Bacillus species are renowned for producing diverse secondary metabolites with antimicrobial and plant growth-promoting (PGP) activities. This study presents a genomic and functional characterization of Bacillus stercoris B.PNR2, isolated from nutrient-limited volcanic soil in Buriram Province, Northeastern Thailand. The strain exhibited antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum and Colletotrichum spp., along with PGP traits such as indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production and phosphate solubilization. Whole-genome sequencing revealed a 4.11 Mb genome containing 4,283 coding sequences, 60 tRNA genes, and 5 rRNA operons, with a G+C content of 43.83%. Genome analysis identified 7 genes associated with IAA biosynthesis, 5 genes involved in phosphate solubilization (including alkaline phosphatase and phytase), 6 genes for siderophore biosynthesis and transport (bacillibactin cluster), and 9 genes related to nitrogen metabolism (nitrate/nitrite reductases, glutamine synthetase, ammonium transporters). AntiSMASH identified 13 biosynthetic gene clusters, including fengycin, bacillaene, surfactin, bacilysin, bacillibactin, and subtilosin A, with several showing low similarity to known clusters, suggesting potential for novel metabolite production. Phylogenomic analysis placed B.PNR2 within the B. stercoris clade. The genome also encoded 41 antimicrobial resistance genes and 322 transporter genes, indicating adaptive and defensive capabilities. The integration of genomic and functional traits supports B. stercoris B.PNR2 as a promising biofertilizer and biocontrol agent.

The gut is considered the largest organ with a significant function in regulating immune homeostasis throughout the life of an individual. The presence of “good” microbes in the gut tract makes the individual healthier, for example, in Parkinson’s disease a decrease in beneficial microbes such as Blautia and Roseburia is observed contrary to a high population of Akkermansia and Verrucomicrobiaceae which is associated with mucin degradation. The first and foremost microbial colonization in the human gut occurs at the fetal stage in utero. Further, a vast amount of the resident microbial population is also transferred in utero from the oral cavity of the mother. The medical practices of birth, that is, the cesarean delivery or the vaginal delivery regulate the microbiome composition of the newborn. Unregulated dietary changes in human lifestyle along with antibiotics and environmental exposures can alter the gut microbiome. Typically, with less recognized implications for health and the likelihood of disease occurrence, the unhealthy gut impairs the normal functioning of the microbiota. Further, it has been extensively investigated that the intestinal tract harbors the largest and most diverse microbial population, and forms the Enteric Nervous System. Elucidation of the factors that influence this mutualistic relationship is therefore vital for understanding the Gut–Brain communication.

A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of organic amendments and biofertilizers on the soil properties and growth of Centrosema pubescens seedlings. The study involved six treatment combinations consisting of two inoculation levels (with and without biofertilizers) and three rates of organic amendments (0, 15, and 30 g/kg soil), arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Organic amendments were prepared as a mixture of chicken manure, vermicast, and rice hull biochar in a 2:1:1 ratio (v/v), while the biofertilizer consisted of Trichoderma harzianum, Bacillus subtilis, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Soil analysis after harvest showed that organic amendments improved organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, exchangeable potassium, as well as available copper and zinc, but reduced soil pH, iron, and manganese. The 30 g/kg application rate consistently produced the most notable improvements. Biofertilizer application significantly enhanced plant performance, resulting in taller plants, more leaves, greater leaf area, thicker stem diameter, higher shoot and root biomass, longer roots, and increased root nodulation. Meanwhile, the combined application of organic amendments and biofertilizers resulted in higher leaf number, larger leaf area, and heavier shoot weights. These results highlight the potential of using organic amendments and biofertilizers to improve soil fertility and promote plant growth, supporting the rehabilitation of mined-out areas.

Nickel contamination leads to serious ecological and health risks, necessitating the need for sustainable remediation strategies. This study evaluated the nickel remediation potential of Enterobacter cloacae SK1, which exhibited a high minimal inhibitory concentration of 1100 ppm. Optimization experiments revealed a maximum nickel removal efficiency of 92.83% under optimal conditions of 48 h of contact time, 50 ppm initial nickel concentration, pH 7, temperature of 28°C, and 1.5% biomass concentration. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis indicated the involvement of functional groups, such as O–H, C–H, N–O, and C–N in nickel binding. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis showed cell aggregation and shrinkage in nickel-exposed cells, while Transmission electron microscope (TEM) confirmed intracellular sequestration of nickel as electron-dense granules. Further, the cells were immobilized in alginate, agarose, and chitosan, and their removal efficiencies were compared. Alginate-immobilized cells achieved the highest removal efficiency (98.33%), compared with agarose (68.17%) and chitosan (75%). FTIR spectra of alginate-immobilized E. cloacae SK1 revealed the involvement of various functional groups (O–H, C–H, and N–H), while SEM showed increased surface damage following nickel exposure. In an in situ bioremediation experiment, alginate-immobilized cells removed 93.50% of nickel from contaminated soil compared to the native cells (91.24%). Genomic analysis identified resistance genes NiCoT, hupE, and mgtE, confirming the strain’s metal tolerance. Thus, these findings demonstrated that E. cloacae SK1 could be considered as a sustainable biological agent for mitigating nickel contamination in polluted environments.

Adult giant honey bees (Apis dorsata F.) possess high nutritional value, particularly in terms of protein and essential amino acids. However, their application as a functional food ingredient remains largely unexplored. The purpose of this study was to develop high-protein fermented seasoning sauces derived from adult A. dorsata by employing a fermentation process similar to soy sauce, which is mediated by Aspergillus oryzae for koji preparation. D53 (bee: water = 5:3), D431 (bee: water: rice flour = 4:3:1), D53A, and D431A (similar to D53 and D431, respectively, although supplemented with 1.0% koji starter) were the four formulations that were examined. A total of 60 days of fermentation was achieved by first fermenting each sample for 30 days, then adding 23% brine and continuing to ferment for another 30 days at 30 °C. Color analysis using the CIE Lab* system showed a statistically significant difference in L* values, with D53 (control) exhibiting higher lightness and b* values but lower a* values compared to D431. The pH of both samples decreased from an initial value of 7.00 to a final range of 5.07–5.13. A gradual reduction in total soluble solid and electrical conductivity was also observed during the fermentation period. Protein content increased significantly in both formulations, with D431A and D53A reaching 3.08% and 2.80%, respectively, markedly higher than in the control and sample without fungal inoculation. Total nitrogen content also increased, reaching 0.45%, indicating proteolytic activity by A. oryzae. Principal component analysis showed a clear difference in sauce quality from various fermentation methods, particularly in terms of physicochemical characteristics (PC1: 71.8%, PC2: 20.9%). This study points out the feasibility of adult A. dorsata as an alternative high-protein substrate for producing value-added fermented sauce, thereby contributing to the diversification of sustainable protein sources.

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are very important in the improvement of plant productivity and soil health. In spite of the common application of these PGPR as bioinoculants, it has not been adequately described how they affect the indigenous population of the soil microbial community. This paper examines the impact of two strains of PGPR mostly used, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia spp., on the rhizosphere bacterial community of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) in the greenhouse. An experiment of pot with controlled conditions was carried out by inoculation of PGPR strains in tomato seedlings. Pre- and post-inoculation of soil samples was taken and subjected to 16S rRNA gene-based amplicon sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq platform. The QIIME2 and the Microbiome Analyst tools were used to analyze both taxonomic profiling, diversity analysis and core microbiome identification. The outcome identified bacterial diversity and community composition alterations to be evident due to the application of PGPR inoculation. There was an increase in taxonomic richness in beneficial genus such as Pseudomonas, Burkholderia, Bacillus, and Paenibacillus. As shown in beta diversity analysis of principal coordinate analysis, there was clear separation of the treated soils as compared to the control. It was also demonstrated that core microbiome and Venn diagrams further supported the finding that there was recruitment of unique operational taxonomic units in the PGPR-treated groups, although Burkholderia-inoculated soil had the greatest number of unique taxa. Such results show that the use of PGPR not only improves the abundance of friendly microbial populations but also redesigns the indigenous microbial structure of the tomato rhizosphere. This study confirms the strategic application of PGPR as a crop health enhancer and toward sustainable agriculture.

Mushrooms are recognized as important sources of bioactive compounds with antioxidant, antidiabetic, and neuroprotective properties. However, cup mushrooms remain relatively understudied despite their potential for producing unique secondary metabolites. This study evaluated the effects of culture medium, pH, temperature, agitation, and incubation period on the mycelial biomass production of Sarcoscypha spp., Phillipsia domingensis, and Cookeina tricholoma, and assessed their chemical profiles and bioactivities. Among the culture media tested, rice bran broth supported the highest biomass for Sarcoscypha spp. (326.3 mg/100 mL) and P. domingensis (342.3 mg/100 mL), whereas coconut water was optimal for C. tricholoma (312 mg/100 mL). Maximum growth occurred at pH 6.0, with optimal temperatures of 20°C for Sarcoscypha spp. and P. domingensis and 30°C for C. tricholoma, and agitation at 150 rpm significantly enhanced biomass accumulation. Peak biomass was achieved after 20 days for Sarcoscypha spp. (1585 mg/100 mL) and P. domingensis (1293 mg/100 mL), and 10 days for C. tricholoma (1314 mg/100 mL). Thin-layer chromatography analysis revealed essential oils, coumarins, and anthrones in all species; triterpenes and sterols in P. domingensis and C. tricholoma; alkaloids in Sarcoscypha spp. and P. domingensis; steroids in Sarcoscypha spp. and C. tricholoma; and phenols, tannins, and flavonoids exclusively in P. domingensis. 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity ranged from 17.17–57.42% for mycelial extracts and 40.96–53.20% for exopolysaccharides. Mycelial extract of Sarcoscypha spp. at 10 μg/mL exhibited the highest α-glucosidase inhibition (23.03%) and acetylcholinesterase inhibition (12.74%), indicating its promising antidiabetic and neuroprotective potential. These findings underscore the biotechnological significance of cup mushrooms as sources of antioxidant, antidiabetic, and neuroprotective metabolites.

Since antiquity, humans have been highly influenced by genetic makeup for crop selection and its domestication through selective breeding and mutation breeding. Novel crosses for modifying the genetic makeup to produce hybrids with the beneficial trait(s) are started by traditional crop breeders. Further, the alterations in genetic makeup are introduced by mutations and plant tissue culture. Now, the modern biotechnological strategies enable gene(s) transfer between species, for genomic manipulation, which could not occur naturally. Genetic manipulation results in producing genetically modified (GM) crops with beneficial traits, including quality improvement, increased yield, and stress tolerance. As GM crops should be safe for consumption and the environment, GM produce, as a whole crop, crop part, or processed food, has to be considered for an early safety evaluation. Because the biotechnology involved in genetic manipulation may bring some known and unknown risks. As per our knowledge at present, there are three categories of potential risks related to the use of modern biotechnology: (i) risks related to the health of humans, animals, and plants, (ii) risks related to the protection of biodiversity and agricultural sustainability, and (iii) risks related to the ethical and socioeconomic issues. With all-new strategies and technologies, several doubts, questions, and concerns are being raised about tampering with Mother Nature and the associated risks to the environment and consumer health. This review aims to address several key issues associated with recombinant technology and GM foods, such as biosafety, ecological and environmental concerns, and health risks.

Azoxystrobin, a strobilurin fungicide widely used in agriculture, is increasingly detected in freshwater ecosystems, raising concerns about its potential impact on non-target aquatic species such as grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). This study focused exclusively on the histopathological alterations induced by azoxystrobin (25% SC; a commercial suspension concentrate formulation) in the gills, liver, kidney, and intestine of C. idella under acute (1.6 ppm, 24 h) and short-term sublethal (0.16 ppm, 4–8 days) exposure conditions. Exposure produced clear concentration and time-dependent changes, including epithelial lifting and lamellar fusion in the gills, hepatocellular vacuolation and necrosis in the liver, tubular degeneration in the kidney, and villus atrophy and mucosal ulceration in the intestine. Lesion severity increased with exposure duration and concentration, indicating organ-specific structural impairments. The histopathological alterations observed in this study complement previously reported biochemical and behavioral disturbances caused by azoxystrobin exposure in freshwater fish. The use of a water-dispersible commercial formulation eliminated the need for solvent or positive controls, thereby reducing animal use while maintaining experimental validity. Overall, the findings provide the first detailed multiorgan histopathological characterization of azoxystrobin toxicity in grass carp and highlight histopathology as a sensitive endpoint for evaluating pesticide effects in aquaculture-linked freshwater environments.

Purple senggani (Melastoma malabathricum) is a tropical flowering plant valued for its antioxidant-rich phenolic compounds. Postharvest thermal pretreatments such as water blanching may inactivate enzymes but also affect phenolic stability. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of water blanching at (70, 80, and 90 °C) for 30–180 s on enzymatic activity and phenolic retention in purple senggani flowers. Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activities were assessed spectrophotometrically. Ultrasound-assisted extraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode array detector analysis was used to identify and quantify key flavonoids. Total phenolic content (TPC) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were also measured. The results showed that PPO and POD activities decreased significantly with increasing blanching intensity, with maximum inactivation of 93% and 75%, respectively. However, blanching also led to substantial degradation of flavonoids such as rutin, quercetin 3-glucoside, trifolin, and astragalin, with several compounds falling below detection levels. These reductions were reflected in sharp declines in TPC and TAC values. The study highlights a trade-off between enzyme inactivation and phytochemical preservation. Further comparative studies are needed to identify optimal processing conditions that maintain both enzyme control and antioxidant integrity in phenolic-rich plant materials.