Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common illnesses impacting individuals and are usually caused by uropathogenic bacteria such as E. coli. The pursuit to address E. coli responsible for urinary tract infections has prompted numerous researchers to design antibiotic medications. This study’s aim was to identify the antibiotic potential of phytochemical compounds derived from medicinal plants by examining their molecular interactions and binding affinities with E. coli curli proteins, and to evaluate their structure–activity and structure–property relationships in relation to antibiotic effectiveness. This study utilized candidate selection and molecular docking through an in silico approach. Additionally, it employed PyRx and BIOVIA for molecular docking analysis and SwissADME for ADMET prediction. In this study, 12 potent phytochemical inhibitors were identified, where Kaempferol (-6.5 and -7.5), Flavonoids (-5.8 and -6.9), and Ladanein (-6.2 and -7.1) showed the greatest results as drug development prospects, as they expressed good binding affinity with E. coli O157:H7 and E. coli O69:H11, respectively, and with favorable ADME properties. The study findings suggest that these phytochemicals can be used as potential antibiotic drug inhibitors against E. coli curli protein CsgA. The study’s findings offer significant insights that are advantageous for progressing research on antibiotic medications.

Potato virus Y (PVY) is a major plant pathogen affecting solanaceous crops, particularly potato and tomato, leading to significant economic losses. The viral coat protein (CP) is essential for virion stability, host interactions, and immune recognition. Identifying conserved and variable epitopes within the PVY CP provides insights into viral evolution, host adaptation, and potential targets for disease control. This study aimed to investigate the conservation and sequence variability of key PVY CP epitopes across diverse geographic locations and host species. By analyzing the epitope sequences, this study identified the conserved regions suitable for diagnostic tools and the variations indicative of viral adaptation. A comparative sequence analysis of PVY strains from different regions was conducted. Multiple sequence alignments determined identity percentages, conserved motifs, and variations in epitopes, including PVY-CP-A, -D, -F, -G, -H, and -I. Most epitopes exhibited high conservation. PVY-CP-A showed 100 % identity in most strains, with slight variations (91.67 %) in a Greek isolate. PVY-CP-D and -F were largely conserved, with minor variations (87.50 %) recorded in Poland and Bangladesh. PVY-CP-G displayed reduced identity (83.33%) in Poland, China, and Bangladesh, suggesting adaptation. PVY-CP-H was completely conserved, reinforcing its structural importance. PVY-CP-I showed the highest conservation, with minor variations in the UK and China. These findings highlight the conserved PVY epitopes as potential targets for universal diagnostic tools and control strategies. Minor variations suggest regional adaptations, influencing pathogenicity, and host interactions. This study provides valuable insights into PVY evolution, aiding in improved virus detection and diagnosis development.

Biofilms represent intricate communities of the surface-adherent bacterial cells, which are enclosed in a matrix of polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, and DNA. Biofilms are associated with a substantial part of bacterial infections in humans including healthcare-associated infections. Moreover, biofilms constitute a major health concern as they are commonly linked with persistent and recurrent infections, leading to higher morbidity, mortality, and economic burden. Clinical challenges arise when eliminating biofilms due to their high levels of antibacterial resistance, prompting the development of novel antibiofilm agents. In this review, we aim to direct the spot on innovative strategies that combat biofilms via interruption of quorum sensing (QS), targeting extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs), dispersion of biofilms, development of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), and targeting the biofilm metabolism. Furthermore, this review highlights the futuristic antibiofilm approaches such as nanoparticles (NPs), surface coatings, antimicrobial microneedles, and photodynamic therapy. Notably, the use of new antibiofilm agents has been faced by many obstacles such as potential host toxicity, poor stability, and limited in vivo efficacy. Therefore, our assessment of various antibiofilm approaches may help to direct future endeavors toward efficient antibiofilm strategies. Moreover, further research is crucial to guarantee the effective and safe use of these agents and cross the gap between laboratory research and clinical practice.

UF-Cheese permeate is a dairy byproduct characterized by high lactose content, generated through the ultrafiltration process that separates proteins and fats from milk. The aim of this study was to use UF-Cheese permeate as a medium for promoting bacterial growth to producing the β-galactosidase (lactase) enzyme, which is beneficial for individuals with lactose intolerance in manufactured dairy products. Lactic acid bacteria, also known as LAB are recognized as effective producers of the lactase enzyme. A total of eleven LAB isolates were evaluated for their ability to produce intracellular lactase in a submerged fermentation setup under static conditions. Among the isolates that demonstrated positive results, the most prolific lactase producer was identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strain S1 through 16S rDNA sequencing. The assay of β-galactosidase production was performed using O-nitrophenyl β-D-galactopyranoside (ONPG) as a hydrolytic substrate. Improvement of β-galactosidase synthesis from the selected Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strain S1, utilizing permeate as a growth medium, was achieved through the application of response surface methodology. A peak β-galactosidase activity of 5.523 U/ ml was recorded at a pH 7, a lactose concentration of 4.6 %, UF-cheese permeate serving as a carbon source, 2 % potassium nitrate (KNO₃) as a nitrogen source, an inoculum size of 5%, and incubated at 37 ºC for 24 h. In this study, the UF-cheese permeate as a dairy waste, considered an environmental pollution, was used as a fermentation substrate for functional microorganisms such as LAB, offering a promising alternative for waste management and sustainable production of high-quality metabolites, including enzymes, mainly proteases and β-galactosidase, organic acids, exopolysaccharides (EPSs), and bacteriocins. This is in addition to isolating a novel lactic acid bacterial strain identified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strain S1, which displayed the potential to generate β-galactosidase when cultivated on UV-cheese permeate as a fermentation medium. The obtained β-galactosidase enzyme had the capacity to facilitate the substantial manufacturing of low-lactose dairy products tailored for individuals with lactose intolerance. This enzyme has diverse applications in food, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and biofuels. This suggests that a bacterial strain may not only have a capacity for enzyme production but also operates efficiently, representing a promising candidate for further studies and potential applications in the biotechnological processes.

This review aims to explore the efficacy of probiotic supplementation in non-dairy beverages on the management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The pre-March 2025 study selected eight articles from electronic databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Embase. These studies involved a variety of plant matrices (i.e., Astragalus membranaceus, soy, sorghum, blueberry, gogi berry, raspberry, apple, and lichi) and probiotic strains (bacteria and yeast) in a single or mixed cultures. The impact of consuming fermented beverages on gut microbiota (GM) was examined in relation to several conditions, including hyperuricemia, obesity, diabetes, dysbiosis, and colitis, in addition to healthy control individuals. The results indicate that drinking these probiotized beverages greatly alters the composition of the GM by correcting dysbiosis. These beverages foster a rich environment for beneficial bacteria that are known to produce short-chain fatty acids. These fatty acids play a crucial role in maintaining the health and integrity of the intestinal barrier, supporting immune function, and modulating inflammatory responses within the body. In conclusion, this review highlights the considerable therapeutic potential of non-dairy probiotic beverages in the management of chronic diseases that are associated with dysbiosis of the gut microbiota.

Soil salinity is a crucial challenge that restricts plant development and productivity. In this study, we aimed to report a promising marine-derived plant growth promoting (PGP) bacteria that can empower wheat plants to survive upon salt stress. Thirty-one bacterial isolates derived from marine environments were isolated and assessed for PGP activities. Among these tested isolates, a strain coded as AE-EH1 showed promising PGP activities. Based on the phenotypic characterization, using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, phylogenetic, and biochemical analyses, the selected isolate was identified as Bacillus sp. strain AE-EH1 and assigned an accession no. of OR144427. The target strain AE-EH1 could produce indole acetic acid, ammonia, and HCN, furthermore, it could fix atmospheric nitrogen and solubilize phosphate. Meanwhile, the AE-EH1 was characterized as a halotolerant bacterium with a tolerance limit of up to 15 % NaCl with optimum growth at 3 % NaCl. Interestingly, AE-EH1 showed a high in vitro antagonistic effect against 6 common plant pathogenic fungal species, including Botrytis fabae, B. cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum, Macrophomina phaseolina, Rhizoctonia solani, and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Inoculating, AE-EH1 into wheat cvs. Sakha 95 and Masr 3 under salt stress markedly improved the salt tolerance of these wheat cultivars. Moreover, fresh and dry weights of wheat cultivars had improved compared to non-treated plants as well as chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids. Total carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids were increased in both Sakha 95 and Masr 3 cultivars as an influence of bacterial strain inoculation. Antioxidant peroxidase, catalase, and proline contents were accumulated in both wheat varieties. Our study provides a promising bacterial strain that can alleviate salt stress and enhance the growth and productivity of wheat under stress and normal conditions.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates Biopolymer Production by Moderately Halophilic Paracoccus onubensis Strain E3: Extraction, Characterization and Synergistic Activity with Sorafenib Drug against Hepatocellular Carcinoma through Molecular Docking Approach

Various neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, autism spectrum disorder in young children, stress, anxiety etc., are afflicting the people all over the world. The pathophysiology of some of these disorders is not fully understood. Furthermore, the conventional therapies are not effective for all patients with psychiatric disorders. Hence, alternative therapeutic strategies/agents are much needed. Clinical researchers suggest that certain microorganisms (beneficial microorganisms/probiotics) could be substituted for conventional therapies and/ or can be used in combination with current drugs. Such beneficial microorganisms which can influence the central nervous system and cure the neurological complications are referred to as psychobiotics. In fact, the psychobiotics are the probiotic/ prebiotic agents which when present in the human gut region will not only improve the gut health but also influence the central nervous system via gut-brain axis, and counteract the symptoms of various neurological disorders. Till date, numerous probiotic bacteria and prebiotic compounds were identified and the majority of them are able to influence the nervous system. In various clinical trials on animal models and humans, it was proved that psychobiotics are effective in ameliorating the clinical symptoms of neurological disorders. Some of the researchers are employing psychobiotics in combination with traditional drugs for treatment of the psychiatric disorders. The aim of the current review is to investigate the concept of psychobiotics, detailing their mechanisms of action and discussing their potential applications in the treatment of certain psychiatric disorders. Subsequently, this study delineated the characteristics of psychobiotics and highlighted their impacts on the nervous system. Additionally, various psychobiotics utilized in the management of specific psychiatric conditions have been examined based on numerous clinical trials and experiments conducted on both animal models and human subjects.

This study aimed to characterize the complete genome of an Egyptian strain of Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus (ZYMV), identify key genetic elements linked to aphid transmission, and analyze its phylogenetic relationship with global ZYMV strains. A single necrotic local lesion technique was used for the biological purification of a Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) strain from the Eskandarani squash cultivar, and the purification was confirmed by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Flexuous filament virions with a size of 11 × 730 nm were purified. The complete nucleotide sequence of the ZYMV genome, consisting of 9591 nucleotides, was obtained and deposited in GenBank (accession numbers: LC795783.1 for nucleotides and BFD45315.1 for protein). The genome encodes a polyprotein of 3080 amino acids (~350 kDa). The genome of the Egy-1920 strain contains ten genes, mainly P1, HC, P3, 6K1, C1, 6K2, NIa-VPg, NIa-Pro, NIb, and cp, with sizes ranging from 156 to 1902 nucleotides. The strain exhibited high nucleotide (92.58–99.93 %) and protein (95.68–99.81 %) sequence identity compared to 45 global ZYMV strains, showing significant homology to Taiwanese and Chinese strains. Phylogenetic analysis placed the Egy-1920 strain in close relation to Taiwanese ZYMV strains. Bioinformatics analysis of the helper component (HC) protein revealed three aphid-transmission motifs. The genome length variation (9243-9947 nts) among ZYMV strains was also discussed. The results pave the way for the development of reliable diagnostic techniques and the detection of possible therapy targets for ZYMV control. The findings of this study will contribute to the development of enhanced diagnostic methods and potential therapeutic strategies for effective ZYMV control.