends

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic and potentially fatal ailment caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and remains a major health problem worldwide. In recent years, the research focus has shifted to a greater emphasis on complementing treatment regimens involving conventional antiretroviral (ARV) drug therapies with novel lead structures isolated from various marine organisms that have the potential to be utilized as therapeutics for the management of HIV-AIDS. The present review summarizes the recent developments regarding bioactive peptides sourced from various marine organisms. This includes a discussion encompassing the potential of these novel marine bioactive peptides with regard to antiretroviral activities against HIV, preparation, purification, and processing techniques, in addition to insight into the future trends with an emphasis on the potential of exploration and evaluation of novel peptides to be developed into effective antiretroviral drugs.     

Induction of systemic resistance to Agrobacterium tumefaciens by endophytic bacteria in grapevine

Crown gall disease of grapevine, caused by Agrobacterium tumefaciens, often results in severe economic loss to grape production worldwide. This study demonstrated the ability of the endophytic bacteria Pseudomonas sp. Sn48 and Pantoea sp. Sa14 isolated from domesticated and wild grapevines to induce resistance in both above- and belowground tissues of grapevines infected with A. tumefaciens. Our results provide evidence that both strains can colonize roots and/or shoots. We showed that the strains Pseudomonas sp. Sn48 and Pantoea sp. Sa14 are capable of inducing stilbenic phytoalexin production in grapevine tissues and to further prime plantlets for enhanced phytoalexin production after A. tumefaciens inoculation. We also showed that in the majority of treatments, polyamine accumulation remained unchanged or slightly increased in plantlets treated with Pseudomonas sp. Sn48 and Pantoea sp. Sa14 compared with the control. Our findings indicated that the levels of polyamines remain unchanged or significantly decrease in plantlets treated with endophytic bacteria after A. tumefaciens challenge compared to the control and plantlets treated with individual endophytic bacterial strains. PR1, PR2, and PR4 gene expression levels of plantlets treated with Pseudomonas sp. Sn48 and Pantoea sp. Sa14 significantly increased after A. tumefaciens inoculation. The findings revealed the efficacy of the selected endophytic bacteria in triggering grapevine resistance against A. tumefaciens and the possible use of these strains as an alternative to chemical control methods in grapevine crown gall disease management.