World journal of microbiology & biotechnology最新文献

{"title":"Screening and characterization of nucleic acid aptamers targeting Brucella surface antigens: identification and analysis of their corresponding binding sites.","authors":"Hao Wang, Bin Xie, Jianghua Yang, Haoyan Yang, Xiang Liu, Man Xu, Haitong Wang, Yutong Zhao, Yanqian Dai, Xinping An, Baoshan Liu, Zeliang Chen","doi":"10.1007/s11274-025-04430-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11274-025-04430-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Brucellosis is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by Brucella species, posing serious threats to public health and livestock industries worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over one million new cases are reported annually. However, the actual number may be underestimated due to the bacteria's intracellular persistence and subclinical bacteremia. These features and Brucella's genetic variability and immune evasion strategies hinder accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. Thus, there is an urgent need for sensitive and specific molecular probes. This study used whole Brucella bacteria as the target antigen for aptamer selection via the Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX) method, combined with a microplate-based screening approach. To enhance specificity, a multi-organism counter-selection strategy was implemented using Rhizobium fischeri, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella. After 13 rounds of selection, a high-affinity aptamer library was obtained. Candidate aptamers were cloned, sequenced using T-vector cloning, and analyzed phylogenetically. Five candidates (WS-6, WS-17, WS-44, WS-26, and WS-32) were selected for further characterization. Binding affinity and specificity assays identified WS-6 as the top-performing aptamer (Kd = 16.23 ± 5.84 nM). WS-6 also demonstrated thermal and pH stability. Its target protein was identified as the outer membrane protein BamA (β-barrel assembly machinery A) using Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), mass spectrometry, and molecular docking. Western blotting and pull-down assays confirmed this interaction. Functional studies showed that WS-6-loaded liposomes selectively recognized Brucella and significantly reduced bacterial invasion in host cells. qPCR analysis demonstrated a notable decrease in bacterial load in WS-6-treated cells (Ct values from 22.34 to 20.64, P < 0.05). Mutational analysis of WS-6 confirmed the importance of GC-rich binding sites. Moreover, a truncated version of BamA (BamAK) retained binding capability, validating it as the key antigenic domain. In summary, this study demonstrates the potential of SELEX-derived aptamers as diagnostic and therapeutic tools for Brucella infection. Identifying BamA as a target provides a molecular basis for the future development of precise detection methods and targeted therapies against brucellosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":23703,"journal":{"name":"World journal of microbiology & biotechnology","volume":"41 6","pages":"186"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144200174","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Growth promotion of synthetic microbial communities influenced by the function, diversity and interactions of their constituent strains and soil types.","authors":"Bekzhan D Kossalbayev, Mo Wei, Jingjing Wang, Yan Pang, Mingda Lv, Asemgul K Sadvakasova, Meruyert O Bauenova, Xiaoxia Zhang, Wei Zhao, Song Xu, Zhiyong Huang","doi":"10.1007/s11274-025-04403-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11274-025-04403-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The construction of efficient synthetic microbial communities (SMCs) is a major challenge for the scientific community. In this study, we constructed 15 SMCs with a diversity gradient of 1-4 by combining four strains with different functions, and investigated the effects of strain interactions, community diversity and in vitro functions on in vivo rice growth promotion in two soil types. The interactions between the 4 strains were tested using a modified dual culture plate assay. The in vitro functions (nitrogen fixation, phosphate and potassium solubilization, indoleacetic acid production, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase activity, siderophore production) of the 15 SMCs were measured by the biochemical assay. The in vivo growth promotion of the 15 SMCs was investigated in rice pot experiments in 2 different soils. The study showed that the in vivo functions of SMCs were related to the soils in which they were grown and their in vitro functions and diversity. The in vitro functions of SMCs were closely related to the functions (especially ACC deaminase producing capabilities), diversity, and interactions of the constituent strains. It was concluded that the plant growth promotion of SMCs was influenced by the function, diversity and interactions of their constituent strains and soil types. This not only advances our understanding of microbe-microbe-plant interactions, but also sheds light on the rational design of effective SMCs for environmentally friendly agriculture.</p>","PeriodicalId":23703,"journal":{"name":"World journal of microbiology & biotechnology","volume":"41 6","pages":"181"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144143692","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Promising pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity of a novel tetrapeptide isolated from endophytic Fusarium incarnatum.","authors":"Mahiti Gupta, Sanjai Saxena, Poonam Bansal, Dinesh Goyal","doi":"10.1007/s11274-025-04402-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11274-025-04402-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pancreatic lipase (PL) is the major enzyme which is required for assimilation of fats during metabolism. It has a dominant role in diet induced obesity. Bioassay guided fractionation of the culture broth of the endophytic fungus, Fusarium incarnatum and subsequent column purification of bioactive aqueous fraction revealed a novel tetrapeptide, 11-amino-2,5,8-triethoxy-4,7,10-trioxo-12-oxa-3,6,9-triazatetradecanoic acid (compound 1) which exhibited a remarkable potential to inhibit PL with IC₅₀ of 2.12 ± 0.11 µg/ml. Further, biochemical characterization of compound 1 exhibited competitive inhibition of PL with an inhibition constant (Ki) of 7.1 µM. The studies involving mode of action of the compound and its effect on the accumulation of lipids in cells was evaluated using 3T3-L adipocyte cell lines. Compound 1 had also reduced the accumulation of lipids in 3T3-L adipocytes by 70% with no adverse cytotoxic effects to 3T3-L adipocyte cells, indicating a prominent aspect in reduction of obesity. Moreover the docking studies of human pancreatic lipase with its substrate (triacyl glyceride), compound 1 and orlistat showed higher affinity of lipase for compound 1. Binding energies for triacyl glyceride, Orlistat and compound 1 was found to be -4.8 kcal/mol, -4.9 kcal/mol and - 5.6 kcal/mol respectively. Thus, this novel tetrapeptide holds promise for clinical evaluation since it exhibits a better inhibition profile than the current anti-obesity drug Orlistat.</p>","PeriodicalId":23703,"journal":{"name":"World journal of microbiology & biotechnology","volume":"41 6","pages":"178"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144143695","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pyrrolnitrin is integral for antimicrobial activity and phenazine biosynthesis of Pseudomonas chlororaphis strains.","authors":"Mahnoor Zameer, Izzah Shahid, Deeba Noreen Baig, Roman Makitrynskyy, Kauser Abdulla Malik, Andreas Bechthold, Samina Mehnaz","doi":"10.1007/s11274-025-04413-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11274-025-04413-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pseudomonas species are recognized for producing a diverse array of microbial metabolites with significant potential across various fields. Pyrrolnitrin (PRN), a halogenated metabolite based on phenylpyrrole, exhibits potent antibiotic properties. This research aimed to examine the influence of pyrrolnitrin on the antagonistic properties of Pseudomonas chlororaphis strains PB-St2, FS2, and RP4. Mutants of P. chlororaphis were generated by inhibiting prnA using two distinct suicide vectors, pEX18Tc and pKC1132. Analysis via high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) revealed that pyrrolnitrin production was completely eliminated in the pKC1132 mutant and decreased by 82.5% in the pEX18Tc mutant. Both mutants also exhibited reduced phenazine production, with pKC1132 mutants showing a 61.1% reduction in phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA) and pEX18Tc-induced mutants displaying a 39.9% decrease in PCA. To further elucidate the dependence of pyrrolnitrin production on other regulatory elements, the complete prnABCD operon with its native promoter was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli (BL21). The antimicrobial potential of purified pyrrolnitrin was evaluated against fungal plant pathogens, human bacterial pathogens, and cancer cell lines (HepG-2 and SF767). The most pronounced inhibitory effect on Alternaria alternata was observed with 100 µg of pyrrolnitrin, resulting in an 82% reduction in spore formation followed by its effect on Aspergillus niger, causing a 75% decrease in spore production. Pyrrolnitrin's antibacterial activity produced inhibition zones of 1.8 cm against Salmonella enterica, 3.4 cm against Bacillus cereus, and 1.4 cm against Staphylococcus sp. at a concentration of 75 µg. The antiproliferative effects of pyrrolnitrin on cancer cell lines demonstrated 50% inhibition of both HepG-2 and SF767 cell lines at concentrations of 15 µg and 25 µg, respectively. Pyrrolnitrin exhibited significant antifungal and antibacterial activities, as well as cytotoxic effects on cancer cell lines, indicating its potential as both a biocontrol agent and therapeutic compound.</p>","PeriodicalId":23703,"journal":{"name":"World journal of microbiology & biotechnology","volume":"41 6","pages":"182"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144143697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rhamnolipids production in semi-submerged static-cultivation using agar cubes as solid substrate.","authors":"Mayara de Alencar Almeida, Karen Stefany Conceição, Juliana Perez Marques Teixeira, Nicole Caldas Pan, Luis Paulo Silveira Alves, Gerson Nakazato, Lucélia Donatti, Emanuel M Souza, Doumit Camilios-Neto, Josiane A Vignoli","doi":"10.1007/s11274-025-04412-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11274-025-04412-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Surfactants are amphiphilic molecules with a worldwide billionaire market. Although chemical surfactants are the most available and commonly used, the microbiologically produced congeners have attracted attention due to their low toxicity, biodegradability, and high ecological acceptability. Among microbial surfactants rhamnolipids stand out, with high yields of production, excellent surface-active properties and great potential market. However, the application of these compounds is still limited mostly because of excessive production costs. This study presents a cost-effective process for rhamnolipids production by semi-submerged static-cultivation using agar cubes as substrate. A concentration of 50 g/L of rhamnolipids was reached in semi-submerged static-cultivation using agar cubes containing corn bran and soybean oil. Through this static process, besides avoiding foam, gradual release of nutrients provides a large increase in P. aeruginosa growth and consequently on rhamnolipids production.</p>","PeriodicalId":23703,"journal":{"name":"World journal of microbiology & biotechnology","volume":"41 6","pages":"183"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144143671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhanced biological nitrogen fixation and nodulation in alfalfa through the synergistic interactions between Sinorhizobium meliloti and Priestia aryabhattai.","authors":"Rui Liu, Chang Li, Yunjun Zhang, Chunli Liu, Jinai Xue, Yanning Zheng","doi":"10.1007/s11274-025-04394-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11274-025-04394-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nitrogen fertilizer is crucial for agricultural output. However, prolonged overuse has resulted in nitrate leaching and potential soil acidification. Research on microbial fertilizer has become essential to enhance soil conditions and minimize nitrogen fertilizer usage. In alfalfa cultivation, research on efficient compound microbial agents remains limited, therefore this study concentrates on the investigation of dual microbial combinations. In the screening process, black soil was utilized with alfalfa plants as samples to identify a strain of rhizobacteria, Sinorhizobium meliloti LMGL3-1, exhibiting nitrogen-fixing capabilities, and Priestia aryabhattai (Bacillus aryabhattai) YJHT21, demonstrating phosphorus-solubilizing abilities. In addition, they were able to produce indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase (ACCd). The S. meliloti strain was demonstrated to have the ability to symbiotically associate with the alfalfa variety Longmu 806, resulting in the formation of effective nodules containing leghemoglobin, thereby enabling the plants to thrive in the absence of nitrogen fertilizer application. Here, we discovered that the inoculation of phosphorus-solubilizing P. aryabhattai enhanced alfalfa growth and the nitrogenase activity of S. meliloti (P < 0.0001). Comparing with no nitrogen fertilizer control, the two-bacteria complex culture made an extreme increase in chlorophyll (P < 0.0001) of alfalfa. The protein content and dry weight of alfalfa were also increased (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively). Additionally, it also increased the total nitrogen content of the black soil. Moreover, the incorporation of P. aryabhattai resulted in a significant increase in flavonoid production within the root system of alfalfa plants (P < 0.0001). Consequently, under the influence of the inducer extracted from the root system of quantitatively analyzed plants, the rhizobacteria exhibited enhanced production of metabolites associated with the Nod factor cluster. This study demonstrates that the interaction between S. meliloti and P. aryabhattai significantly enhanced biological nitrogen fixation, providing a theoretical foundation for the development of eco-friendly biofertilizer as an alternative to chemical fertilizer.</p>","PeriodicalId":23703,"journal":{"name":"World journal of microbiology & biotechnology","volume":"41 6","pages":"180"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144143726","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Research progress and development prospects of microbial synthesis of ergothioneine.","authors":"Zhixiao Lei, Yifan Feng, Wenming Zhang, Yujia Jiang, Minjiao Chen, Wankui Jiang, Fengxue Xin","doi":"10.1007/s11274-025-04415-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11274-025-04415-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ergothioneine (Egt) is a rare sulfur-containing amino acid widely distributed in edible fungi and bacteria. As a natural antioxidant, Egt has demonstrated significant application potential in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. However, conventional Egt production predominantly relies on chemical synthesis and biological extraction methods, which suffer from low titers and cannot meet the escalating market demand. With advances in synthetic biology, genetic engineering of suitable microbial chassis strains coupled with fermentation process optimization has emerged as a research hotspot for enhancing Egt biosynthesis efficiency. This review systematically examines Egt's applications, metabolic pathways, microbial synthesis strategies, and fermentation optimization approaches, while also prospecting future research directions and technical challenges in Egt production.</p>","PeriodicalId":23703,"journal":{"name":"World journal of microbiology & biotechnology","volume":"41 6","pages":"184"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144143699","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"sRNA ncBCG427 activates the expression of target gene MSMEG_4757 to enhance the survival of Mycobacterium smegmatis through lipid metabolism in adverse environments.","authors":"Kailun Zhang, Zejin Du, Zijian Wang, Yingyu Chen, Lei Zhang, Xi Chen, Aizhen Guo","doi":"10.1007/s11274-025-04343-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11274-025-04343-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The capability of mycobacteria to survive in adverse environments is crucial for successful infection, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. A novel sRNA, ncBCG427, was previously identified in intracellular versus extracellular mycobacteria, with predicted targets clustering in lipid metabolism pathways in Mycobacterium smegmatis (M. sm). This study aimed to investigate how ncBCG427 regulates the survival of M. sm through lipid metabolism. Using lipidomics, metabolites from the ncBCG427-expressing strain (MS_ncBCG427) and the control strain (MS_Vector) were screened, revealing enrichment in lipid-associated pathways. The gene MSMEG_4757 (Fas) was identified as critical to this pathway and confirmed as a target of ncBCG427. Western blot analysis demonstrated that ncBCG427 increased Fas expression in THP-1 cells post-infection. Additionally, Oil Red O staining indicated that both ncBCG427 and MSMEG_4757 enhanced lipid droplet formation in A549 cells. Both MS_ncBCG427 and MS_4757 exhibited increased biofilm formation and enhanced survival under various adverse conditions, including carbon starvation, acid stress, membrane stress, and exposure to drugs such as rifampicin and streptomycin. In contrast, low-expression strains (MS_sh4757 and MS_ncBCG427_sh4757) showed reduced survival. In conclusion, ncBCG427 targets MSMEG_4757 to regulate lipid metabolism, enhancing biofilm formation and survival in adverse environments, revealing a novel mechanism of mycobacterial survival and potential antimicrobial targets.</p>","PeriodicalId":23703,"journal":{"name":"World journal of microbiology & biotechnology","volume":"41 6","pages":"185"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12104101/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144143674","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Entomopathogenic fungi: insights into recent understanding.","authors":"Hasith Priyashantha Alviti Kankanamalage, Jing-Ya Yang, Samantha C Karunarathna, Saowaluck Tibpromma, Jaturong Kumla, De-Ping Wei, Saisamorn Lumyong","doi":"10.1007/s11274-025-04377-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11274-025-04377-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are cosmopolitan, obligate, or facultative pathogens that show ruthless aggression toward various insects and ultimately cause them to die. They also have the ability to colonize and establish symbiotic relationships with plants as endophytes, thus offering a number of benefits to the host plants, inducing plant resistance against a number of biotic and abiotic stresses, and growth promotion. Recently, considerable attention has been paid to this group of fungi, mainly due to their exceptional ability to control numerous arthropod pests in crops. This practical application of EPF, which is of great interest, offers an eco-friendly manner of pest control, a key feature that makes them a potential solution to growing environmental concerns. This eco-friendly nature of EPF is particularly significant in the current context of growing environmental concerns and the need for sustainable solutions. This paper has attempted to review our current understanding of EPF. First, we briefly describe the historical identifications of EPF, landmark studies, and their classifications. Second, we discuss the group from an evolutionary standpoint. Third, the insect infection mechanisms, particularly the cuticular penetration pathway and different steps, are discussed. Finally, we emphasize the eco-friendly nature of these fungi, which makes them a sustainable option to mitigate the devastating effects of insect pests in current agriculture systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":23703,"journal":{"name":"World journal of microbiology & biotechnology","volume":"41 6","pages":"179"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144143729","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synthesis and effects of zinc-chitosan complex on morpho-growth and biochemical responses in Alternaria alternata, a cause of leaf blights and spots on plants.","authors":"Ghulam Roquyya, Amna Shoaib, Shagufta Parveen, Muhammad Rafiq","doi":"10.1007/s11274-025-04369-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11274-025-04369-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The increasing resistance of fungal pathogens to synthetic fungicides necessitates eco-friendly alternatives. Zinc-chitosan (Zn-Ch) complexe offer a sustainable solution due to their biocompatibility and antifungal properties. This study synthesized and characterized Zn-Ch using UV-vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and fluorescence spectral analysis, confirming strong Zn²⁺ interactions with chitosan. In vitro bioassays evaluated antifungal efficacy across different treatments: Mancozeb (chemical control), chitosan alone (Ch), non-complexed Zn (2.5 and 5.0 ppm) + Ch, and the Zn (5.0 ppm)-Ch complex. In all treatments, Mancozeb and Ch were tested at identical concentrations (0.5-2.5%) to ensure comparative analysis. Mancozeb and Ch exhibited dose-dependent inhibition, reaching 66.67% and 78.57% at 2.5%, respectively. Non-complexed Zn (2.5 and 5.0 ppm) + Ch demonstrated enhanced antifungal activity, with 5.0 ppm achieving 89.03% inhibition, while the Zn (5.0 ppm)-Ch complex exhibited the highest antifungal efficacy (99% inhibition) with severe hyphal distortion and delayed sporulation. Biochemical assays revealed an initial increase in catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activities, peaking at 1.0-1.5%, followed by significant declines at higher concentrations. The Zn (5.0 ppm)-Ch complex caused the steepest enzymatic decline at 2.0-2.5%, suggesting oxidative stress-induced fungal suppression. Collectively, these findings confirmed the potential of the Zn-Ch complex in enhancing antifungal efficacy by altering fungal morphology, suppressing growth, and activating enzymatic defense responses in plants. Zn-Ch emerged as a promising, biocompatible alternative to synthetic fungicides, warranting further in vivo validation for its application in sustainable crop protection strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":23703,"journal":{"name":"World journal of microbiology & biotechnology","volume":"41 6","pages":"177"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144143677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}