Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek International Journal of General and Molecular Microbiology最新文献

{"title":"Seawater-derived ureolytic Vibrio sp. strain F-11 as a microbial agent for calcium carbonate biomineralization","authors":"Ecren Uzun Yaylacı,&nbsp;Ayşe Kara,&nbsp;Demet Ülkü Gülpınar Sekban,&nbsp;Murat Yaylacı","doi":"10.1007/s10482-026-02329-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10482-026-02329-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study investigates the strain F-11, a ureolytic <i>Vibrio</i> isolated from seawater, and its potential for microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP). Based on morphological and biochemical characteristics together with 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain F-11 showed the highest similarity to <i>Vibrio alginolyticus</i> (96.79%) and was therefore conservatively designated as <i>Vibrio</i> sp. F-11. Urease activity measured by Nessler-based ammonium assay was examined at different temperatures (24, 30, 36 °C) and pH values (6, 8, 10). Maximum ureolytic activity was observed between days 3 and 5at 30 °C and pH 8, reaching approximately 0.58 and 0.57 µmol min⁻¹ mg⁻¹ protein, respectively, whereas suboptimal conditions significantly reduced activity. Calcium carbonate precipitation occurred only on urea-CaCl₂ agar at pH 8; here, opaque white mineral deposits accumulated around bacterial colonies. Microscopic observations revealed rosette-like and spherical CaCO₃ crystals, while SEM images revealed compact, spherical precipitates. EDS spectra dominated by Ca, C, and O peaks confirmed the formation of CaCO₃ phases. In general, <i>Vibrio</i> sp. strain F-11 demonstrated effective biomineralization capacity and represents a promising MICP agent for future marine and cementitious biotechnological applications.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50746,"journal":{"name":"Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek International Journal of General and Molecular Microbiology","volume":"119 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829758","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 advancement on the correlation between gut microbiota and chronic kidney disease","authors":"Rui Wu,&nbsp;Gaiqi Yao","doi":"10.1007/s10482-026-02331-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10482-026-02331-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Chronic kidney disease (CKD) represents a significant global health challenge, with its progression and complications associated with dysbiosis of the gut microbiota. Patients with CKD demonstrate stage-dependent alterations in the composition of gut microbiota and a reduction in diversity, which is characterized by a decline in beneficial bacteria (e.g., <i>Bifidobacterium</i>, <i>Lactobacillus</i>) and an increase in pathogenic species. This dysbiosis disrupts the gut-kidney axis, resulting in a depletion of protective metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and secondary bile acids, while facilitating the accumulation of toxic metabolites including trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), indoxyl sulfate (IS), and p-cresyl sulfate (pCS). These toxins contribute to the progression of CKD and cardiovascular complications through mechanisms that involve oxidative stress, inflammation (e.g., NF-ĸB/NLRP3 activation), fibrosis (e.g., TGF-β/Smad signaling), and endothelial dysfunction. Therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating the gut microbiota encompass dietary interventions (such as increasing fiber and plant-based protein), microecological agents (including probiotics and prebiotics), fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), and adsorbents (e.g., targeting uremic toxins). Although these approaches show promise in delaying CKD progression and alleviating complications, they necessitate further validation through large-scale clinical trials to confirm their efficacy, safety, and the development of personalized protocols. Investigating the gut-kidney axis may provide novel biomarkers and therapeutic opportunities for enhancing CKD outcomes.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50746,"journal":{"name":"Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek International Journal of General and Molecular Microbiology","volume":"119 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829743","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":"Exploring the oral microbiome: from traditional techniques to advanced omics and databases","authors":"Pankaj Kumar Arora,&nbsp;Mushtaq Ali,&nbsp;Aditya Pratap Singh,&nbsp;Vimal Kumar Dubey,&nbsp;Alok Srivastava,&nbsp;Sanjay Kumar Garg","doi":"10.1007/s10482-026-02332-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10482-026-02332-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The oral microbiome comprises analysis of microbes within the oral cavity. Omics, molecular, and bioinformatic methods have significant functions in examining the diversity, composition, and function of the oral microbiome. Molecular techniques, especially 16S and 18S rRNA sequencing, have transformed the study of the oral microbiome. Analysis by 16S rRNA gene sequences of the oral sample creates a broad portrait of the species composition of the oral microbiome and both existing and new species of bacteria. It is instrumental in detecting bacterial pathogens at specific levels, specifically those involved with dental caries, periodontal disease, and oral malignancy. Paralleling the above, analysis by 18S rRNA gene sequencing elicits information related to the composition of fungal as well as protist members within the oral microbiome that plays significant roles for oral health. It can detect oral cavity parasitic infections, which may lead to oral health conditions. Omics tools are general terms for the use of high-throughput approaches to study on a large scale a variety of biological molecules. Applying these technologies to the oral microbiome allows researchers to determine the genetic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic profiles of microbes in the oral cavity. These tools help to obtain an overall picture of the oral microbiome, such as its composition, function, and interactions. There are several databases offering useful information on the oral microbiome. These databases store curated information regarding microbial communities in the oral cavity, which aid researchers in the exploration of oral microbiome diversity, composition, and functional characteristics. Some of the examples include Human Oral Microbiome Database (HOMD) and Oral Microbiome Database (OMD). In minireview, we have provided an overview of a variety of molecular and omics tools and databases utilized in the exploration of the oral microbiome.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50746,"journal":{"name":"Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek International Journal of General and Molecular Microbiology","volume":"119 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829145","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":"Harnessing the plant microbiome: innovation towards sustainable agriculture and ecological resilience","authors":"Vivek Kumar,&nbsp;Chandra S. Nautiyal","doi":"10.1007/s10482-026-02330-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10482-026-02330-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Assimilation of plant-microbiome synergism into contemporary sustainable approaches offers transformational prospective for augmenting crop production, and environment resilience. Efficient microbiome enhances nutrients acquisition, encouraging plant’s growth, and mitigate diverse stressors. Synthetic microbial communities could be another strategy to augment crop yield by improving bioinoculants activity, regulating and reinstating microbial diversity. Long-term agricultural output depends on microbiome’s intervened activities, such as nutrients acquisition, thereby lowering chemical fertilizers necessity. Microbes also contribute to climate change mitigation by endorsing soil carbon stowage and minimizing release of greenhouse gases via enhanced nutrients use efficacy. Developments in sustainable crop breeding and genomics have facilitated the recognition of plant traits and genetic loci that influence alliances of valuable microbes. Integration of plant-microbiome breeding tactics might lead to optimization of microbiome selection in plant varieties, thus improving yield and stress resilience. Such approaches will conserve biodiversity, restore ecosystem by nurturing functional microbiome population, supporting plant’s diversity and soil health. Microbiome are also able to improve degraded soils recovery, plant’s establishment, parallelly safeguarding ecosystem restoration. The integration of microbial technology in crops could enhance the nutritional value and safety of food while supporting environmental sustainability and human health. Understanding microbiome–plant–climate change interactions is critical for developing adaptive strategies that enhance resilience to environment and climate variability, ensure sustainable food systems, and promote ecological balance in a changing global environment.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture><span>The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.</span></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":50746,"journal":{"name":"Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek International Journal of General and Molecular Microbiology","volume":"119 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829475","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":"Three novel bacterial species isolated from plasma-treated soil: Hymenobacter plasmatis sp. nov., Flavitalea plasmicola sp. nov. and Mucilaginibacter tolerans sp. nov.","authors":"Seona Park,&nbsp;M. K. Kim,&nbsp;S. Srinivasan","doi":"10.1007/s10482-026-02327-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10482-026-02327-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a potent antimicrobial technology; however, the taxonomic diversity of soil bacteria capable of withstanding direct plasma exposure remains poorly understood. In this study, three novel bacterial strains, designated BT770^T, BT771^T and BT774^T, were isolated from CAP-treated soil. Cells of all strains were Gram-stain-negative, non-motile and rod-shaped. In direct plasma exposure assays, all three strains exhibited enhanced survival compared with <i>Escherichia coli</i> K-12, with strain BT774^T showing particularly high tolerance. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and phylogenomic reconstruction placed strains BT770^T, BT771^T and BT774^T within the genera <i>Hymenobacter</i>, <i>Flavitalea</i> and <i>Mucilaginibacter</i>, respectively. The closest relatives were <i>Hymenobacter sedentarius</i> DG5B^T (97.98%), <i>Flavitalea antarctica</i> AQ6—291^T (96.70%) and <i>Mucilaginibacter frigoritolerans</i> F22^T (95.60%). Draft genome sizes ranged from 5.1 to 8.7 Mb, and DNA G + C content ranged from 42.3 to 60.6%. Genomic relatedness indices, including average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA–DNA hybridisation (dDDH), between the isolates and their closest relatives were below the accepted species delineation thresholds (95–96% ANI and 70% dDDH), supporting their classification as novel species. This conclusion was further supported by chemotaxonomic and phenotypic characteristics. Based on a polyphasic taxonomic approach, strains BT770^T, BT771^T and BT774^T are considered to represent three novel species within the phylum <i>Bacteroidota</i>, for which the names <i>Hymenobacter plasmatis</i> sp. nov. (BT770^T = KACC 22526^T = NBRC 116070^T), <i>Flavitalea plasmicola</i> sp. nov. (BT771^T = KACC 22527^T = NBRC 116071^T) and <i>Mucilaginibacter tolerans</i> sp. nov. (BT774^T = KACC 22530^T = NBRC 116072^T) are proposed, respectively.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50746,"journal":{"name":"Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek International Journal of General and Molecular Microbiology","volume":"119 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829583","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":"Bacterial metataxonomic analysis of the Algerian traditional dried-salted meat 'El Kaddid' and characterization of its lactic acid bacteria","authors":"Zahia Khiri,&nbsp;Nahida Bendimerad,&nbsp;Ana Belén Flórez,&nbsp;Javier Rodríguez,&nbsp;Lucía Vázquez,&nbsp;Karima Boumediene,&nbsp;Nassima Didouh,&nbsp;Ibrahim Benamar,&nbsp;Asmaa Cherif Anntar,&nbsp;Baltasar Mayo,&nbsp;Boumedine Moussa Boudjemâa","doi":"10.1007/s10482-026-02324-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10482-026-02324-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study investigated the indigenous bacterial diversity of <i>'El Kaddid'</i>, a traditional Algerian dried-salted meat, using a culture-independent approach. In parallel, culture-dependent methods were applied specifically to isolate and identify the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) population. Microbial fingerprinting of ten <i>'El Kaddid'</i> samples using 16S rRNA gene (V3–V4 region) sequencing and subsequent sequence analysis revealed complex bacterial communities dominated by species of <i>Staphylococcus</i>. LAB were isolated on selective agar plates from 32 <i>'El Kaddid'</i> samples, followed by basic phenotypic characterization and identification through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Among the 179 LAB isolates recovered, a majority belonged to the genus <i>Enterococcus</i>, predominantly to <i>Enterococcus faecium</i> and <i>Enterococcus hirae</i>. Further differentiation of closely related species of <i>Enterococcus</i>, including members of the <i>Enterococcus faecium</i> clades A and B, was achieved using sequential PCR assays targeting <i>gluP</i> and <i>sodA</i> genes and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) amplification patterns. Many isolates exhibited antimicrobial activity against the indicator strain <i>Latilactobacillus sakei</i> CECT 906^T, with 11 isolates showing a strong inhibitory activity. Antibiotic susceptibility testing of 77 representative isolates revealed that all LAB isolates were susceptible to vancomycin, and chloramphenicol. However, they all showed resistance to ampicillin and penicillin, and most also to rifampicin. This study contributes to the microbial characterization of <i>'El Kaddid'</i>, and provides baseline information on its LAB community and safety-related traits.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50746,"journal":{"name":"Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek International Journal of General and Molecular Microbiology","volume":"119 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829498","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":"Deciphering potential significances of biliary microbiome in cholelithiasis and cholangiocarcinoma","authors":"Guangchao Liu,&nbsp;Kangxu Chen,&nbsp;Jiali Li,&nbsp;Kaifeng Zhang,&nbsp;Guanglin Niu,&nbsp;Yu Ding,&nbsp;Yunzhi Lv,&nbsp;Qiwen Tian,&nbsp;Zhenxi Cao,&nbsp;Haiqiang Wang,&nbsp;Junru Jia,&nbsp;Guosen Zhang,&nbsp;Yang An","doi":"10.1007/s10482-026-02333-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10482-026-02333-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Background: This study aims to investigate the role of biliary microbiota (defined as the microbial community colonizing the biliary tract, including the gallbladder, intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts) in the pathogenesis of cholelithiasis (CHOL) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), with a focus on the associations between microbial communities and these biliary diseases. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis using high-throughput sequencing data obtained from the Sequence Read Archive (SRA) database to characterize the composition of microbial communities in patients with CCA and CHOL. We performed operational taxonomic unit (OTU) clustering, statistical analyses and Mendelian randomization (MR) to elucidate the causal relationships between specific bacterial strains and disease outcomes. Results: Our findings revealed differences in the relative abundance of specific microbial taxa among research groups. The CCA + CHOL group exhibited a significant increase in the abundance of Fusobacteria, particularly Fusobacterium, compared to the Control or CCA group. This suggests a potential pathogenic role for these microorganisms in CHOL formation. Additionally, the CCA group demonstrated a higher diversity index, indicating that increased microbial diversity may contribute to the progression of the disease. MR analysis identified nominally significant statistical associations between specific bacterial strains. However, the presence of pleiotropy in some analyses necessitates caution when interpreting causal relationships. Conclusion: Our study highlights the complex interplay between biliary microbiota and the pathogenesis of CHOL and CCA. Modulating biliary microbiota may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for managing these diseases. Future research should focus on the functional roles of specific taxa in bile metabolism and immune modulation, ultimately improving our understanding of biliary health and disease management.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50746,"journal":{"name":"Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek International Journal of General and Molecular Microbiology","volume":"119 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829446","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":"Isolation and molecular-proteomic characterization of metallothionein-producing heavy metal-resistant bacteria for industrial wastewater bioremediation","authors":"Mozhgan Ghasemian-Dastjerdi,&nbsp;Maryam Mohammadi-Sichani,&nbsp;Ali Mohammad Ahadi,&nbsp;Mozhgan Ghiasian,&nbsp;Aliasghar Rastegari","doi":"10.1007/s10482-026-02279-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10482-026-02279-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Industrial wastewater is a major source of heavy metal contamination, posing serious environmental and public health risks. In this study, indigenous heavy metal–resistant bacteria were isolated from industrial wastewater and evaluated for their bioremediation potential with a focus on metallothionein (MT) production. A total of 38 bacterial isolates were screened for resistance to lead, cadmium, and nickel, among which <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> and <i>Bacillus</i> spp. exhibited the highest tolerance levels. Three superior isolates (6M, 8M, and 21F) were selected based on minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations, growth stability, and reproducibility. Molecular analysis confirmed the presence of MT-related genes, and protein profiling by SDS-PAGE revealed MT-associated bands with molecular weights of approximately 6–7 kDa. Metal removal assays demonstrated removal efficiencies of up to 83.4% for Cadmium, 76.9% for Cobalt, and 69.9% for nickel by <i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i> under laboratory conditions. This study provides an integrated evaluation of indigenous industrial wastewater bacteria by correlating metallothionein gene detection, proteomic evidence of low-molecular-weight metal-binding proteins, and quantitative multi-metal removal efficiency within the same isolates. The findings highlight the potential application of these strains in heavy metal bioremediation and provide a foundation for future scale-up and wastewater treatment strategies.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50746,"journal":{"name":"Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek International Journal of General and Molecular Microbiology","volume":"119 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829564","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":"Correction: Phylogenomic reclassification of Cellulophaga species to Paracellulophaga gen. nov. and description of Allocellulophaga tsushimaensis gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel bacterium from coastal seawater of Tsushima Island, Japan","authors":"Yu Nakajima,&nbsp;Shu-Kuan Wong,&nbsp;Yuki Muramatsu,&nbsp;Marie Johanna Cuadra,&nbsp;Kei Zenimoto,&nbsp;Keigi Ou,&nbsp;Hiroshi Xavier Chiura,&nbsp;Keiji Nakamura,&nbsp;Yasuhiro Gotoh,&nbsp;Tetsuya Hayashi,&nbsp;Yasuyoshi Nakagawa,&nbsp;Susumu Yoshizawa","doi":"10.1007/s10482-026-02312-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10482-026-02312-y","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50746,"journal":{"name":"Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek International Journal of General and Molecular Microbiology","volume":"119 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10482-026-02312-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829721","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":"A novel bioencapsulation strategy for delivering plant growth promoting bacteria via cotton seeds to improve crop yield and shelf stability","authors":"K. V. S. Jahnavi,&nbsp;Gulab Pandove,&nbsp;Sukhdeep Kaur Brar,&nbsp;Amandeep Singh Sidhu,&nbsp;Vidhi Arora,&nbsp;Sohan Singh Walia","doi":"10.1007/s10482-026-02328-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10482-026-02328-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Cotton is a vital cash crop in India that is predominantly cultivated in rainfed regions and is increasingly affected by climate change, which leads to poor seed germination and seedling establishment. To address these challenges and support sustainable agriculture, the current investigation aimed to develop and optimize bioencapsulated cotton seeds using plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) to enhance seed germination, bacterial viability, seed shelf life, and crop yield. The bioencapsulation process was optimized using Response Surface Methodology via inverse gelation with sodium alginate, polyvinyl alcohol, starch, and glycerol. A Box-Behnken design was employed to evaluate germination percentage, seedling growth, bacterial survival, and seed vigour index. The optimal composition for bioencapsulation was 1.5% sodium alginate, 7.5% PVA, 5% starch, and 10% glycerol. Bioencapsulated seeds maintained &gt; 80% seed germination and ~ 2.9 log₁₀ CFU/seed bacterial viability after 12 months. Field studies conducted at two different locations in Punjab, India, showed that seeds bioencapsulated with <i>B. thaonhiensis</i> PAU_43RN and <i>P. brassicacearum</i> PAU_34RN improved seed cotton yield by 10.6% and 12.3%, and lint yield by 21.9% and 23.2%, respectively. This approach offers a promising solution for sustainable agriculture, reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers and enhancing resilience to climatic stresses.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50746,"journal":{"name":"Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek International Journal of General and Molecular Microbiology","volume":"119 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147823168","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}