Using plant extracts in the green synthesis of nanoparticles has become an environmentally acceptable approach. In our study, copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) were synthesized using ethanolic extracts of Azadirachta indica and Simmondsia chinensis. CuO NP formation was confirmed by the change in color and by UV‒visible spectroscopy (CuO NPs peaked at a wavelength of 344 nm). TEM images confirmed the semispherical shape of the CuO NPs, with particle sizes ranging from 30.9 to 10.7 nm. The antibacterial activity of these NPs was evaluated by using the agar diffusion method against clinical isolates, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter spp., Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of CuO NPs ranged from 62.5 to 125 µg/ml. In contrast, the antioxidant activity and antibiofilm activity of CuO NPs ranged from 31.1 to 92.2% at 125–500 µg/ml and 62.2–95%, respectively, at 125 –62.5 µg/ml. Our results confirmed that CuO NPs had IC50s of 383.41 ± 3.4 and 402.73 ± 1.86 at 250 µg/mL against the HBF4 cell line. Molecular docking studies with CuO NPs suggested that penicillin-binding protein 4 (PBP4) and beta-lactamase proteins (OXA-48) strongly bind to S. aureus and K. pneumoniae, respectively, with CuO NPs. Our study confirms the promising use of CuO NPs in treating pathogenic bacteria and that CuO NPs could be possible alternative antibiotics. This study supports the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors in Egypt and worldwide.

This study aimed to isolate potent thermophilic and amylolytic bacteria from a hot spring of Pharaoh’s bath, Sinai, Egypt, and screen its degradative activity. The amylolytic activity was further optimized using a statistical full factorial design followed by response surface methodology. A thermophilic bacterium was isolated from the hot spring of Pharaoh’s Bath, Sinai, Egypt. The isolate produced amylase, cellulase, and caseinase and was identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Parageobacillus thermoglucosidasius Pharon1 (MG965879). A growth medium containing 1% soluble starch was found to optimize the amylase production. Dinitrosalycalic acid method (DNS) was used to estimate the amount of reducing sugar produced. Statistical full factorial and response surface designs were employed to optimize physical variables affecting the α-amylase production and determine the significant interactions of the studied variables during the fermentation process. According to the results obtained by the response optimizer, the maximum amylase activity reached 76.07 U/mL/ min at 54.1°C, pH 5.6 after 98.5 h incubation under aerobic conditions. Moreover, the produced enzyme was thermostable and retained most of its activity when exposed to a high temperature of 100°C for 120 min. Maximum enzyme activity was attained when the enzyme was incubated at 70°C for 30 min. This is the first report of the production of thermostable α-amylase by the potent thermophilic Parageobacillus thermoglucosidasius. The enzyme endured extreme conditions of temperature and pH which are important criteria for commercial and industrial applications.

The synthon 3-(anthracen-9-yl)-2-cyanoacryloyl chloride 4 was produced and exploited in the creation of a wide variety of highly reactive heterocyclic compounds, by its interaction with diverse nitrogen nucleophiles. Using spectral and elemental analysis, the structures of each synthesized heterocycles were fully investigated. Ten of the thirteen novel heterocycles showed encouraging efficacy against antibiotic-resistant bacteria (MRSA). Among these, compounds 6, 7, 10, 13b, and 14 demonstrated the highest antibacterial activity, showing inhibition zones near 4 cm. However, molecular docking studies revealed varied binding affinities for Penicillin-Binding Protein 2a (PBP2a), a crucial target in MRSA resistance. Some compounds, such as 7, 10, and 14, displayed higher binding affinities and interaction stability within the PBP2a active site compared to the co-crystallized quinazolinone ligand. In contrast, compounds 6 and 13b exhibited lower docking scores but still showed substantial antimicrobial activity, with 6 showing the lowest MIC (9.7 μg/100 μL) and MBC (78.125 μg/100 μL) values. The docking analysis revealed key interactions, including hydrogen bonding and π-stacking, particularly with residues like Lys 273, Lys 316, and Arg 298, which were identified as interacting with the co-crystallized ligand within the crystal structure of PBP2a. These residues are essential for the enzymatic activity of PBP2a. These findings suggest that the synthesized compounds could serve as promising anti-MRSA agents, highlighting the importance of integrating molecular docking with biological assays to identify effective therapeutic candidates.

Egyptian deserts are an underexplored ecological niche, especially the Sinai Peninsula. In our recent study, we explored this extreme environment and shed light on the bioactive capabilities of desert Actinobacteria isolated from Sinai. Fifty desert Actinobacteria were isolated from the Sinai desert using mineral salt media, basal media, and starch casein media. The filtrate of Streptomyces sp. DH 7 displayed a high inhibitory effect against multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains. The 16S rDNA sequencing confirmed that isolate DH7 belongs to the genus Streptomyces. The NJ phylogenetic tree showed relatedness to the Streptomyces flavofuscus strain NRRL B-2594 and Streptomyces pratensis strain ch24. The minimum inhibitory concentrations against MRSA were 16 and 32 μg/μL. Chemical investigation of the ethyl acetate extract of Streptomyces sp. DH7 led to the isolation and purification of natural products 1–4. Structure elucidation of the purified compounds was performed using detailed spectroscopic analysis including 1 and 2D NMR, and ESI-MS spectrometry. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report for the isolation of compounds 1–4 from a natural source, while synthetic analogs were previously reported in the literature. Compounds 3–4 were identified as actinomycin D analogues and this is the first report for the production of actinomycin D analogs from the Sinai desert with an inhibitory effect against MRSA. We indorse further study for this analog that can develop enhanced antimicrobial activities. We confirm that the desert ecosystems in Egypt are rich sources of antibiotic-producing Actinobacteria.