The growing demand for stable and effective enzymes requires the discovery of novel microbial producers. Alpha‐amylase is an enzyme in high demand by various industries; however, the discovery of novel and stable alpha‐amylase producers remains limited. This study aims to isolate, optimize, and characterize extracellular alpha‐amylase from halophilic bacteria Marinobacter sp. LES TG5. Bacteria were isolated from saltwater and soil samples collected from traditional salt ponds in Les Village, Bali, Indonesia. Initial screening on starch agar yielded several amylase‐producing colonies, and subsequent spectrophotometric assays identified one promising isolate (LES TG5), which demonstrated an initial activity of 0.63 U/mL. The production of amylase was significantly enhanced by a multi‐stage optimization process. This involved first identifying optimal carbon and nitrogen sources, followed by a one‐variable‐at‐a‐time approach to determine the ideal nutrient levels, salt concentration, and incubation time. This optimization led to an 11‐fold increase in activity, from 0.63 U/mL to 6.99 U/mL, achieved with a medium containing 2.4% (w/v) nutrient broth, 0.4% (w/v) maltose, and 3% (w/v) NaCl with an incubation time of 22 hours. Enzyme characterization revealed optimal amylase activity at pH 7, 55 °C, and 3% (w/v) NaCl. While Ca2+ and Mg2+ had no effect on amylase activity, Pb2+, Fe2+, Sn2+, and Al3+ significantly reduced it. Importantly, the amylase demonstrated outstanding stability in organic solvents such as methanol, ethanol, and n‐hexane, suggesting its potential as a biocatalyst for chemical synthesis in non‐aqueous systems. Furthermore, its notable stability against surfactants and detergents highlights its promise as an additive in cleaning product formulations.

Mycelium‐to‐sclerotium differentiation in fungi involves not only morphological but also biochemical changes throughout the process, which may contribute to their persistence and be a possible source of bioactive compounds. This study aims to evaluate the antibacterial activity and identify the bioactive compound in the local isolate Sclerotium rolfsii. Fungal culture was grown in media containing potato extract (20 g/L), dextrose (20 g/L), and peptone (5 g/L) for 27 days under static conditions at room temperature. Mycelium, sclerotium and filtrate were collected every three days and extracted with methanol, followed by evaporation and antibacterial screening. Significant activity was observed in day three of mycelial extract, which showed morphology of initial sclerotium formation (MIC 0.39 mg/mL) against B. subtilis and E. coli. An improved extraction method (sequential extraction) was employed for mycelial sample on the third day. N‐hexane and ethyl acetate extracts exhibited stronger activities (0.20 mg/mL). Ergosterol was identified after TLC‐bioautography, radial chromatography, and NMR elucidation analysis. S. rolfsii mycelium (third day‐sclerotial initiation) was found to contain ergosterol, demonstrating strong defense against bacteria, and possibly related to sclerotium‐differentiation metabolites. These findings may pave the way for more extensive studies of sclerotium differentiation as an interesting phenomenon of fungal development and bioactive compound origins.

Agricultural plastic waste is a major environmental pollutant due to its non‐biodegradable nature. This study discusses the production of biodegradable pots (bio‐pots) using a biochar composed of banana pseudo‐stems and Bacillus sp. The isolated Bacillus sp. produced indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA), solubilized potassium and phosphate, and secreted siderophores immobilized in banana pseudo‐stem biochar. X‐ray diffraction analysis revealed CaCO3 and KCl as the major elements, aside from carbon, released to the soil. Bio‐pots were made from banana pseudo‐stem biochar mixed with a Bacillus sp.–biochar composite at various formulations: 0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, and 10%. Mechanical testing indicated that the porous structure of the biochar contributed to low pot density and tensile strength. Moreover, the air‐filled spaces within the biochar enhanced water absorption, correlating with the amount of biochar used. Marigolds were cultivated outdoors in the bio‐pots to assess growth and yield. Our findings showed that those grown in biopot‐4 (10%) displayed improved growth and yield compared to the control group (grown in the ground). After 10 weeks, the control plants became infected with fungi and aphids, whereas those grown in biopot‐4 remained unaffected. In summary, bio‐pots incorporating 10% Bacillus sp.–biochar are eco‐friendly, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers, fungicides, and insecticides, while contributing to environmental sustainability. Moreover, the combination of biochar and Bacillus sp. is more effective than an unmixed form, since Bacillus sp. can inhabit and propagate in biochar pores if the conditions are otherwise unsuitable for growth.

Probiotics confer health benefits and have been investigated for their potential therapeutic properties in type‐2 diabetes (T2D) treatment. This study employs a network pharmacology approach to explore gut microbiota‐derived metabolites that potentially alleviate T2D. Several strains and species of gut microbiota were identified that may produce metabolites with therapeutic potential for T2D. Interestingly, quercetin produced by Bacteroides uniformis and daidzein produced by Bifidobacterium adolescentis and Bifidobacterium breve have been studied for their antidiabetic effects. Using a network pharmacology approach, it was found that quercetin may target AKT1 and EGFR, critical proteins involved in insulin signaling pathways related to T2D. Additionally, 10‐oxo‐11‐octadecenoic acid produced by Lactobacillus plantarum and 10‐keto‐12Z‐octadecenoic acid produced by Lactobacillus paracasei were found to target PPARG, a gene regulating insulin signaling. These findings were further validated by the molecular docking analysis, which showed suitable to satisfactory binding strengths.

Nine resorcinol derivatives were evaluated for their ability to inhibit yeast α‐glucosidase using the in vitro method. Three molecular docking programs (Autodock Vina, Autodock4 and DockThor) were employed to determine the binding energies. The results showed that two resorcinol derivatives possessing butanoyl (1) and butyl (9) groups demonstrated good inhibitory activity against α‐glucosidase, with IC50 values of 75.9 and 33.3 µM respectively, compared with other derivatives (2–8) and acarbose (IC50 = 832.8 µM). Furthermore, molecular docking indicated that compounds 1 and 9 had better binding affinities than acarbose and the native ligand. Both compounds showed similar interactions with Asp349 and Glu408, which were associated with acarbose and the native ligand. Moreover, molecular dynamics analysis indicated that compound 9 exhibited greater stability than compound 1 when complexed with α‐glucosidase. Therefore, compound 9 has the potential for further studies, both in vitro and in vivo, to evaluate its toxicity, side effects and efficacy.

Despite Indonesia being a megadiverse country that provides germplasm for breeding to produce improved future varieties, significant threats are faced related to biodiversity extinction. Such threats, for example habitat degradation and climate change, which lead to extreme conditions, must be addressed as they have contributed to stresses at the molecular level and affect plant production and health‐related nutrition. Integrated omics approaches have been applied to address the problems, as well as to produce varieties with superior traits, which are critical factors in achieving improved plant production and better naturally derived human nutrition. The paper discusses the omics research agenda in Indonesia; Indonesian biodiversity of nutraceutical plants and how omics can increase its production. Besides, current progress of omics application in Indonesia, policies and regulations to enhance integrated omics research are elucidated. By applying these approaches in Indonesia, breeding for better traits to support human needs and improve health quality will be greatly accelerated in the future.

The Tulostoma genus, known as stalkballs or stalked puffballs, belongs to the Agaricaceae family. This study was designed to identify an unknown fungal species collected from the Al‐Dujail district in Iraq based on morphological examination and molecular analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Between April and July 2019, samples were collected from garden soil in the Al‐Dujail district, Salah Al‐Din Governorate, Iraq. Morphological characteristics were documented using light microscopy. Genomic DNA was extracted and purified, and the ITS region was amplified using conventional PCR with specific primers. The amplified products were sequenced, and phylogenetic analysis was conducted using MEGA11 software. Morphological analysis revealed smooth, yellow to brown, nearly circular basidiospores. The ITS region amplification yielded a 588 bp fragment. Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) analysis showed 91% similarity between the sample (S1‐ITS‐Iraq) and Tulostoma winterhoffii (accession number KU518975.1). The isolate was assigned in GenBank under accession number PV249065, with phylogenetic analysis positioning S1‐ITS‐Iraq in a cluster with the Tulostoma species, with a bootstrap value of 97%, indicating a close relationship. The fungal sample from Iraq was identified as a new record within the genus Tulostoma, marking the first report of T. winterhoffii in the region.

Agrobacterium‐mediated transformation (AMT) is a widely used genetic engineering tool for generating transgenic plants for crop improvement and functional genomics. Beyond plants, AMT has been successfully applied to non‐plant organisms, further expanding its utility. Given their broad applications, enhancing AMT systems to improve their usability, simplicity, and efficiency is highly desirable. In this study, we developed a novel AMT system, the vir binary vector system, comprising the following core components: the binary vector pG103‐GDE‐1 and the miniaturized helper tumor‐inducing (Ti) plasmid pRIDE101, together with the auxiliary replication helper plasmid pSoup. Yeast was used as a model organism to evaluate its functionality in stable transformation, with the neomycin phosphotransferase II (NptII) gene serving as a selectable marker. The system’s functionality was assessed by comparing its transformation frequency to that of the widely used pGWB1 binary vector system. The results demonstrate that the vir binary vector system achieved a trans‐ formation frequency of 0.76 × 10‐6, approximately 75 percent of that of pGWB1 (1.01 × 10‐6). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses confirmed the presence of the transgene in yeast transformants. These findings validate the functionality of the vir binary vector system and highlight the need for further optimization to enhance its efficiency for broader app

The Sfamy R64 α‐amylase mutant from Saccharomycopsis fibuligera was expressed in Pichia pastoris to explore its industrial potential. The gene encoding the mutant enzyme was cloned into the pPICZαA vector and transformed into P. pastoris SMD1168. Optimal expression was achieved at 1.5% methanol concentration, with the highest enzyme activity observed at 48 h, reaching 24.06 U/mL. The recombinant protein was purified using Ni‐Sepharose affinity chromatography in native and denaturing conditions. The native conditions retained higher protein integrity and activity, while the denaturing process resulted in partial degradation. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations conducted to assess the structural stability of the His‐tagged Sfamy R64 α‐amylase mutant and its interaction with the maltose substrate. The simulation confirmed the stable binding of maltose in the active site and the solvent accessibility of the His‐tag, supporting its effectiveness in affinity chromatography. The RMSD, RMSF, and time‐evolution snapshots demonstrated that the protein remained structurally stable over 100 ns at an optimum temperature of 50 °C. The findings suggest that the Sfamy R64 mutant α‐amylase is a promising candidate for industrial applications, combining high expression yields, efficient purification, and stable enzyme‐substrate interactions. The results offer a strong basis for further optimization and large‐scale enzyme production.

Bone defects occur when bones cannot function properly due to trauma, such as accidents. In Indonesia, such defects are mainly treated by bone grafting, but the limited availability of transplants has led to the development of bone tissue engineering as an alternative. This study uses human Wharton’s jelly‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (hWJ‐MSCs) as these can differentiate into osteoblasts when stimulated by a composite scaffold containing biosilica from the sponge Xestospongia testudinaria. Four main steps were performed in this study, i.e. scaffold fabrication with varying biosilica concentrations, material characterization to see whether the scaffold resembled bone tissue, hWJ‐MSC isolation from the umbilical cord and cultured until passage 6, and scaffold testing to assess its compatibility and ability to support cell adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization into bone cells. The results indicated that a scaffold with 50% biosilica has good properties for supporting hWJ‐MSC growth, proliferation, and differentiation. The scaffold exhibits strong mechanical strength and hydrophilic characteristics, enhances cell proliferation, and promotes osteogenic differentiation, as confirmed by collagen type I and osteopontin expression with a higher optical density value in the Alizarin Red assay. Therefore, the 50% biosilica composite scaffold is biocompatible and osteoconductive, making it a promising candidate for bone tissue engineering.