Folia microbiologicaPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2026-02-19DOI: 10.1007/s12223-026-01439-9
Akanksha Singh, Abhijeet Sharma, Shanthy Sundaram
{"title":"Microbial exopolysaccharides in environmental remediation: production, mechanisms, and challenges.","authors":"Akanksha Singh, Abhijeet Sharma, Shanthy Sundaram","doi":"10.1007/s12223-026-01439-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12223-026-01439-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Microbial exopolysaccharides (EPS) are increasingly recognized as effective, biodegradable, and low-toxicity biomaterials for the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated environments. Their high metal-binding capacity, chemical tunability, and microbial renewability make EPS attractive alternatives to conventional physicochemical adsorbents. Although numerous studies have reported the application of EPS in the removal of heavy metals and other toxic pollutants, existing literature remains fragmented, with limited integration of EPS production pathways, structure-function relationships, comparative adsorption performance and limited guidance on scalable production strategies. A key contribution is a consolidated comparative analysis of adsorption capacities of EPS, derived from different microbial taxa against major heavy metals, enabling informed selection of high-performing EPS systems for remediation applications. Furthermore, the review systematically categorizes the major metabolic pathways involved in EPS biosynthesis and identifies key microorganisms utilizing these pathways, highlighting regulatory factors influencing EPS yield and composition. Special emphasis is placed on bioreactor-based EPS production strategies, including batch, fed-batch, and continuous systems, and their role in improving productivity, consistency, and scalability. Emerging approaches such as EPS-based nanocomposites, hybrid materials, and bioengineered microbial systems are also discussed as promising solutions to overcome these limitations. This article provides a comprehensive and critical synthesis of microbial EPS in environmental remediation, focusing on their biosynthesis pathways, physicochemical characteristics, and adsorption mechanisms governing pollutant sequestration. By integrating microbial physiology with performance-oriented remediation outcomes, this review identifies critical bottlenecks and future research priorities required to advance microbial EPS from laboratory demonstrations toward cost-effective and scalable environmental remediation technologies.</p>","PeriodicalId":12346,"journal":{"name":"Folia microbiologica","volume":" ","pages":"743-761"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146226174","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Folia microbiologicaPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2026-03-07DOI: 10.1007/s12223-026-01443-z
Serpil Genç, Ayten Nur Uzun, Hilal Tanriverdi̇
{"title":"Phenotypic and genotypic investigation of carbapenemases in carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates.","authors":"Serpil Genç, Ayten Nur Uzun, Hilal Tanriverdi̇","doi":"10.1007/s12223-026-01443-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12223-026-01443-z","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12346,"journal":{"name":"Folia microbiologica","volume":" ","pages":"839-846"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13541925/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147372772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Folia microbiologicaPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2026-02-28DOI: 10.1007/s12223-025-01403-z
Nahed A El-Shall, Mehmet Cemal Adiguzel, Wafaa A Abd El-Ghany, Walaa A Gamal
{"title":"Salmonella infection in chickens: pathogen, pathogenesis, and dietary non-drug feed additives as alternatives to antibiotics - a comprehensive review.","authors":"Nahed A El-Shall, Mehmet Cemal Adiguzel, Wafaa A Abd El-Ghany, Walaa A Gamal","doi":"10.1007/s12223-025-01403-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12223-025-01403-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Salmonella infections in poultry can result in systemic, localized diseases, or prolonged asymptomatic carriers. Avian host-specific Salmonellae such as S. Pullorum and S. Gallinarum can spread vertically or horizontally from diseased birds or contaminated feed, water, or litter (fecal-oral route), resulting in significant mortality rates of up to 80% in chicks and poults during 1st 2-3 weeks of age. Furthermore, one of the most common food-borne diseases in humans is caused by Paratyphoid Salmonellae. The antibiotic overuse or misuse in animal production raises concerns due to the formation of resistant bacteria or genes and tissue residues. Currently, Salmonellae are among the most antibiotic-resistant bacteria and cause the most severe infections in both human and animals. Besides biosecurity, the inclusion of feed additives such as probiotics and their derivavtives, phytobiotics, nanoparticles, and egg yolk immunoglobulins can help to lessen the burden of Salmonella infections (colonization and shedding) in poultry and enhance health and immune response. Additionally, bacteriophages, the bacteria-specific viruses, are considered a biocontrol measure for Salmonella depending on using the appropriate phage, doses, time, and route of administration. These interventions have the potential to replace conventional antibiotics in therapeutic settings by exhibiting bactericidal effects without the risk of emerging antibiotic-resistant strains or intestinal dysbiosis. Moreover, the synergistic interactions between these interventions can provide a more inclusive, efficient, and integrated approach for managing Salmonellosis in poultry flocks. This current review aims to spotlight on the avian Salmonella infections and the role of antibiotic alternatives to control it.</p>","PeriodicalId":12346,"journal":{"name":"Folia microbiologica","volume":" ","pages":"815-837"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13541868/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147316074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Folia microbiologicaPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2025-07-28DOI: 10.1007/s12223-025-01302-3
Besim Çam, Lokman Hizmali, Elif Sevim
{"title":"Phenotypic and genotypic ınvestigation of virulence factors in Klebsiella pneumoniae strains ısolated from ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) cases.","authors":"Besim Çam, Lokman Hizmali, Elif Sevim","doi":"10.1007/s12223-025-01302-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12223-025-01302-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen that normally resides in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals, as well as on water and plant surfaces. It can cause a variety of infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. K. pneumoniae possesses numerous virulence factors including capsular polysaccharides, hemolysin production, erythrocyte agglutination, hypermucoviscosity (HV), biofilm formation, fimbriae, toxins, and siderophores. This study aimed to determine the virulence factors of K. pneumoniae strains isolated from cases of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). A total of 19 K. pneumoniae isolates identified using the VITEK system and obtained from tracheal aspirate cultures of patients on mechanical ventilation in the ıntensive care unit of Kırşehir Ahi Evran Training and Research Hospital between 2022 and 2023 were included in the study. The presence of capsule, hemagglutination, and biofilm formation was detected in 100%, 100%, and 52.63% of the isolates, respectively. The virulence genes uge, wabG, ycfM, fimH, mrkD, ureA, iutA, ybtA, entB, and fyuA were present in 100% of the isolates; kpn was detected in 52.63%, and kfuBC in 94.73%. In contrast, the rmpA, wcaG, iroN, iroD, alls, and cnf-1 genes were not detected in any of the isolates. The findings of this study may serve as a guide for pathogen-targeted therapy and the development of preventive strategies against VAP.</p>","PeriodicalId":12346,"journal":{"name":"Folia microbiologica","volume":" ","pages":"909-919"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144729120","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Enhanced antibacterial activity of amoxicillin combination with a Cu-Fe sulfide mineral against antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.","authors":"Himani Khardiya, Gautam Priyadarshi, Avani Thakkar, Bhakti Patel, Ritul Patel, Ashish Patel, Snehal Bagatharia","doi":"10.1007/s12223-026-01551-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-026-01551-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Antibiotic resistance (AMR) poses a significant global threat to public health and necessitates the development of new strategies to improve antibiotic efficacy. In the present study, Swarn Makshik (SM) Bhasma (CuFeS<sub>2</sub>) was synthesised and loaded with amoxicillin (AMX) to form an SM-AMX complex aimed at combating AMR bacterial strains. The physicochemical properties of synthesized SM-AMX were analysed by using UV-Vis, XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDS, DLS and Zeta potential. The loading efficiency of SM-AMX was 72.67 ± 3.31%. The incorporation of AMX into SM was confirmed by XRD and FTIR analyses, while FE-SEM imaging, EDS spectra and elemental mapping further verified the formation of SM-AMX composite. The average hydrodynamic particle size of SM was 554.2 nm, with a zeta potential of -7.7 mV, indicating heterogeneous particle distribution and limited colloidal stability. The antimicrobial activity of SM-AMX was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and AMR strains including Shigella flexneri, and Enterobacter hormaechei. The SM-AMX formulation exhibited a higher zone of inhibition compared to SM and AMX alone. Additionally, the MIC values were 31.25 µg/mL for E. coli, 15.625 µg/mL for S. aureus, 31.25 µg/mL for S. flexneri, and 15.625 µg/mL for E. hormaechei. The time kill assay results further demonstrated that SM enhances the AMX antimicrobial efficacy by decreasing the cell count during the incubation period against treated bacterial strains. Cytotoxicity assessment in Caco-2 cells revealed acceptable biocompatibility, with cell viability remaining above 75% at the highest tested concentration (500 µg/mL). This study provides a promising and sustainable strategy for enhancing efficacy against AMR bacterial strains.</p>","PeriodicalId":12346,"journal":{"name":"Folia microbiologica","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148653395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Folia microbiologicaPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2025-07-10DOI: 10.1007/s12223-025-01289-x
Omnia Karem M Riad, Hagar F Forsan, Basma Abdulsamad, Heba Mohammed Refat M Selim, Wafaa S Khalaf
{"title":"Unveiling a sustainable approach to cancer treatment: the antitumor activity of amygdalin and cell-free supernatant of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus.","authors":"Omnia Karem M Riad, Hagar F Forsan, Basma Abdulsamad, Heba Mohammed Refat M Selim, Wafaa S Khalaf","doi":"10.1007/s12223-025-01289-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12223-025-01289-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The pharmaceutical industry increasingly prioritizes environmental sustainability across its strategies, focusing on developing eco-friendly anti-cancer treatments. This is particularly important considering many anti-cancer drugs are not fully metabolized and pollute aquatic ecosystems. Amygdalin, a plant-derived compound, and cell-free supernatants (CFS) of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus show promise as sustainable anti-cancer agents. This study evaluated the potential anti-cancer activity of amygdalin and L. rhamnosus CFS against MCF-7 and A549 cancer cell lines. Cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay in response to monotherapy and combination therapy treatments. The induction of apoptosis was investigated using flow cytometric analyses. The combination demonstrated a synergistic effect on MCF-7 and A549 cell lines, with a combination index (CI) value of 0.8159 ± 0.0245 and 0.6422 ± 0.0316, respectively. Further analysis using propidium iodide (PI) staining and Annexin V confirmed increased apoptosis in combination-treated cells compared to those treated with amygdalin alone. These findings suggest that the combination of amygdalin and CFS of L. rhamnosus exhibits a synergistic anti-cancer effect against MCF-7 and A549 cells. Therefore, this combination is considered sustainable, eco-friendly, and effective anti-cancer treatment. This is the first study to investigate the anti-cancer effect of amygdalin in combination with L. rhamnosus cell-free supernatant (CFS) while considering its potential for environmental sustainability. Further research in a xenograft animal model is warranted to validate these findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":12346,"journal":{"name":"Folia microbiologica","volume":" ","pages":"863-874"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13541818/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144607900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Folia microbiologicaPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2025-07-28DOI: 10.1007/s12223-025-01304-1
Marta Stindlova, Vaclav Peroutka, Kamila Zdenkova, Simona Lencova
{"title":"Assessing metabolic activity of yeast biofilm-forming cells on nanofibrous materials using MTT assay.","authors":"Marta Stindlova, Vaclav Peroutka, Kamila Zdenkova, Simona Lencova","doi":"10.1007/s12223-025-01304-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12223-025-01304-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nanofibrous materials (NMs), widely used in medical and food industry applications, are highly susceptible to colonisation by microorganisms, including yeasts. Although yeasts can form dense biofilms, methods for studying their metabolic activity remain limited. This study is the first to apply the MTT assay, a standardised method for assessing cell metabolic activity, to evaluate the metabolic activity of yeast biofilm-forming cells on electrospun NMs. First, the biofilm formation of Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on NMs electrospun from polycaprolactone (PCL), polylactic acid (PLA), and polyamide (PA) was examined. Then, key parameters of the MTT assay were systematically evaluated: (i) the addition of glucose to the MTT solution, (ii) the presence of menadione in the MTT solution, and (iii) the incubation time with the MTT solution. The addition of glucose was not proven necessary; however, in some cases, it may help distinguish the number of metabolically active cells. Based on this study, we recommend incubation with an MTT solution containing menadione for 2 h. To verify the protocol, colony-forming unit (CFU) enumeration was employed as a reference method. As differences between the results of these two methods were observed, the MTT assay should be complemented by other standardised methods. Nevertheless, the refined protocol offers a solid basis for investigating interactions between NMs and yeasts.</p>","PeriodicalId":12346,"journal":{"name":"Folia microbiologica","volume":" ","pages":"899-908"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13541851/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144729119","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Folia microbiologicaPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2025-07-28DOI: 10.1007/s12223-025-01306-z
Loveleen Kaur, Dinesh Raj Modi
{"title":"The development of an acetic acid-degrading microbial strain that tolerates 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid.","authors":"Loveleen Kaur, Dinesh Raj Modi","doi":"10.1007/s12223-025-01306-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12223-025-01306-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Anthropogenic organic compounds are extensively utilized in agriculture as pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides. For over 30 years, the predominant herbicides utilized globally have been phenoxy acid herbicides, particularly 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). In the present study, microbial strains were isolated from contaminated agricultural soil samples to examine the impact of herbicides on growth and degradation under various parameters and environmental conditions. Five microbial strains were isolated from contaminated soil samples containing herbicides. The bacterial strain Micrococcus luteus LKDA1 demonstrated the ability to utilize MCPA and 2,4-D as carbon sources, achieving complete degradation of these compounds despite a lower cell growth rate. Under optimum conditions, a prolonged lag phase of 4 to 6 h was observed in enriched medium containing herbicides, whereas in minimal medium, cell growth reached maximum absorbance of 0.30 at 600 nm at 30 °C effectively degrading 98% of each herbicide individually after 5 days of incubation. Higher concentrations of 2,4-D have a toxic effect on cell growth; nonetheless, the degradation rate was 99%, suggesting that strain LKDA1 was able to tolerate higher concentrations easily. Micrococcus luteus LKDA1 achieved a 99% degradation rate of MCPA at a maximum concentration of 700 mg/L. Herbicide compounds belong to the same family yet exhibit opposing effects on the cell survival rates, with 2,4-D being damaging and MCPA promoting survival. Micrococcus luteus LKDA1 degrades 2,4-D and MCPA even with a reduced cell population; it can tolerate these compounds and utilize them as a sole carbon source for survival.</p>","PeriodicalId":12346,"journal":{"name":"Folia microbiologica","volume":" ","pages":"921-931"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144729121","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Deciphering microbial biofilm: mechanism, infection, and advanced approaches for control.","authors":"Ankit Pathak, Jasdeep Singh, Swati, Vagish Dwibedi","doi":"10.1007/s12223-026-01422-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12223-026-01422-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Microbial biofilms are densely organised microbial communities that adhere to biotic and abiotic surfaces, encased within an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). Microorganisms within these biofilm structures gain enhanced protection, versatility, and resistance to external stresses, antibiotics, and host immune systems. The biofilm formation follows a series of steps, including initial microbial adherence, microcolony establishment, EPS production, regulation by quorum sensing (QS), and dispersal. This flexibility enables biofilm survival in multiple environments, such as medical devices and natural systems, posing serious challenges in healthcare, agricultural, and industrial sectors. The review focuses on the mechanisms involved in biofilm formation and discusses the role of EPS in promoting biofilm stability and resistance to antimicrobials. It addresses biofilm-associated infections in medical environments, such as chronic wounds, cystic fibrosis, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and complications with implanted medical devices. The capacity of biofilm-forming microorganisms to evade immune responses and persist through extended antibiotic use highlights the urgent demand for novel therapeutic approaches. The discussion includes emerging strategies for biofilm control, including anti-biofilm agents, QS inhibitors, enzymatic treatments, and innovative combination therapies combining antibiotics with biofilm-disrupting agents. Emerging technologies, like antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), CRISPR-Cas systems, nanotechnology, and bioelectric therapies, present innovative biofilm disruption and removal approaches. This paper discusses the effectiveness of natural products, plant-derived compounds, and bacteriophage therapies for mitigating biofilm-associated infections linked to biofilms. The review examines the dynamic challenges posed by biofilms, particularly their role in chronic and device-related infections, which contribute to significant healthcare complications. The study highlights the significance of adopting new approaches to overcome biofilm-induced antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and improve therapeutic outcomes. Furthermore, this paper discusses the promising potential of emerging technologies, such as nanomaterials, QS interference, and biofilm-specific antimicrobial agents, in enhancing biofilm control and prevention measures across clinical, industrial, and environmental domains.</p>","PeriodicalId":12346,"journal":{"name":"Folia microbiologica","volume":" ","pages":"763-793"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147304237","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Folia microbiologicaPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2025-08-11DOI: 10.1007/s12223-025-01312-1
Karim Gul, Raham Sher Khan, Aneela Iqbal, Atta Ullah, Syed Muhammad Shafi Shah, Anwar Hussain, Douglas Law, Ayaz Ahmad, Salimullah Khan
{"title":"Isolation, biochemical characterization, and antimicrobial activities of EPS-producing bacterial endophytes from Moringa oleifera.","authors":"Karim Gul, Raham Sher Khan, Aneela Iqbal, Atta Ullah, Syed Muhammad Shafi Shah, Anwar Hussain, Douglas Law, Ayaz Ahmad, Salimullah Khan","doi":"10.1007/s12223-025-01312-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12223-025-01312-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bacterial endophytes are a key part of the plant microbiome that influence developmental processes via different mechanisms. One of the known mechanisms is the production of exopolysaccharides (EPS) that are responsible for the response towards stresses and plant-bacterial interactions. In the current experiment, we isolated 42 strains of bacterial endophytes from the sterilized parts of Moringa oleifera plant and screened them for the production of EPS. Out of the 42, only three isolates; KR-27, KL-4, and KS-7 produced a significant amount of EPS. All these isolates showed in vitro antagonistic activities against phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria. These antagonistic endophytic isolates, KR-27, KL-4, and KS-7 were identified as Serratia marcescens, Klebsiella aerogenes, and Lelliottia amnigena, respectively based on 16 s RNA gene ribotyping. The selected bacterial strains were screened out for phytohormones and secondary metabolites production and all the identified strains produced significant amount of various phytohormones such as indole acetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA<sub>3</sub>), and salicylic acid (SA). In addition, the identified strains produced the antioxidant compounds like siderophores, phenolics, and flavonoids. The phosphate solubilization ability of all the strains was ascertained and found highest for KR-27 (30.46 ± 0.82 μg/mL), followed by KS-7 (18.30 ± 0.54 μg/mL) and KL-4 (17.36 ± 0.68 μg/mL). Unlike previous research, which primarily focused on the nutritional and medicinal properties of M. oleifera, this research uncovers the new aspect by exploring the biotechnologically important bacterial flora of this miracle tree. In conclusion we isolated three novel bacterial endophytic strains with the ability to produce bioactive compounds for plant and antimicrobial activity against phytopathogens for the first time which can replace the synthetic fertilizers and pesticides in future sustainable agriculture practices.</p>","PeriodicalId":12346,"journal":{"name":"Folia microbiologica","volume":" ","pages":"991-1007"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144821061","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}