A novel expansin protein (ScExlx1) was found, cloned and expressed from the Basidiomycete fungus Schizophylum commune. This protein showed the canonical features of plant expansins. ScExlx1 showed the ability to form “bubbles” in cotton fibers, reduce the size of avicel particles and enhance reducing sugar liberation from cotton fibers pretreated with the protein and then treated with cellulases. ScExlx1 was able to bind cellulose, birchwood xylan and chitin and this property was not affected by different sodium chloride concentrations. A novel property of ScExlx1 is its capacity to enhance reducing sugars (N-acetyl glucosamine) liberation from pretreated chitin and further added with chitinase, which has not been reported for any expansin or expansin-like protein. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a bona fide fungal expansin found in a basidiomycete and we could express the bioactive protein in Pichia pastoris.

Acceleration of wound healing can be achieved with the use of wound dressings. Through the electrospinning technique, a polymeric scaffold composed of two layers was processed: a gelatin and polyvinylpyrrolidone layer with gentamicin, and a second layer of cellulose acetate. The conditions for the electrospinning process were standardized for voltage parameters, feed flow and the distance from the injector to the collector. Once the values of the main variables for the electrospinning were optimized, a three-hour processing time was established to allow the separation of the material from the collector. The obtained material was characterized by observations on scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermal analysis; contact angle measurement was performed to evaluate wettability properties, and antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus were evaluated using the Kirby–Bauer test. The obtained fibers that form the bi-layer scaffold present diameters from 100 to 300 nm. The scaffold presents chemical composition, thermal stability, wettability characteristics and antibacterial activity that fulfill the proposal from this study, based on obtaining a scaffold that could be used as a drug delivery vehicle and a wound dressing material.

We have evaluated the effect of edible coatings (ECs) based on linseed mucilage (LM), chitosan (CH), and their combination (LMCH) on the quality and shelf life of fresh-cut cantaloupe. Cantaloupe was washed, sanitized, and processed (peeled, seeded, and cut) and then coated by immersion, packed, and stored for 18 days at 4 °C. The ECs were effective at reducing the juice leakage and softening of the product. The EC based on CH was the most effective at preserving the color parameter and reducing the general microbiological growth. However, the LMCH combination decreased the antimicrobial effect of chitosan against microorganisms. Also, CH and LM ECs helped preserve the overall sensory characteristics, increasing the acceptance to 12–15 days. Finally, the LMCH combination helped preserve the characteristics of color and odor; however, it modified the texture and taste of fresh-cut cantaloupe and its sensory acceptance was similar to the control (up to 9 days).

In the present study, from a total of 100 strains isolated from waste vegetable oil contaminated soil, 38 bacterial and 14 fungi strains that presented positive lipolytic activity were obtained by detection through Rhodamine B Agar 0.02% w/v as a screening method. Additionally, two other enzymatic activities were determined. Positive proteolytic activity was evaluated in Casein Hydrolysis Agar and chitinolytic activity was identified by change in coloration in Bromocresol Purple Agar. Using these methodologies, we were able to report 18 microorganisms with two enzymatic activities and 6 microorganisms with all three enzymatic activities, thereby establishing these techniques as suitable and fast approaches for detection and semi-quantification of extracellular enzymatic activity. Key words: Enzyme, lipases, proteases, chitinases, rhodamine B, soil.