Aim: The aim of this study was to isolate and identify antifungal lactic acid bacteria from fresh vegetables, and evaluate their potential in preventing fungal spoilage of vegetables. Methods and Results: Lactic acid bacteria from fresh vegetables were enriched in MRS (de Man Rogosa Sharpe) broth and isolated by plating on MRS agar. All the isolates (359) were screened for activity against Aspergillus flavus of which 10% showed antifungal activity. Potent antifungal isolates were identified by phenotypic characters and confirmed by partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing. These were screened against additional spoilage fungi viz. Fusarium graminearum, Rhizopus stolonifer, Sclerotium oryzae, Rhizoctonia solani, Botrytis cinerea and Sclerotinia minor by overlay method. Most of the isolates inhibited wide range of spoilage fungi. When fresh vegetables were inoculated with either cell suspension (10⁴ cells ml⁻¹) or cell-free supernatant of Lact. plantarum, followed by application of vegetable spoilage fungi (A. flavus and F. graminearum, R. stolonifer, B. cinerea each with 10⁴ conidia ml⁻¹) the vegetable spoilage was significantly delayed than control. Conclusions: Fresh vegetables constitute a good source of lactic acid bacteria with ability to inhibit wide range of spoilage fungi. Such bacteria can be applied to enhance shelf-life of vegetables. In the present study, we report for the first time the antifungal activity of Weissella paramessenteroides and Lact. paracollinoides isolated from fresh vegetables, against wide range of food spoilage fungi. Significance and Impact of the Study: Fresh vegetables can be used as a source of antifungal lactic acid bacteria. Their exploitation as biopreservative will help in prolonging shelf-life of fresh vegetables.

Aim: Purification and characterization of a chitinase from Microbispora sp. V2. Methods and Results: The chitinase from Microbispora sp. V2 was purified to homogeneity by gel filtratio...

Biocatalysis, one of the oldest technologies, is becoming a favorable alternative to chemical processes and a vital part of green technology. It is an important revenue generating industry due to a global market projected at $7 billion in 2013 with a growth of 6.7% for enzymes alone. Some microbes are important sources of enzymes and are preferred over sources of plant and animal origin. As a result, more than 50% of the industrial enzymes are obtained from bacteria. The constant search for novel enzymes with robust characteristics has led to improvisations in the industrial processes, which is the key for profit growth. Actinomycetes constitute a significant component of the microbial population in most soils and can produce extracellular enzymes which can decompose various materials. Their enzymes are more attractive than enzymes from other sources because of their high stability and unusual substrate specificity. Actinomycetes found in extreme habitats produce novel enzymes with huge commercial potential. This review attempts to highlight the global importance of enzymes and extends to signify actinomycetes as promising harbingers of green technology.

In the current era, an ever-emerging threat of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens pose serious health challenges to mankind. Researchers are uninterruptedly putting their efforts to design and develop alternative, innovative strategies to tackle the antibiotic resistance displayed by varied pathogens. Among several naturally derived and chemically synthesized compounds, quinones have achieved a distinct position to defeat microbial pathogens. This review unleashes the structural diversity and promising biological activities of naphthoquinones (NQs) and their derivatives documented in the past two decades. Further, realizing their functional potentialities, researchers were encouraged to approach NQs as lead molecules. We have retrieved information that is dedicated on biological applications (antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic) of NQs. The multiple roles of NQs offer them a promising armory to combat microbial pathogens including MDR and the ESKAPE (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp.) group. In bacteria, NQs may exhibit their function in the following ways (1) plasmid curing, (2) inhibiting efflux pumps (EPs), (3) generating reactive oxygen species (ROS), (4) the inhibition of topoisomerase activity. Sparse but meticulous literature suggests the mechanistic roles of NQs. We have highlighted the possible mechanisms of NQs and how the targeted drug synthesis can be achieved via molecular docking analysis. This bioinformatics-oriented approach will explicitly lead to the development of effective and most potent drugs against targeted pathogens. The mechanistic approaches of emerging molecules like NQs might prove a milestone to defeat the battle against microbial pathogens.