Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology最新文献

{"title":"The cytotoxic potential of water-methanol-extracted secondary metabolites from lichens as an important source for treating human cancer cell lines","authors":"Łukasz Furmanek ,&nbsp;Natalia Żurek ,&nbsp;Ireneusz Kapusta ,&nbsp;Mark R.D. Seaward ,&nbsp;Paweł Czarnota","doi":"10.1016/j.bcab.2026.103934","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bcab.2026.103934","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The results of <em>in vitro</em> experiments on the cytotoxic potential of water-methanol extracts obtained from 11 lichen species, <em>Cetraria islandica</em>, <em>Cladonia arbuscula</em>, <em>Cladonia digitata</em>, <em>Cladonia gracilis</em>, <em>Cladonia phyllophora</em>, <em>Cladonia rangiferina</em>, <em>Cladonia uncialis</em>, <em>Hypogymnia physodes</em>, <em>Platismatia glauca</em>, <em>Pseudevernia furfuracea</em> and <em>Usnea dasopoga</em>, against five human cancer cell lines - AGS, Dld-1, U251mg, LS180 and Ht-29 are presented. The antioxidant potential of the extracts was determined by means of the DPPH˙, FRAP and chelating ability of metals ion (ChP) tests. The highest activity for DPPH˙ (225.33 mmol TE/100 g d.m.) and FRAP (229.02 mmol TE/100 g d.m.) tests were shown for <em>C. digitata</em> extract, while for the ChP test, the extracts obtained from <em>C. digitata</em> and <em>H. physodes</em> species (IC₅₀: 2.10 mg/mL). For the cytotoxicity test, the strongest potential was shown for the <em>C. digitata</em> extract against all the tested cancer cell lines - AGS (IC₅₀: 123.14 μg/mL), Dld-1 (113.20 μg/mL), U251mg (137.20 μg/mL), LS180 (125.67 μg/mL) and Ht-29 (111.64 μg/mL). Slightly weaker cytotoxic efficacy was shown by extracts obtained from <em>H. physodes</em> and <em>P. furfuracea</em>. The qualitative-quantitative analysis of the profile of extracted lichen secondary metabolites performed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS identified 30 secondary compounds, the most abundant of which were fumarprotocetraric acid, physodic acid isomer, 3-hydroxyphysodic acid and usnic acid. The cytotoxicity potential of the tested extracts against AGS, DLD-1 and LS180 cell lines has been performed as a first approach worldwide. The results of all tests and analyses showed research opportunities in phytotherapy in the future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8774,"journal":{"name":"Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology","volume":"72 ","pages":"Article 103934"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034970","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":"Toxicity and physiological effects of a botanical insecticide, matrine, against the mulberry snout moth and evaluation of its residual effect on silkworm","authors":"Shabnam Mehrtash ,&nbsp;Arash Zibaee ,&nbsp;Farjad Rafeie ,&nbsp;Ramin Abdoli","doi":"10.1016/j.bcab.2026.103932","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bcab.2026.103932","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Matrine is a naturally occurring heterocyclic compound isolated from the roots of <em>Sophora flavescens</em>, known for its broad insecticidal activity against various pest species. Severe damage caused by <em>Glyphodes pyloalis</em> Walker to mulberry leaves, along with the need for sustainable and eco-friendly control measures, motivated the present study using this plant-based insecticide. In the current study, different concentrations of Matrine caused significant mortality in second-instar larvae of the mulberry snout moth, with LC₁₀, LC₃₀, and LC₅₀ values of 420, 919, and 1582 mg formulated/L, respectively. The LC₃₀ concentration of Matrine significantly reduced several nutritional indices of <em>G. pyloalis</em> larvae, approximate digestibility (AD), efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI), efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD), relative consumption rate (RCR), and relative growth rate (RGR). Larvae fed on Matrine-treated mulberry leaves also showed a significant reduction in digestive enzyme activities, including α-amylase, trypsin, chymotrypsin, elastase, aminopeptidases, and carboxypeptidases. Activities of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, γ-glutamyltransferase, and both acid and alkaline phosphatases were significantly reduced in treated larvae, while lactate dehydrogenase activity did not differ between treated and control groups. Antioxidant enzymes—including catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase—were significantly induced in Matrine-treated larvae. Statistical analyses further revealed that Matrine negatively affected several economic traits of <em>Bombyx mori</em>, including larval weight, pupal weight, cocoon weight, and cocoon shell weight. Laboratory evidence indicates that Matrine induces rapid mortality and substantial physiological stress in <em>G. pyloalis</em> larvae, while immediate exposure in <em>B. mori</em> results in detectable side effects on key economic parameters. These findings highlight Matrine as a promising and environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic insecticides for protecting mulberry trees and supporting the long-term sustainability of sericulture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8774,"journal":{"name":"Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology","volume":"72 ","pages":"Article 103932"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147397356","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":"Production, chemical characterization and bioactive properties of cell-bound and extracellular biosurfactants from a newly isolated, potential probiotic Lactobacillus strain grown on dairy wastes","authors":"Dimitra Alimpoumpa,&nbsp;Maria Alexandri,&nbsp;Harris Papapostolou,&nbsp;Nikolaos Kopsahelis","doi":"10.1016/j.bcab.2026.103922","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bcab.2026.103922","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of health-promoting microorganisms for biosurfactant (BS) production could expand their applications, especially in novel food formulations. This study investigated fourteen newly isolated lactic acid bacterial strains for their ability to produce cell-bound (CB) and extracellular (EC) BS using deproteinized cheese whey (CW) as substrate. Among the tested isolates, the potential probiotic strain <em>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</em> F254 showed the most promising results in terms of substrate utilization and BS production. In batch bioreactor fermentations with CW as the sole nutrient source, the strain was able to produce 0.25 g/L of cell-bound BS (CB-BS) and 0.51 g/L of extracellular BS (EC-BS). Critical micelle concentration (CMC) was lower for CB-BS (0.20 g/L) compared to the EC-BS (1.07 g/L). ATR-FTIR and chromatographic analyses point to a glycolipopeptide nature for both BS types composed mainly of glucose, galactose, and palmitic acid; however, amino acid profiles differed: CB-BS contained predominantly arginine and glutamic acid, while EC-BS were mainly composed of phenylalanine, isoleucine, and proline. Both BS types were also able to inhibit several pathogenic microorganisms, while EC-BS could completely suppress the growth of <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>. This is the first report describing simultaneous production and characterization of both CB and EC-BS by <em>L. plantarum</em> F254. The ability to obtain bioactive BS from a potential probiotic strain using dairy waste as substrate demonstrates clear bioprocess and industrial relevance, providing a sustainable route for valorizing CW while generating natural compounds suitable for clean-label food formulations or other high-value applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8774,"journal":{"name":"Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology","volume":"72 ","pages":"Article 103922"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974473","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":"Targeting acetylcholinesterase inhibitor by 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol an allelopathic compound in rice based on in silico, in vitro, fluorescence and HPLC analyses","authors":"Apirak Payaka ,&nbsp;Sompong Sansenya ,&nbsp;Preecha Mansalai ,&nbsp;Nipitpon Srimai ,&nbsp;Danuyada Wattanaumadechakul ,&nbsp;Rattanawan Thubthed ,&nbsp;Nattinee Jitprawetand ,&nbsp;Thunyakorn Rattanahanvet","doi":"10.1016/j.bcab.2026.103945","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bcab.2026.103945","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>2,4-Di tert-butylphenol (2,4-DTNB) has been identified as an allelopathic substance present in plants. The biological activity of 2,4-DTNB relevant to human health has been explored, but evidence linking it to Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains lacking. Here, we evaluated the inhibitory potential and kinetic analysis of 2,4-DTNB based on fluorescence analysis <em>in vitro</em>, <em>in silico</em>. Moreover, the study also uses HPLC analysis to investigate the content of 2,4-DTNB in the Thai rice cultivars. The 2,4-DTNB contained in rice samples was approximately 38.40 ± 0.30 to 290.73 ± 2.48 μg/kg. The effect of all rice extracts has the potential to inhibit AChE. Specifically, the 2,4-DTNB has inhibitory potential against the AChE was 52.05 <span><math><mrow><mo>±</mo></mrow></math></span> 2.43 (%). These results demonstrated that the AChE inhibition by rice extracts was independent of both the content and inhibitory potential of 2,4-DTNB. The 2,4-DTNB inhibited the AChE via a mixed-type inhibition mechanism with the <em>K</em>_i of 100.00 μM. Fluorescence analysis indicated that the 2,4-DTNB was bound with aromatic amino acids such as TRP84, PHE330, PHE331, and TYR334, and by the concentration-dependent enhancement of intrinsic fluorescence and synchronous fluorescence changes of aromatic residues, particularly tyrosine, consistent with ligand-induced conformational alterations. The docking results also supported that the 2,4-DTNB was surrounded by amino acids at the midway between PAS and anionic subsite in the active site of AChE. These findings suggest that 2,4-DTNB, an allelopathic substance found in rice, is a potential candidate as an AChE inhibitor for AD treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8774,"journal":{"name":"Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology","volume":"72 ","pages":"Article 103945"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146073619","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":"Three-phase partitioning (TPP) purification, characterization and dye decolorization application of laccase from Pseudolagarobasidium acaciicola TDW-48","authors":"Thi Thu Huong Luong,&nbsp;Supattra Poeaim","doi":"10.1016/j.bcab.2026.103940","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bcab.2026.103940","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study focused on the efficient and economical purification of laccase from <em>P. acaciicola</em> TDW-48 and its application in dye decolorization. Firstly, the <em>P. acaciicola</em> TDW-48's laccase was purified by the three-phase partitioning (TPP) method, and then the artificial neural network-genetic algorithm (ANN-GA) optimization was used to improve the purification yield. The result indicated that the TPP method successfully purified <em>P. acaciicola</em> TDW-48's laccase with a high purification yield. After ANN-GA optimization, the strong interactive effects of the TPP parameters on purification yield were demonstrated by a high-accuracy ANN model (R-value of 0.99918 for all datasets). An optimum TPP system was developed, achieving 138.7 % activity recovery and 1.62-fold purity at a 57.82 % salt concentration, pH 5.75, and a t-butanol/enzyme ratio of 1.5. In the following, the enzyme characteristics and application potential of purified laccase were determined. The <em>P. acaciicola</em> TDW-48's laccase showed a molecular weight of 60.5 kDa and functioned optimally at pH 3 and 30 °C. The kinetic parameters implied high affinity and catalytic efficiency for the ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)) substrate, with a low Km (37.9 μM) and a high Vmax (46.01 mM/min). Moreover, the purified laccase showed excellent potential for dye decolorization, with 44 % Congo red, 80 % bromophenol blue, and 58 % phenol red decolorized after 8 h of treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8774,"journal":{"name":"Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology","volume":"72 ","pages":"Article 103940"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034969","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":"A novel broad-specificity GH51 α-L-arabinofuranosidase from Paenibacillus antarcticus that acts synergistically with other xylanolytic enzymes to completely saccharify arabinoxylans","authors":"Yesi Maysita ,&nbsp;Gayatri Budhi Khrisnamurti ,&nbsp;Bauke W. Dijkstra ,&nbsp;Ni Nyoman Tri Puspaningsih ,&nbsp;Ali Rohman","doi":"10.1016/j.bcab.2026.103926","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bcab.2026.103926","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The genome of the psychrotolerant bacterium <em>Paenibacillus antarcticus</em> KACC 11469 contains a gene for an α-L-arabinofuranosidase. We report biochemical properties of the recombinant product of this gene (rPan-AF51), the first enzyme to be characterized from this bacterium. Sequence and structural analyses identified it as a member of glycoside hydrolase family 51. The enzyme showed optimal activity at pH 6.0 and was stable over the pH range of 6.0–10.0. It exhibited optimal activity at 35 °C and retained both stability and activity at or below this temperature, indicating cold adaptation. rPan-AF51 was highly sensitive to transition-metal ions and detergents, whereas main-group-metal ions, EDTA, β-mercaptoethanol, and ethanol had minimal effect, and monosaccharides caused weak inhibition. rPan-AF51 is an exo-acting enzyme with high activity towards 4-nitrophenyl-α-L-arabinofuranoside (4-NPA); kinetic analysis revealed <em>K</em>_m, <em>V</em>_max, and <em>k</em>_cat values of 0.44 mM, 313 U/mg, and 309 s⁻¹, respectively. Remarkably, the enzyme is able to hydrolyse α-1,2, α-1,3, and α-1,5-L-arabinofuranosidic bonds at the non-reducing termini of α-L-arabinose-containing saccharides. Among the polysaccharides tested, the enzyme was most efficient on debranched sugar beet arabinan (DBAR), followed by partially debranched wheat arabinoxylan (EDWAX) and sugar beet arabinan (ARAB), with <em>k</em>_cat/<em>K</em>_m values of 0.484, 0.346, and 0.240 mL mg⁻¹·s⁻¹, respectively. Finally, rPan-AF51 acted synergistically with β-xylanase and β-xylosidase in the complete saccharification of rye flour arabinoxylan (RAXY), a substrate that is otherwise recalcitrant to complete hydrolysis. These properties make rPan-AF51 a potential catalyst for industrial applications that operate at low to moderate temperatures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8774,"journal":{"name":"Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology","volume":"72 ","pages":"Article 103926"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974461","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":"Bio-stimulants role in modulating the physiological attributes and antioxidant defense system for improving the growth and productivity of flax plants","authors":"A.S.M. Younis ,&nbsp;A.A. Ramadan ,&nbsp;M.M.S. Abdallah ,&nbsp;B.A. Bakry ,&nbsp;H.M.S. El-Bassiouny","doi":"10.1016/j.bcab.2026.103929","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bcab.2026.103929","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A field experiment was conducted at the Research and Production Station of the National Research Centre (NRC), Al-Nubaria District, Al-Behaira Governorate, Egypt, during two successive winter seasons, 2021/2022 and 2022/2023. To estimate the effects of foliar application of alanine and biotin (50, 75, and 100 mg/L) on flax (<em>Linum usitatissimum</em> L.; cultivar Sakha-3), growth characteristics, photosynthetic pigments, seed yield quantity and quality, and some biochemical aspects, grown in sandy soil. Exogenous application of alanine or biotin improved flax growth and yield by stimulating the biosynthesis of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), enhanced the activities of key antioxidant enzymes (peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, superoxide dismutase, and ascorbate peroxidase), and increased the levels of non-enzymatic antioxidant compounds such as phenols, flavonoids, β-carotene, lycopene, anthocyanins, and glutathione. Moreover, alanine and biotin concentrations caused significant increases in nutritional values of the yielded seeds as carbohydrates, proteins, and oil percentage. The produced seeds had a higher ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids. It was observed that 75 mg/L of alanine induced the highest % of increase compared to control plants in terms of No. of capsules/plant (44.26 %), capsules yield/plant (70.89 %), seeds yield/plant (40 %), No. of seeds/capsule (36.01 %). Consequently the quantity and quality of seed yield (ton/ha), and oil yield (ton/ha) of flax plants grown in reclaimed sandy soil were increased. Meanwhile, biotin at 100 mg/L improved the quality of oil in terms of unsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio compared to the control, being 8.03 <em>vs.</em> 3.72 %, respectively.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8774,"journal":{"name":"Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology","volume":"72 ","pages":"Article 103929"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974475","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":"Croton grewioides Baill essential oil reduces biofilm formation and the virulence of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris","authors":"Caroline Alves Soares ,&nbsp;Itamara Bomfim Gois ,&nbsp;Luís Fernando de Andrade Nascimento ,&nbsp;Larissa Sousa Gois ,&nbsp;Jessica Silva Santos ,&nbsp;Arie Fitzgerald Blank ,&nbsp;Paulo Roberto Gagliardi ,&nbsp;Roberta Pereira Miranda Fernandes","doi":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103913","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103913","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Preventing crop losses caused by plant pathogens through sustainable strategies is crucial for food security and environmental protection. <em>Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris</em> (<em>Xcc</em>), the causal agent of black rot in crucifers, severely affects <em>Brassica oleracea</em> L. crops worldwide. This study evaluated essential oils (EOs) from <em>Croton grewioides</em> Baill. for their ability to inhibit <em>Xcc</em> virulence factors, focusing on biofilm formation, bacterial motility, and extracellular enzyme activity. Leaves of 25 <em>C. grewioides</em> accessions were subjected to hydrodistillation and the EOs of 5 accessions, selected from antibiofilm activity screening, were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Eugenol was identified as the major compound in accessions CGR-107 (82.86 %), CGR-108 (81.67 %) and CGR-220 (84.92 %), while methyl eugenol (70.10 %) and methyl chavicol (69.17 %) predominated in CGR-311 and CGR-204, respectively. Biofilm formation was significantly reduced, with eugenol being the compound with the highest correlation with antibiofilm activity (VIP = 2.54, PLS-DA, accuracy: 0.65, R²: 0.98, Q²: 0.97). Degradation of preformed biofilms reached 71.47 % (CGR-220). Bacterial displacement was also inhibited, with CGR-311 presenting the smallest displacement area (0.35 cm²). Cellulase, endoglucanase, and protease activities were significantly reduced, with inhibitions of 75.9 % for endoglucanase (CGR-204), 59.0 % for cellulase (CGR-204), and 64.0 % for protease (CGR-107). The CGR-204 accession did not compromise cell viability, suggesting antivirulence action without bactericidal effect. These results indicate that <em>C. grewioides</em> EOs are promising antivirulence agents for the sustainable control of <em>Xcc</em>, with the potential to reduce dependence on synthetic agrochemicals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8774,"journal":{"name":"Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology","volume":"72 ","pages":"Article 103913"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145941032","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":"Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles by fungal endophytes of the genus Fusarium isolated from Salvia persepolitana, one of the endemic medicinal plants of Iran","authors":"Reza Mostafazade ,&nbsp;Vahid Soheili ,&nbsp;Javad Asili ,&nbsp;Zahra Tazik ,&nbsp;Leila Arabi ,&nbsp;Bibi Sedigheh Fazly Bazzaz","doi":"10.1016/j.bcab.2026.103953","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bcab.2026.103953","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Endophytic fungi are plant symbionts that are recognized as a good source of natural products. Moreover, their use in green synthesis doubles their importance. In this study, silver nanoparticles were extracellularly synthesized by <em>Fusarium</em> endophytes associated with <em>Salvia persepolitana</em>, an endemic medicinal plant of Iran, through the reaction of fungal cell filtrate with silver nitrate under dark conditions. After screening, it was determined that <em>Fusarium oxysporum</em>, <em>Fusarium avenaceum</em>, and <em>Fusarium falciforme</em> could biosynthesize silver nanoparticles. These nanoparticles were investigated in terms of shape, size, and other characteristics using UV–visible spectrophotometry, DLS, FESEM, and FTIR. The formation was confirmed by the presence of an absorption peak in the range of 400–450 nm using UV–visible spectrophotometry. DLS measurements showed single peak sizes of 52.42 nm, 52.82 nm, and 54.28 nm mediated by <em>F. avenaceum</em>, <em>F. oxysporum</em>, and <em>F. falciforme</em>, respectively. PDI less than 0.3 and a suitable zeta potential indicated monodispersity and stability of the particles. FESEM showed that most of particles were spherical and non-aggregated, with a size of 50–70 nm. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of natural compounds in the synthesis and capping processes. Evaluation of the antibacterial activity of nanoparticles using agar well diffusion assay showed that they had notable dose-dependent antibacterial activity against <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> (inhibition zone approximately 16.5–21.5 mm) and <em>Escherichia coli</em> (inhibition zone approximately 16–21 mm). In addition, they had good chemical and physical stability. In conclusion, silver nanoparticles biosynthesized by <em>Fusarium</em> symbiotic with <em>Salvia persepolitana</em> via green synthesis represent a suitable alternative to synthetic methods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8774,"journal":{"name":"Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology","volume":"72 ","pages":"Article 103953"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147397354","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":"Targeted mutagenesis in glutamine synthetase for improved herbicide resistance and nitrogen utilization in maize","authors":"Sneha Murmu ,&nbsp;Mayank Rashmi ,&nbsp;Santosh Kumar Behera ,&nbsp;Sunil Kumar ,&nbsp;Girish Kumar Jha ,&nbsp;Jyoti Kumari ,&nbsp;Gyan Prakash Mishra ,&nbsp;P.V. Vara Prasad","doi":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103914","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103914","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Maize (<em>Zea mays</em>) is crucial not only for food and medicine but also for its industrial applications and use as animal feed. Glutamine synthetase (GS) is a crucial enzyme in maize, responsible for the assimilation and re-assimilation of ammonia through the formation of glutamine from ammonia and glutamate, accompanied by ATP hydrolysis. Weed infestation significantly reduces maize yields, and while herbicides are used to control weeds, they often interfere with maize's metabolic pathways, thereby affecting crop production. Phosphinothricin Phosphate (P3P), a commonly used broad-spectrum herbicide, inhibits GS in maize, causing ammonia accumulation, decreased glutamine levels, and eventually plant death. This study aims to identify an herbicide that can control weed growth without disrupting the activity of GS in maize, utilizing virtual screening and molecular dynamic simulation approaches. The research findings suggest that Bispyribac (PubChem CID: 443031) effectively controls the weed <em>Setaria viridis</em> without interfering with maize's metabolic pathways. Furthermore, site-directed mutations at the active site of GS, specifically R316C and R332C, were found to alter the structural and functional properties of the enzyme, conferring resistance to both Phosphinothricin Phosphate and Bispyribac. This study indicates that Bispyribac is a promising herbicide for weed control in maize fields, and targeted mutations in GS could enhance herbicide resistance in maize, improving crop productivity and sustainability. This study has important implications for agricultural practices, particularly in improving the efficiency and sustainability of maize production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8774,"journal":{"name":"Biocatalysis and agricultural biotechnology","volume":"72 ","pages":"Article 103914"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145897946","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}