Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology最新文献

{"title":"Unveiling a novel uronate dehydrogenase from industrial wastewater metagenomes for efficient galactaric acid production in engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae","authors":"Piyada Bussadee ,&nbsp;Nattapol Arunrattanamook ,&nbsp;Ngoentra Samnaknit ,&nbsp;Wuttichai Mhuantong ,&nbsp;Phitsanu Pinmanee ,&nbsp;Pattanop Kanokratana ,&nbsp;Thidarat Nimchua ,&nbsp;Xin-Qing Zhao ,&nbsp;Verawat Champreda ,&nbsp;Surisa Suwannarangsee","doi":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103517","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103517","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Galactaric acid is a valuable chemical utilized in the cosmetic and polymer industries. This platform chemical can be produced through a single enzymatic step catalyzed by uronate dehydrogenase (UDH) from D-galacturonic acid, which can be derived from the hydrolysis of pectin-rich feedstock. However, most characterized UDHs have been sourced from cultured microorganisms, leaving a significant gap in our understanding of UDHs from uncultured microbial communities. In this study, we identified and characterized three novel UDHs from the metagenomes of industrial wastewater. Following activity screening, the m2UDH was selected due to its superior enzyme activity in a <em>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</em> host. Through semi-rational protein engineering, the m2UDH^T123V variant was generated with 13-fold increase in enzyme activity compared to the wild-type enzyme. Engineered thermotolerant <em>S. cerevisiae</em> expressing m2UDH^T123V variants exhibited approximately 2.8-fold higher enzymatic activity and 2.4-fold higher galactaric acid production at 40 °C compared to the wild-type enzyme. Thus, this study highlights the significance of exploring diverse metagenomic environments for enzyme discovery and presents a promising approach for the bioprocessing of pectin-rich feedstocks into value-added biochemicals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8774,"journal":{"name":"Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology","volume":"64 ","pages":"Article 103517"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143421012","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Anticancer potential of Ampelopsis cantoniensis extract: Inducing apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and targeting cancer stem cells in HepG2 liver cancer cells","authors":"Phu Hung Nguyen ,&nbsp;Thi Thanh Huong Le ,&nbsp;Dinh Quang Hung Can ,&nbsp;Thi Ngoc Thuy Le ,&nbsp;Viet Hoang ,&nbsp;Hong Phuong Ngo ,&nbsp;Thi Thu Huyen Do ,&nbsp;Thi Kieu Oanh Nguyen ,&nbsp;Van Hung Hoang","doi":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103521","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103521","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Ampelopsis cantoniensis</em> (<em>A. cantoniensis</em>), has a long history of use in traditional medicine in various countries. Despite their extensive use, little is known about their potential anticancer properties. This study aimed to investigate the potential anticancer effects of <em>A. cantoniensis</em> extract (ACE). The inhibitory effect ACE on HepG2 liver cancer cells was assessed through a MTT assay, and the cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed using flow cytometry. Real-time PCR, immunofluorescence analysis, LC-QToF-MS analysis, and molecular docking were conducted to further characterize its mechanisms of action. ACE inhibited the growth of HepG2 cells, with an IC₅₀ value of 64.2 μg/mL, and also induced apoptosis in liver cancer cells. In addition, ACE induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase and significantly altered the expression of several key cell cycle regulatory genes. Importantly, ACE downregulated the characteristics of liver cancer stem cells, including decreased expression of the cancer stem cell marker CD44 and reduced ability to form 3D tumorspheres. Immunofluorescence staining results indicated that ACE suppressed the expression of PCNA, TLR-5, and TLR9 markers while enhancing CAV-1 expression. Furthermore, ACE induced excessive ROS production in cells. A total of 107 different compounds were predicted by high-resolution (LC-QToF-MS) spectral analysis, among which Quercetin-3,7-di-O-beta-D-glucoside and Quercetin-3-arabinoglucoside were predicted to potentially bind to the target proteins of cancer stem cells. ACE is a potential herbal remedy for combating liver cancer.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8774,"journal":{"name":"Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology","volume":"64 ","pages":"Article 103521"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143394710","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Harnessing starch-stabilized biogenic silver nanoparticles for sustainable bacterial blight management in soybean","authors":"Federico N. Spagnoletti ,&nbsp;Irma N. Torres ,&nbsp;Alejandra I. Hernandez ,&nbsp;Romina Giacometti","doi":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103509","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103509","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Green nanotechnology is a new strategy that contributes to sustainable agriculture by enhancing crop production, restoring soil quality, and improving pest management control. Green nanotechnology has emerged as a promising strategy to overcome the limitations of conventional chemical synthesis of nanomaterials. In this study, biogenic silver nanoparticles (st-AgNPs) were synthesized in the presence of extracellular metabolites of the fungus <em>Macrophomina phaseolina</em> with further modification of the particle's corona using starch to enhance stability and performance. After confirming the biocidal activity of st-AgNPs, their potential use against bacterial blight caused by <em>Pseudomonas savastanoi</em> in soybean was analyzed. Under controlled conditions, the effects of different NP concentrations were tested on healthy and infected plants. No evidence of phytotoxicity was observed in plants treated with 50–400 μg ml⁻¹ of NPs. A 100 μg ml⁻¹ st-AgNPs dose was the most effective in controlling the disease progression. Subsequent greenhouse experiments showed that infected plants sprayed with st-AgNPs (100 μg ml⁻¹) improved their general status and increased the aerial biomass (36.6%) compared to non-treated plants. Furthermore, spray treatment with NPs partially reversed the negative effect of the infection, showing a 38.9% recovery in the greenness index. Notably, the severity of infection decreased by 78%, with no detectable silver traces in plant leaves. Biochemical analyses revealed that st-AgNPs treatment resulted in a reduction of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and lipoxygenase (LOX) activities, as well as lipid peroxidation, compared to non-treated infected plants. These findings suggest that the developed st-AgNPs not only effectively control <em>P. savastanoi</em> infection in soybean but also exhibit the potential to serve as a low-impact, environmentally friendly tool for inclusion in plant disease management protocols across various crops.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8774,"journal":{"name":"Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology","volume":"64 ","pages":"Article 103509"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trichoderma asperellum (T42)-mediated expression of CabHLH genes enhances nitrogen use efficiency and nutritional values of chickpea under salt and Fusarium wilt stresses","authors":"Nidhi Rai ,&nbsp;Shashi Pandey Rai ,&nbsp;Birinchi Kumar Sarma","doi":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103507","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103507","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Trichoderma asperellum</em> T42 combats diverse phytopathogens and other stresses. However, its impact under combined stresses in modulating nutritional value and antioxidant properties in edible plant parts has not been thoroughly studied. Three chickpea cultivars, viz., wilt-resistant (JG-315), wilt-tolerant (JG-36), and wilt-susceptible (JG-62), were used to assess nutritional value and antioxidant contents under salt and pathogen (<em>Foc</em>)-challenged conditions. A sharp decrease in nodule numbers and biomass was observed in plants challenged with the combined stresses of <em>Foc</em> and salt in all three cultivars. However, seed treatment with T42 restored the nutritional value, enhanced antioxidant activities (1–2 folds) and increased total phenolic content (1.3–1.5 folds), protein (19–28%), proline, and micronutrients (7–28%) in chickpea seeds, particularly in the T42-treated plants subjected to the combined stress compared to the plants subjected to the combined stress without T42. The expression of two chickpea bHLH transcription factor genes, <em>CabHLH114</em> and <em>CabHLH115</em>, associated with nodule development and nitrogen fixation, varied under different stresses. The genes were upregulated in T42-treated plants and correlated with the development of root nodules. The results thus suggest that <em>Trichoderma</em>-mediated expression of both nodulation-responsive genes led to the formation of healthy and functional nodules, which helped improve nitrogen use efficiency in the chickpea plants and contributed to the nutritional value of the chickpea seeds. The results highlighted that reduction in nutritional value due to environmental stresses could be restored in crop plants by applying potential bioagents such as T42 that restore nutritional quality and make the crops climate resilient.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8774,"journal":{"name":"Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology","volume":"64 ","pages":"Article 103507"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147908","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nutritional profile, chemical composition and health promoting properties of Salicornia emerici Duval-Jouve and Sarcocornia alpini (Lag.) Rivas Mart. from southern Tunisia","authors":"Nesrine Harboub ,&nbsp;Hedi Mighri ,&nbsp;Naima Bennour ,&nbsp;Mohamed Dbara ,&nbsp;Catarina Pereira ,&nbsp;Naima Chouikhi ,&nbsp;Luísa Custódio ,&nbsp;Raoudha Abdellaoui ,&nbsp;Ahmed Akrout","doi":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103502","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103502","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The aerial biomass of the edible halophyte species <em>Salicornia emerici</em> Duval-Jouve and <em>Sarcocornia alpini</em> (Lag.) Rivas Mart. (Amaranthaceae), collected from southeastern Tunisia, was analyzed for its potential as a source of functional bioactive ingredients. For this purpose, the dried biomass was analyzed for its proximate and mineral composition, while its hydroethanolic extracts were evaluated for phenolic content by spectrophotometric and chromatographic techniques (HPLC-ESI-MS). The extracts were also assessed for <em>in vitro</em> antioxidant properties, including radical scavenging activity (RSA) against DPPH and ABTS^•+ radicals, as well as ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). Furthermore, they were evaluated for <em>in vitro</em> cytotoxicity and enzymatic inhibition toward key enzymes related to human diseases, namely acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) (Alzheimer's disease: AD), α-amylase and α-glucosidase (type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: T2DM), and tyrosinase (skin hyperpigmentation disorders). The findings revealed that both halophytes contained significant levels of minerals, particularly sodium, potassium, and iron. The extracts were rich in bioactive phytochemicals, with naringin identified as the major compound in <em>S. alpini</em>, while quinic acid was predominant in <em>S. emerici</em>. Extracts from both species were non-toxic and demonstrated significant antioxidant properties. Neither species exhibited inhibitory activity toward cholinesterases; however, both showed strong α-glucosidase inhibition (&gt;50%), with <em>S. alpini</em> also displaying superior tyrosinase inhibition activity (51%). These findings suggest that <em>S. alpini</em> and <em>S. emerici</em> hold promise as safe and sustainable sources of nutrients and natural compounds with antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and anti-tyrosinase properties. This potential could translate into significant economic benefits for the southeastern region of Tunisia.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8774,"journal":{"name":"Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology","volume":"64 ","pages":"Article 103502"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143387152","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the wound healing potential of biocompatible nano-hydroxyapatite derived from parrotfish scale (Scarrus ghobban) waste for bone tissue engineering","authors":"Surya Parthasarathy ,&nbsp;Palanisamy Arulselvan ,&nbsp;Radha Gosala ,&nbsp;Balakumar Subramanian","doi":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103493","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103493","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fish waste management and the development of sustainable applications for fish byproducts have gained significant importance in recent times. This study focuses on repurposing discarded fish scales from <em>Scarus ghobban</em> to synthesize nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HAp) using an alkaline hydrolysis method. The n-HAp was comprehensively characterized through various analytical techniques, including FESEM, FT-IR, XRD, and TEM. The results revealed the successful production of n-HAp particles with an average size of 20–50 nm and the presence of functional groups such as esters, ethers, halogen compounds, and nitriles along with secondary amines, phenols, and alcohols which contribute to enhanced material characteristics. Additionally, through elemental mapping minerals such as Calcium, Phosphorous, Magnesium, and Sodium were confirmed. Cytotoxicity tests using L929 fibroblast cells demonstrated biocompatibility and wound healing assays indicated its potential for tissue regeneration. This approach not only harnesses valuable resources from fish waste but also holds promise for various biomedical applications, contributing to both economic growth and environmental sustainability. Ultimately, this nano-hydroxyapatite derived from fish scales showcases remarkable biocompatibility, positioning it as a promising candidate for the development of wound dressings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8774,"journal":{"name":"Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology","volume":"64 ","pages":"Article 103493"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147863","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biotechnological valorization of yeast strains for lipids and carotenoids production from renewable resources","authors":"Andreísa Teixeira de Castro ,&nbsp;Angélica Cristina de Souza ,&nbsp;Cristina Ferreira Silva ,&nbsp;Silvia Juliana Martinez ,&nbsp;Rosane Freitas Schwan ,&nbsp;Disney Ribeiro Dias","doi":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103499","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103499","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to select yeast strains from the Agricultural Microbiology Culture Collection (CCMA) to produce lipids and/or carotenoids using crude glycerol and sugarcane molasses as alternative carbon sources. Among the selected strains, nine exhibited oleaginous characteristics, with <em>Torulaspora maleeae</em> (CCMA 0039) reaching the highest accumulation of lipid content (77.7%) in the glucose medium. Notably, the <em>Exophiala spinifera</em> (CCMA, 2073) strain exhibited 35% lipid accumulation in glycerol pure. Furthermore, <em>Rhodotorula dairenensis</em> (CCMA 945), <em>Rhodotorula mucilaginosa</em> (CCMA 0156), <em>Rhodosporidium toruloides</em> (CCMA, 2032) and <em>Cystofilobasidium ferigula</em> (CCMA 1623) were identified as carotenogenic. Crude glycerol has proven to be the most effective medium for lipogenesis and carotenogenesis, also expressing diversity in fatty acid profiles, with <em>C. ferigula</em> demonstrating promise in the coproduction of lipids and carotenoids, achieving 41.88% lipid accumulation and 2.76 μg/mL of total carotenoids. These findings highlight the potential for utilizing industrial by-products for the sustainable production of important metabolites, paving the way for their integration into industrial bioprocesses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8774,"journal":{"name":"Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology","volume":"64 ","pages":"Article 103499"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143147865","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Emerging compost extract for heavy metal bioremediation and preserving the antioxidant activity of celery cabbage: A sustainable approach","authors":"Mohammed Haroun ,&nbsp;Ali Barham ,&nbsp;Juanjuan Wang ,&nbsp;Xiaoqing Qian","doi":"10.1016/j.bcab.2024.103483","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bcab.2024.103483","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The study examined the efficiency of a combined bioadditive containing molasses with <em>Bacillus firmus</em> and <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> in the production of compost extract and their impact on the physiochemical, heavy metals bioremediation, and antioxidant activity in the plant. The methods involved aeration and a compost-to-water ratio of 1:10, following the CRD. The extract physiochemical parameters were measured. The extract heavy metals were determined according to ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry). The activities of catalase, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase were determined using the methods of liquid portion. The results showed significant improvements in the pH from 5.5 to 8, Ec from 7.1 to 8.2, and O.M from 27.5% to 50%. The TN increased from 0.14 to 0.203 mg/kg, TP from 0.46 to 1.24 mg/kg, TK from 0.25 to 0.58 mg/kg, Ca from 20.3 to 25.11 mg/kg, and Mg from 10.75 to 7.75 mg/kg. Besides, the heavy metal bioremediation; Fe was lightly reduced from 8.3 to 7.4 mg/kg, Zn from 1.0 to 0.1 mg/kg, Cu from 0.1 to 0.01 mg/kg, and Cd from 0.1 to 0.02 mg/kg. CE significantly improved plant shoot and dry weight. The antioxidant activity of SOD and POD was significantly higher than APX and CAT. A positive correlation between physiochemical properties and heavy metals, while a negative correlation with antioxidant activity, specifically APX and POD. Beneficially, the application of CE enhances antioxidant enzyme activities, reduces heavy metal uptake in plants, and adopts healthier growth, thereby supporting sustainable agricultural practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8774,"journal":{"name":"Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology","volume":"64 ","pages":"Article 103483"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143148748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"CRISPR/Cas12a mediated rapid and efficient detection of Tomato Leaf Curl Karnataka Virus without amplification","authors":"Thalooru Shashikala ,&nbsp;Dhawane Yogi ,&nbsp;Kumar Akshay ,&nbsp;Karuppannasamy Ashok ,&nbsp;Somakalahalli Narasimhappa Nagesha ,&nbsp;Maligeppagol Manamohan ,&nbsp;Girish Kumar Jha ,&nbsp;Ramasamy Asokan","doi":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103528","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103528","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Transboundary movement of agricultural produce increases the risk of introduction of plant pathogens into newer areas which pose a serious economic threat. This requires a quick, accurate detection method that will help in diagnosing the plant pathogens and make appropriate containment. The diagnostic methods thus developed will also be handy in the early screening for plant pathogens in the asymptomatic stage. Removing the infected plants in the early stage will help in maintaining the field stand to realize the full yield potential. Since vector-mediated transmission occurs at the seedling stage, random screening of the seedlings at the nursery stage will help in the clean planting programme. In this communication, we have compared the differential sensitivities of two methods viz. polymerase chain reaction and also CRISPR/Cas12a. In this regard, we have carried out whole genome sequencing for the ToLCKV isolate (PP763439.1) collected from tomatoes. We have expressed and purified Cas12a protein (187 kDa) and designed two guide RNAs (gRNAs) each for two genes viz. <em>CP</em> and <em>Rep</em> of ToLCKV and formed ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex (sgRNA + Cas12a). Among the four RNP complexes tested, CPgRNA-1, CPgRNA-2 and REP gRNA1 enabled the detection of ToLCKV virus titre 10-fold lower (0.1 ng) than that of PCR assay (1.0 ng). Additionally, we also used CPgRNA-1 and CPgRNA-2 RNP to detect ToLCKV in field samples with high accuracy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8774,"journal":{"name":"Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology","volume":"64 ","pages":"Article 103528"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143420724","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Morphological, ultrastructural, biochemical and yield attributes variations in Nigella sativa L. by cadmium (Cd) stress: Implications for human health risk assessment","authors":"Adnan Khan ,&nbsp;Athar Ali Khan ,&nbsp;Sayma Samreen ,&nbsp;Moh Sajid Ansari ,&nbsp;Syed Aiman Hasan ,&nbsp;Mohd Irfan","doi":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103514","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103514","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study was conducted in the pots where each pot was filled with 4 kg soil that was contaminated with varying concentrations of cadmium (Cd) which are 1.5 mM, 2.0 mM, 2.5 mM, 3.0 mM, 3.5 mM, and 4.0 mM equal to 168.61, 224.82, 281, 337.23, 393.44 and 449.64 mg/L respectively), except the control group, each treatment was replicated thrice (n = 3) including control. We evaluated and examined growth, yield, metal stress tolerance, and metal buildup characteristics at the harvesting stage of black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) plants. The findings indicated that all levels of Cd had a substantial (p ≤ 0.05) negative impact on black cumin plants' growth and yield-related characteristics. Low (1.5 mM) to high doses (4.0 mM) of Cd significantly (<em>p</em> ≤ 0.05) reduced chlorophyll <em>a</em> (30%–72%), chlorophyll <em>b</em> (25%–69%) and total chlorophyll (56% to 82%) levels in the fresh leaf tissues, as well as significantly (<em>p</em> ≤ 0.05) decreased the fruit yield (12%–45%) and seed yield (39%–75%) of black cumin plants. Energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of control and Cd-treated plant leaf samples showed significant Cd accumulation, and the ultrastructure of both revealed that Cd stress reduced the stomatal density and size of the stomatal aperture compared to the control. Bioaccumulation levels of Cd in the seeds of all treated plants are above the threshold limit (0.3 mg/kg) set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for medicinal plants and are unsafe for human consumption. Therefore, farmers must avoid cultivating black cumin crops in Cd polluted soil from economic and health perspectives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8774,"journal":{"name":"Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology","volume":"64 ","pages":"Article 103514"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143369765","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}