Antibiotic Stewardship in Silkworms: Navigating the Pros and Cons

To safeguard against microbial diseases and maintain optimal silk yields, the sericulture industry relies on antibiotics to promote the health, well-being, and vitality of silkworms (Bombyx mori). Antibiotics are commonly incorporated into synthetic diets for rearing silkworms or included as key components in bed disinfectant formulations. The silkworm-rearing industry’s reliance on antibiotics has led to concerns about the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Previous research has uncovered a dual role for antibiotics: not only do they prevent disease, but they also promote silkworm growth by reshaping the gut microbiome and enhancing nutrient absorption, highlighting the need for judicious use. Therefore, there is a critical need for prudent management and further exploration of alternative growth-promoting strategies to minimize resistance risks. This study investigates the relationship between antibiotic administration and silkworm growth, shedding light on the mechanisms underlying antibiotic-induced effects and assessing the risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) emergence and dissemination

Medicinal Plant Extract Mediated Green Synthesis of Metallic Nanoparticles: A Review

The use of medicinal plant resources in the biosynthesis of metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) is remarkable in nanobiotechnology for its unique physicochemical and biological properties such as morphological diversity, large surface area by volume proportion, conductivity, stability, dispersity, and toxicity to microbes, or cancerous cells. Active phytochemicals or bioactive compounds in various medicinal plants such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, terpenoids, steroids, ascorbic acids etc. are capable of the bio-fabrication of various MNPs during the green synthesis. The biosynthesis method has a great potential to improve the manufacture of nanoparticles (NPs) without using any harmful and costly materials or chemicals that have been widely used in other traditional processes. The present review aims to describe the biosynthesis of metallic NPs using medicinal plant extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. This review also focuses on the current state of various characterization techniques and basic features of various NPs and explores their possible uses in various biomedical sectors shortly.</jats:p

Development of Aptamer-Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles as Probes in Point-of-Care Diagnostic Device for Rapid Detection of Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria in <i>Bombyx mori</i> L.

The sericulture industry suffers severe crop losses due to various silkworm diseases, necessitating the development of further technologies for rapid pathogen detection. Here, we report an all-in-one portable biosensor that combines conjugated gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) with an aptamer-based lateral flow assay (LFA) platform for the real-time analysis of Mammaliicoccus sp. and Pseudomonas sp. Our platform enables sample-to-answer naked eye detection within 5 min without any cross-reactivity with other representatives of the silkworm pathogenic bacterial group. This assay was based on the sandwich-type format using a bacteria-specific primary aptamer (Apt1) conjugated with 23 nm +/- 1.27 nm Au NPs as a signal probe and another bacteria-specific secondary aptamer (Apt2)-coated nitrocellulose membrane as a capture probe. The hybridization between the signal probe and the capture probe in the presence of bacteria develops a red band in the test line, whose intensity is directly proportional to the bacterial concentration. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the visual limit of detection of the strip for Mammaliicoccus sp. and Pseudomonas sp. was 1.5 x 10(4) CFU/mL and 1.5 x 10(3) CFU/mL, respectively. Additionally, the performance of the LFA device was validated by using a colorimetric assay, and the results from the colorimetric assay are consistent with those obtained from the LFA. Our findings indicate that the developed point-of-care diagnostic device has significant potential for providing a cost-effective, scalable alternative for the rapid detection of silkworm pathogens