Search Results (408)

Background: The association between liver disease and gut microbiota is being widely investigated. Probiotics, such as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, are among the most notable microbiomes examined in this study. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens shows potential for promoting growth and effectively regulating gut microbiota, though its mechanism of action remains unclear. Methods: The early gavage administration of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens BA5 conferred protection against liver injury in carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced mice. Growth parameters (body weight and organ index), serum biochemical markers (ALT, AST, T-SOD, MDA, GSH-Px, and T-AOC), liver and jejunum histopathology, and gut microbiota composition were comprehensively evaluated. Results: BA5 supplementation restored serum T-AOC, T-SOD, and GSH-Px levels and attenuated CCl₄-induced increases in ALT, AST, and MDA, suggesting potent anti-oxidant properties. Furthermore, histopathologic assessment showed that CCl₄-induced mice developed acute liver injury and intestinal villi were destroyed, while the BA5 group restored the pathological changes in the tissues to the normal group level. In addition, immunohistochemical staining revealed that BA5 increased the expression level of Claudin-1 which was a key biomarker for assessing the integrity of epithelial/endothelial barriers. Regarding gut microbiota, BA5 significantly enhanced the abundance of beneficial bacteria (Lactobacillus) and decreased the abundance of hazardous bacteria (Fusobacterium, Lachnoclostridium, Phascolarctobacterium, and Escherichia–shigella) caused by CCl₄. Notably, BA5 alone remarkably increased gut microbial diversity compared with that of the Control group. Conclusions: Overall, these findings suggest that BA5 holds promise as a potential therapeutic agent for alleviating CCl₄-induced acute liver injury in mice by mitigating oxidative stress and modulating gut microbiota. Full article

Latex-producing plants harbor unique microbial communities that may play important roles in host defense; however, their diversity and biocontrol potential remain largely unexplored. Characterizing these communities provides opportunities to identify novel microbial-derived antifungal agents for sustainable crop protection. Bacterial strains were isolated from the latex of Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br. and identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Antifungal activity was evaluated against four phytopathogens: Fusarium graminearum, Colletotrichum musae, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, and Glomerella cingulata. Bioassay-guided fractionation, size-exclusion chromatography, SDS-PAGE, and LC-MS/MS were used to characterize antifungal proteins. Nine bacterial strains were isolated, including eight Bacillus spp. and one Enterococcus faecalis. Among them, Bacillus sp. AsL-2 exhibited the strongest broad-spectrum antifungal activity, inhibiting fungal growth by up to 80%. The antifungal activity of its crude extract remained stable over a wide temperature range. Further characterization identified a novel endo-β-1,3-1,4-glucanase enzyme (~23 kDa) as the major antifungal protein. This study reveals A. scholaris latex as an underexplored microbial niche and identifies Bacillus sp. AsL-2, affiliated with the B. velezensis–B. amyloliquefaciens species complex, as a promising biocontrol candidate. The identified antifungal enzyme represents a potential natural alternative to synthetic fungicides for sustainable agricultural disease management. Full article

Rhododendron tomentosum is an aromatic plant belonging to the Ericaceae family, widely used for different applications, but still lacking in its molecular signature. This work provides a complete chemical and biological characterization of the hydroalcoholic extract of R. tomentosum tips of twigs. Combining untargeted metabolomic analysis with bioassays, a correlation between chemical composition and biological activity was defined. To this regard, liquid chromatography high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) revealed a heterogeneous chemical composition, including flavonoids, such as quercetin, catechin, and their derivatives, as well as a first tentative identification of novel aesculin derivatives. Cell-based model experiments on stressed immortalized human keratinocytes demonstrated the antioxidant activity of the extract. Moreover, it exhibited significant antifungal and antibacterial effects against Trichoderma atroviride AGR2, Botrytis cinerea, and Clavibacter michiganensis, while promoting the growth of the beneficial bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. These findings highlight the rich diversity of bioactive molecules present in R. tomentosum hydroalcoholic extract, bridging its chemical composition to its functional properties. Overall, these results suggest its promising potential for applications in improving plant health, as well as in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and agricultural industries. Full article

The open ocean cage aquaculture system is facing considerable challenges with disease outbreaks resulting from over-farming and the rise of resistance to antimicrobial treatment. However, the environmental consequences of antibiotic usage, including ecological contamination and the acceleration of antimicrobial resistance, underscore the urgent need for sustainable alternatives in aquaculture disease management. Lipopeptides, which are a compound that can be produced by marine bacteria such as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens or Bacillus subtilis, could represent a new solution. This review article comprehensively evaluates the feasibility of marine bacterial lipopeptides for sustainable disease management in open sea cage aquaculture. Lipopeptides, including surfactins, fengycins, iturins, and the clinically used daptomycin, have notable antiviral, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties, and can have positive effects on the immune system. Notably, lipopeptides have a remarkable antioxidant profile and excellent free radical scavenging ability, making them interesting candidates for improving disease resistance in fish relating to oxidative stress. The surfactins and iturins have amphiphilic structure and can destabilize pathogen cell membranes, inhibit biofilm formation and elicit host immune responses. This represents a paradigm shift in targeting multiple pathogens of aquaculture like Vibrio spp. and Aeromonas spp. Surfactins and iturins show broad-spectrum activity, while fengycins are selectively active against fungal threats. Daptomycin, which is primarily derived from Streptomyces, demonstrates the potential of the lipopeptide class to be developed therapeutically, which is something that tends to be overlooked. Unlike synthetic antibiotics, they are also biodegradable; therefore, there is much less environmental impact from lipopeptides. The complexity of the structure may have also some impact on the rate of development of resistance, if any. Their commercialization is possible; however, the main hurdles that need to be solved to improve aquaculture are the biologically scalable production, the economically viable purification, and the stability for practical application at sea. Integrating lipopeptides into disease management systems could also ensure the sustainability of open ocean cage aquaculture and reduce unnecessary antibiotic application. Full article

Phytophthora capsici (Pc) affects the production of Capsicum annuum L., particularly in susceptible genotypes like ‘California Wonder’ (CW). Beneficial bacteria offer a sustainable strategy for enhancing plant defense. Five bacterial strains, Bacillus subtilis (BMBA), Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (BMBC), Bacillus sp. (BMBH), Pseudomonas putida (BMBI), and Paenibacillus sp. (BMBP), were tested against P. capsici in chili pepper. By 11 days post-inoculation (dpi), BMBH, BMBC, BMBI and BMBP showed a trend toward accelerated symptom development, reaching severity scores of 4–5, compared with control (3.66 ± 0.55), whereas BMBA delayed disease progression (2.5 ± 0.71). At 14 dpi, control plants reached maximum severity (6.0 ± 0.0), whereas BMBA-treated plants maintained lower severity (5.0 ± 0.44). Mortality was 100% in the control, compared with 33.3% in the BMBA+Pc treatment, indicating a partial and transient protective effect. Gene expression analysis in CW roots revealed strong upregulation of PR-1, PR-5, and EAS by P. capsici. In BMBA plants, PR-1 decreased at 24 h post-inoculation (hpi), whereas EAS initially declined at 8 hpi but increase 18.5% at 24 hpi. These results indicate modulation of defense-related gene expression and reduced mortality, supporting the potential of BMBA as a partial biocontrol agent against P. capsici in chili peppers. Full article

The use of Bacillus spp. in combination with mineral fertilizers represents a sustainable alternative to conventional agricultural practices. This study evaluated the effects of inoculation with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens BV03 (Ba) on corn fertilized with phosphorus (P) sources of different solubilities. Two experiments were conducted under greenhouse conditions in a completely randomized design, following a 2 (without and with Ba) × 4 [control (without P, –P), triple superphosphate (TSP), Bayóvar natural phosphate (BNP), and Pratápolis natural phosphate (PNP)] factorial arrangement. Plant growth parameters, chlorophyll a fluorescence, gas exchange, photosynthetic pigments, nutritional status, biomass accumulation, and grain yield were assessed. Corn responses to Ba inoculation varied with P source and season. Inoculation with Ba, Ba + TSP, and Ba + BNP at sowing enhanced biometric traits (height, stem diameter, and leaf area); physiological parameters (F_v’/F_m’, ΦPSII, ETR, E, g_s, WUE); biochemical variables (Chl a, Chl b, and carotenoids); nutritional contents (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg); and yield traits. Overall, our results highlight the potential of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens BV03, alone or in combination with triple superphosphate or Bayóvar natural phosphate, as a sustainable alternative for phosphorus fertilization to improve corn growth and development. Full article

The extensive use of antiviral substances (SASs) during and after the COVID-19 pandemic has increased their release into wastewater systems, raising concerns regarding their persistence and potential ecotoxicological effects. The primary objective of this study was to isolate bacterial strains from activated sludge (AS) that possess the ability to biodegrade SASs. From the AS sample, three bacterial species, Comamonas testosteroni (I2), Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (I3) and Bacillus mycoides (I4), were successfully isolated and identified. These strains were subsequently applied in biodegradation experiments targeting seven SASs: daclatasvir (DCV), darunavir (DRV), favipiravir (FAV), lopinavir (LOP), remdesivir (REM), ritonavir (RIT), and umifenovir (UMI). During the experiments, residual SAS concentrations, microbial growth parameters, physicochemical indicators and ecotoxicity were monitored. All three strains demonstrated substantial biodegradation potential, achieving reductions exceeding 90% for most tested compounds, with particularly low toxicity observed in experiments conducted with AS and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. These findings highlight the relevance of AS-derived bacteria as promising candidates for enhancing SAS removal in wastewater treatment processes. Full article

Plants are naturally exposed to various biotic stresses, including pathogen attacks and insect herbivory, which activate distinct signaling pathways as part of their defense responses. Inoculation with beneficial microorganisms, such as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), can trigger induced systemic resistance (ISR) in plants, a defense response that resembles the one activated by herbivore attack in terms of signaling pathways and physiological effects. However, these interactions have typically been studied independently, limiting our understanding of their combined effects. In this study, we examined the effects of aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) herbivory on Ocimum basilicum plants and assessed how these responses are modulated when the plants are inoculated with the PGPR strain Bacillus amyloliquefaciens GB03, with a particular focus on biochemical and structural defense mechanisms. Aphid herbivory significantly increased total essential oil (EO) content and volatile organic compound (VOC) emission and induced a greater density of glandular trichomes while also modifying the phytohormone profile. In contrast, total phenolic content remained unchanged. When aphid herbivory occurred on GB03-inoculated plants, the effects on defense-related parameters became more pronounced. EO and eugenol contents were further increased compared with inoculated controls, jasmonates remained comparable to levels induced by either factor alone, and SA levels nearly doubled relative to aphid-infested plants. Feeding assays revealed that aphids preferred inoculated plants over controls, a response that may be explained by the increased emission of eugenol in inoculated basil. These results demonstrate that GB03 inoculation modifies several defenses-related responses in O. basilicum upon aphid herbivory, including by hormonal signaling, specialized metabolites accumulation, and structural barriers such as glandular trichomes. These findings suggest that PGPR may contribute to modulating plant responses to herbivory under certain conditions, highlighting their context-dependent influence within plant–microbe–insect interactions. Full article

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO), and its associated lameness, is one of the most common and devastating issues the poultry industry constantly faces, both globally and domestically. Leveraging the currently accepted “leaky gut” model of pathogenesis, this study aims to evaluate the cecal community of broilers reared under the aerosol transmission BCO induction model. A trial involving 1320 Cobb 500 broilers was conducted using the same induction model for 56 d with the following treatments: (1) positive control (PC)—untreated birds on wire-flooring pens; (2) negative control (NC)—untreated birds on litter-flooring pens; (3) LOW—birds treated with probiotic Enterococcus faecium spray on day-of-hatch (2.0 × 10⁹ CFU/bird); and (4) HIGH—birds treated with LOW spray combined with probiotic Bacillus amyloliquefaciens/Bacillus subtilis inclusion in the diet (492.1 mg/kg). Cecal contents were collected from six birds per treatment on d14, d28, d42, and d56 of the experiment; then, DNA was extracted and sent for 16 s V3–V4 amplicon sequencing. Returned sequences were assembled and taxonomically assigned, after which diversity indices were analyzed (including alpha, beta, and abundance). No significant effect was found between all treatments and positive/negative control groups in all timepoints, but timepoints were significantly different from each other in both alpha and beta diversity indices (p < 0.05). Abundance analysis also showed a high Bacillota:Bacteroidota ratio (average 18.87; p < 0.0001) with Bacillota (Firmicutes) dominating at 95.57% on average across all treatments, followed by Bacteroidota at 5.06% and Pseudomonadota at 2.59%. These findings characterize in detail the cecal microbiome in populations of broilers reared under the novel aerosol transmission induction model, offering further insights and possibilities into studies of BCO etiology and pathology. Full article

Background Soil alkalization inhibits plant growth and yield, the endophytic plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) can alleviate salt stresses for plant. Methods: Isolate a NaHCO₃-tolerant Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain (ZmBA DSM7), characterize its PGP traits, elucidate the physiological and biochemical mechanisms by which it enhances maize growth. Results: A ZmBA DSM7 strain was isolated from the root of maize growing in a mildly alkaline soil (pH 8.8). The strain exhibited high tolerance to 500 mM NaHCO₃ and maintained its PGP traits, ZmBA DSM7 had a positive effect on maize seed germination and alkaline stress tolerance by enhancing seed vigor under normal or alkaline growth conditions. The maize seedlings inoculation with ZmBA DSM7 markedly improved chlorophyll content and reduced oxidative damage by lowering malondialdehyde (MDA) content and enhancing the antioxidant enzymes activities in the pots. In the field, ZmBA DSM7-inoculated plants showed a increase in yield (such as the ear length, the number of kernels row number, average spike weight, the 100-grain weight, and so on). Conclusion: The ZmBA DSM7 promotes maize growth and mitigates NaHCO₃-induced alkaline stress in maize by a multifaceted mechanism involving enhanced nutrient acquisition (N, P and K) and antioxidant status and improved soil quality. Full article

Biological control using beneficial microbes offers a sustainable alternative to chemical fungicides for managing postharvest diseases. This study reports the isolation and characterization of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens AsL-1 from the latex of Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br., unconventional ecological niche. The cell-free supernatant (CFS) of AsL-1 showed strong antifungal activity, inhibiting the growth of Colletotrichum musae (48.89 ± 0.57%), Glomerella cingulata (52.22 ± 0.00%), Fusarium graminearum (47.78 ± 0.57%), and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (47.78 ± 0.00%) in vitro. Microscopy revealed that the CFS disrupted fungal development by blocking conidial germination and appressorium formation, and in C. gloeosporioides caused melanization defects linked to reduced virulence. In vivo tests on mango fruit confirmed that AsL-1 significantly decreased anthracnose lesion size and disease incidence. Protein analyses (SDS-PAGE, gel overlay, and LC-MS/MS) identified two antifungal proteins (24 and 16 kDa), corresponding to β-1,3-1,4-glucanase and flagellin. The detected β-1,3-1,4-glucanase activity indicates its role in degrading fungal cell walls and interfering with melanin biosynthesis pathways essential for pathogenicity. Overall, these findings highlight B. amyloliquefaciens AsL-1 as a promising protein-based biocontrol agent and show that latex-associated microbes may serve as valuable sources of new antifungal strategies. Full article

Cabbage is an important vegetable crop worldwide. In Taiwan, during cabbage production, bacterial soft rot caused by Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum often leads to significant yield losses. Aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals, there is a high demand for sustainable disease control strategies. Silicates are considered to be effective elicitors in activating plant defense responses and are reported to improve resistance to certain plant diseases. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens PMB05 fermentation liquid has been shown to enhance plant immunity and control many bacterial diseases. The supplementation of silicates to the PMB05 fermentation liquid may further improve its efficacy to control bacterial soft rot in cabbage. This study evaluated the effects of sodium metasilicate and potassium silicate on PMB05-mediated plant immune responses and disease control. Initial assays confirmed that treatment with B. amyloliquefaciens PMB05 suspension significantly increased HrpN-triggered reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and callose deposition; moreover, PMB05 treatment alone reduced bacterial soft rot severity by 39.7%. When combined with B. amyloliquefaceins PMB05 fermentation liquid, sodium metasilicate at 2000 μM further enhanced ROS generation and callose deposition by 100% and 133%, respectively, compared to the treatment of PMB05 alone (p < 0.05). In contrast, potassium silicate exhibited inconsistent effects on ROS production, with both 500 and 1000 µM concentrations significantly reducing ROS generation by 26% and 38%, respectively, while none of the tested concentrations affected callose deposition (p < 0.05). Lastly, disease severity assessments in cabbage inoculated with P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum PCCSB1 revealed that B. amyloliquefaciens PMB05 fermentation liquid was able to reduce bacterial soft rot symptoms by 60.3%. Supplementation with 1500 and 2000 µM sodium metasilicate further decreased disease severity by 77.9% and 76.4%, respectively (p < 0.05). Although the supplementation of potassium silicate also significantly reduced disease severity compared to P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum PCCSB1 alone, it was less effective than PMB05 fermentation alone. Overall, these results demonstrate that sodium metasilicate enhances the biocontrol activity of B. amyloliquefaciens PMB05 by further intensifying plant immune responses. This approach may broaden the large-scale use of B. amyloliquefaciens PMB05 fermentation liquid for sustainable soft rot management in cabbage, although the stability and cost-effectiveness of sodium metasilicate under field conditions still require validation. Full article

Trichoderma afroharzianum is increasingly used in commercial bioformulations for plant disease management in Brazil, yet information about its compatibility with agricultural inputs remains scarce. This study evaluated the in vitro interactions between four Brazilian strains of T. afroharzianum and 32 inputs from different classes, including fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, and microbial products. Mycelial growth and conidial germination were analyzed to identify potential incompatibilities that could compromise the fungus’s performance in combined applications. In the first bioassay, 16 products inhibited mycelial growth by more than 67%. In the second, which simulated spray solution contact, most products (12 out of 16) did not significantly affect conidial germination (>76%). However, the bionematicide based on Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and the fungicide Picoxystrobin + Benzovindiflupyr reduced germination to below 9% and 14%, respectively. Fungicides containing Picoxystrobin + Prothioconazole and Trifloxystrobin + Tebuconazole showed strain-dependent inhibition. These results provide the first detailed assessment of the compatibility of Brazilian T. afroharzianum strains with a broad range of agricultural inputs and can support safer use of biocontrol agents in integrated and sustainable crop protection strategies. Full article

Cork oak (Quercus suber) forests are threatened by emergent fungal pathogen Diplodia corticola, which causes significant economic and ecological losses. This study evaluates the efficacy of synthetic and natural fungicides, as well as Bacillus antagonistic agents, against this phytopathogen in vitro and in vivo. Eighteen fungicidal agents were tested across three concentrations, whereas the bacterial antagonistic agents Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and a mixture of B. amyloliquefaciens + Bacillus mojavensis were tested at a fixed concentration. The assayed chemicals, including penconazole, clove oil, vanillin, and belthanol, showed 100 ± 0.0% radial growth inhibition (n = 24) and conidiation (n = 24), highlighting their potential as alternatives to benomyl and methyl thiophanate (Restricted in the European Union). In vivo assays further validated the efficacy of these agents in reducing symptom incidence and seedling mortality in cork oak seedlings. Similarly, the Bacillus-based treatments showed 47.6 ± 0.9% (n = 35) in vitro antagonistic effects and in vivo application on seedlings (n = 470) significantly reduced disease symptoms and supported physiological stability (GLMs with Tukey HSD post hoc). The study aimed to evaluate chemical, natural and biological control agents against this pathogen to identify effective management alternatives for forest nurseries and cork oak. Full article

This study centred on isolating and characterizing Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strains derived from wastewater sludge to assess their potential for sludge treatment. Samples were collected from the Etoa wastewater sludge treatment plant in Yaounde, Cameroon. The isolates were obtained on nutrient agar medium and were identified through morphological and biochemical characterization, followed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. The sequences showed 99–100% similarity with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strains in the NCBI database. The isolates exhibited significant in vitro enzymatic activities, including catalase, amylase, and protease production, indicating their ability to degrade hydrogen peroxide starch and proteins, respectively. The results confirmed the in vitro potential of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens as a promising microbial agent for organic matter degradation in wastewater sludge. Although the findings were limited to laboratory conditions, they provided a foundation for future pilot-scale or in situ studies aimed at validating their practical efficiency. This research contributes to the development of microbial-based and eco-efficient strategies for sustainable sludge management. Full article