Indian Journal of Microbiology最新文献

The present study was conducted to test the efficacy of Serendipita indica in Brassica juncea against cadmium (Cd) stress. Cd is a trace element that enters into plants through contaminated soil. Serendipita indica is a fungal endophyte which colonizes and benefits exceptionally large group of plants. Roots of 3-days old B. juncea seedlings were inoculated with S. indica and raised in toxic Cd concentrations (10 µM, 30 µM and 50 µM Cd) till 12 days after inoculation in plant growth chamber with conditions of 16-h light/8-h dark photoperiod, temperature 25 °C (± 2 °C) and 80% relative humidity. The seedlings were tested for various morpho-physiological parameters like seed germination, plant biomass and %age heavy metal tolerance index. Also, various non-enzymatic antioxidants like vitamin A, vitamin C, phenols, flavonoids, total soluble sugars, reducing and non-reducing sugars were analyzed. Cd led to reduction in the % age germination of B. juncea seeds. Serendipita indica inoculation incremented the growth parameters like fresh weight, dry weight, root length, shoot length which were diminished by Cd stress. Enhancement of 20.66% in root length was observed in inoculated and Cd stressed seedlings. The content of phenols increased under unstressed conditions by 26.6% and by 55.29% under Cd stressed conditions in S. indica inoculated seedlings along with increasing contents of vitamin A and C. Overall, the content of carbohydrates was enhanced with S. indica inoculation. The study suggests that S. indica endophyte has great potential in boosting growth and physiological parameters which help in managing Cd stress in B. juncea.

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Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus is considered one of the main causes of cervical cancer. In recent years, there has been increasing concern about the health problems associated with HPV infection. To better understand the mechanisms by which high-risk human papillomavirus infection leads to cervical cancer, many studies have begun to explore the role of the vaginal microenvironment in this context. The female vagina is an open cavity with a special anatomical structure, which constitutes the first barrier to protect the vaginal microenvironment. At the same time, the female reproductive tract is a typical micro-ecosystem with a wide variety of microflora, which maintains a dynamic and balanced relationship of symbiosis, coexistence, and mutual control with the external environment and the host. Hormonal changes during the physiological cycle, especially estrogen, have an important influence on the structure and stability of the vaginal flora. In addition, the vagina has an important role in immune homeostasis, where the immune system plays a crucial role in maintaining tissue homeostasis, eliminating pathogens, and avoiding barrier damage. When a pathogen such as human papillomavirus enters the vagina, the immune system initiates an associated immune response to clear the virus and restore tissue health. However, in some cases, the immune system may not be able to effectively respond to human papillomavirus infection, leading to the development of persistent infections. Dysregulation of vaginal microecology may be an important factor in persistent human papillomavirus infection. This review focuses on this topic by describing the vaginal microenvironment, human papillomavirus, and the mechanisms involved in influencing the vaginal microecology causing persistent human papillomavirus infection and thus accelerating cervical carcinogenesis.

A microbial identification method using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-ToF) is an innovative dimension in proteomic analysis. MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry allows not only determine the species and subspecies bacteria, but also determined by proteomic analysis and the corresponding software degree of kinship analyzed strains, which allows this method to be used in epidemiological studies and in comparing strains isolated from patients with chronic infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of using protein spectra of microorganisms obtained by MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry as additional microbiological criteria in assessing the course of the infection process caused by Burkholderia cepacia complex among patients with cystic fibrosis. The analysis of protein profiles, which were obtained by using MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry (Bruker Daltonik GmbH, Germany), was performed by using flexAnalisis 3.0 software (Bruker Daltonik GmbH, Germany). Differences in protein profiles of Burkholderia spp. isolates were found depended on the stage of infection of a cystic fibrosis patient with prolonged colonisation of the lower respiratory tract. The protein profiles of Burkholderia spp. isolates that formed a heterogeneous population containing both NCV and SCV morphotypes were also studied. A regular dynamic monitoring and comparison of protein profiles of microbial strains can be useful in forecasting effort of the clinical course of the disease, as well as in assessing of risks of severe infectious complications development.

One of the most serious gynecological diseases in the world is ovarian cancer (OC). These days, the majority of patients are identified at an advanced stage (III or IV), with subpar diagnosis resulting in a return of the illness. Conventional medicines fail as a result of issues with early illness identification and treatment processing, including issues with dosage delivery, side effects, and treatment resistance. The carbon nanotube (CNT)-based drug delivery systems for specific OC therapy are highlighted in this review. These systems have several advantages against free drugs, including nontoxicity, biological compatibility, high biodegradability, increased therapeutic impact, and non-inflammatory effects. Crucially, functionalized CNTs with particular ligands like cancer antigen (CA125), Human epididymis protein 4 (HE4), Mucin 1, and folic acid (FA) allow for selective targeting of OC and ultimately increase therapeutic potential in comparison to their nonfunctionalized counterparts. This review focused on the potential applications of CNTs in the detection and treatment of OC, as well as their present status and future clinical developments.

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Potato waste can serve as the growth media component for microorganism’s growth owing to its nutritional profile. The study evaluates different horticultural wastes to utilize it as media component to develop a cheaper media formulation for biopigment production using Rhodotorula sp. MTCC 1446. Proximate analysis of wastes revealed the optimum level of total sugars, reducing sugars, titratable acidity, macro and micronutrients in potato waste for growth of Rhodotorula sp. yeast culture. Concentration optimization showed the 5.0% (w/v) potato waste as media component resulted in 2.82 ± 0.8 g/kg biomass and 259.46 ± 9.5 µg/g biopigment productions. Standardization of growth conditions were carried out implementing Response Surface Methodology. Optimized growth conditions for Rhodotorula sp. were found to be pH 7.0, 30 °C, 66 h incubation time and 362.5 g DAHP addition that lead to production of 34.60 g/L biomass and 3345.82 µg/g biopigment. Validation at 3L scale showed the production of 32.6 g/L biomass and 3152.42 µg/g biopigment with the desirability of 98%. Characterization discovered the presence of carotenoids having antimicrobial, anticancerous, antioxidant properties and stability studies revealed the thermostable (up to 70 °C) and UV light and sunlight stability for 4 h of biopigment. Utilization of biopigment in food products increased the nutraceutical value of the product by increasing its phenolic content as well as appearance of the respected food items. In conclusion, the biopigment produced growing Rhodotorula sp. on potato waste based media under optimal conditions represents a viable natural substitute to artificial food colors in food industry.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are prevalent bacterial infections globally, posing significant challenges due to their frequency, recurrence, and antibiotic resistance. This review delves into the advancements in UTI diagnostics over the past decade, particularly focusing on the development of biosensor technologies. The emergence of biosensors, including microfluidic, optical, electrochemical, immunosensors, and nanotechnology-based sensors, offers enhanced diagnostic accuracy, reduced healthcare costs. Despite these advancements, challenges such as technical limitations, the need for cross-population validation, and economic barriers for widespread implementation persist. The integration of artificial intelligence and smart devices in UTI diagnostics, highlighting the innovative approaches and their implications for patient care. The article envisions a future where multidisciplinary research and innovation overcome current obstacles, fully leveraging the potential of biosensor technologies to transform biosensor-based UTIs diagnosis. The ultimate goal is to achieve rapid, accurate, and non-invasive diagnostics, making healthcare more accessible and effective.

Heavy metal contamination and accumulation pose a major threat to all life forms in the environment due to its toxic nature, non-biodegradable properties and accumulative behavior. The present study aims to investigate the metals resistance mechanisms, removal capacity and bioremediation potential of the high metal-resistant indigenous bacterial species Bacillus thuringiensis strain BHR1, Bacillus cereus strain BHR2, Enterobacter cloacae strain BHR4, Bacillus pumilus strain BHR5, Bacillus altitudinis strain BHR6 and Klebsiella pneumonia strain BHR8 isolated from the effluent water. Moreover, the presence of specific metal transporter genes such as chrA, chrB, pbrA and nccA in these isolates indicated their role in metal resistance and removal. Based on minimum inhibitory concentration, bacterial isolates namely, BHR1 and BHR5 exhibited high metal tolerance against Cr (510 and 550 ppm), Pb (250 and 300 ppm), Ni (300 and 150 ppm) and As (200 and 120 ppm), respectively. The bioremediation potential of these bacterial isolates (BHR1 and BHR5) was evaluated under batch-scale conditions. Our results revealed that the addition of nutrients, as well as modification of pH to 6.0, enhances the bioremediation potential of BHR1 enabling the reduction of Pb, Cr, Ni and Zn by 60.9%, 31%, 22.7% and 22%, respectively. These findings suggested the potential application of these metal resistant bacterial isolates for the bioremediation of heavy metal contaminated effluents.

The potential of innovative and alternative probiotic-based antifungal drugs to treat severe biofilm-associated infections has increased demand in recent years. A potentially fatal systemic fungal disease, candidiasis mostly affects the skin and mucous membranes lining inside body cavities such as the nose, mouth, lips, eyes, ears, and genital area. Candida-induced biofilms are densely arranged communities with specific structures that adhere to the surfaces of embedded devices, are covered by an extracellular matrix, and act as an essential virulent factor. It is crucial to explore innovative approaches to aid in treating such fungal illnesses because conventional medications are no longer effective in treating candidiasis. Researchers have been driven to identify the triggers that cause biofilm to grow and mature due to the difficulties involved with biofilm-related disorders. There are still several challenges in Candidasis disease management in clinical settings. A potentially effective approach involves utilising probiotic microorganisms and/or their metabolites, including probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii. It has a significant role in the prevention or treatment of intestinal disorders. The virulence factors, hyphae production, adhesion, and biofilm development of Candida albicans, a significant human fungal pathogen, are influenced by S. boulardii cells and their metabolite, including capric acid. This article is exploring the biotherapeutic potential of probiotic, particularly S. boulardii against Candidiasis and highlighting the health benefits of probiotics on human health.

The food and beverage industries often utilize synthetic colors to enhance aesthetics, despite concerns about their potential health impacts. Consequently, there is a demand for alternative colors; however, the cultivation of non-toxic natural colors proves to be expensive. This study aims to increase the production of prodigiosin, a promising food color, utilizing pigment-producing microorganisms and agro-industrial waste as a substrate through solid-state fermentation technology. The research begins with screening suitable substrates, including wheat bran powder and rice bran, and orange peel powder, along with strains such as Serratia marcescens bhu prodig and Serratia nematodiphilia (NCIM 5606). Subsequently, pigment production is optimized through amino acid supplementation, particularly focusing on sulfur-containing amino acids (methionine, cysteine, and cystine) and aromatic amino acids (tryptophan and tyrosine). Various analytical techniques, including UV-Visiblspectrophotometry, NMR, FTIR, HRMS, and ESI–MS, are employed to characterize the produced pigment. The findings underscore wheat bran powder as an excellent substrate for pigment production, especially with the strain Serratia nematodiphilia (NCIM 5606). Remarkably, tyrosine emerges as the most effective supplement for enhancing pigment yield, followed by cysteine, cystine, and methionine, with a concentration of 0.125 g/L. Additionally, the pigment obtained contains prodigiosin and its derivatives, with molecular weights of 323.19 Da, 309.18 Da, and 351.23 Da.

Malaria is one of the most infectious disease that affects lives of million people throughout the world. Recently, there are several reports which indicate Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) causing severe disease in infected patients from different parts of the world. For P. vivax disease severity, the data related to immunological and inflammatory status in human host is very limited. In the present study clinical parameters, cytokine profile and integrin gene were analyzed in P. vivax clinical patients. A total of 169 P. vivax samples were collected and categorized into severe vivax malaria (SVM; n = 106) and non-severe vivax malaria (NSVM; n = 63) according to WHO severity criteria. We measured host biomarker levels of interferon (IFN-γ), superoxide dismutase (SOD-1), interleukins viz. (IL-6, IL-10), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) in patient plasma samples by ELISA for pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in severe malaria. Host integrin gene was genotyped using PCR assay. In our study, thrombocytopenia and anemia were major symptoms in severe P. vivax patients. In analyzed SVM and NSVM groups a significant increase in cytokine levels (IL-10, IL-6, and TNF-α) and anti-oxidant enzyme SOD-1 was found. Our study results also showed a higher pro-inflammatory (TNF-α, IL-6 and IFN-γ) to anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokine ratio in severe vivax patients. Integrin gene showed no mutation with respect to thrombocytopenic patients among clinically defined groups. It was observed that severe vivax cases had increased cytokine levels irrespective of age and sex of the patients along with thrombocytopenia and other clinical manifestations. The results of current findings could serve as baseline data for evaluating severe malaria parameters during P. vivax infections and will help in developing an effective biomarker for diagnosis.

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