Biotechnological and ecological potential of 'Micromonospora provocatoris' sp. nov., a gifted strain isolated from the Challenger Deep of the Mariana Trench

A Micromonospora strain, isolate MT25T, was recovered from a sediment collected from the Challenger Deep of the Mariana Trench using a selective isolation procedure. The isolate produced two major metabolites, n-acetylglutaminyl glutamine amide and desferrioxamine B, the chemical structures of which were determined using 1D and 2D-NMR, including 1H-15N HSQC and 1H-15N HMBC 2D-NMR, as well as high resolution MS. A whole genome sequence of the strain showed the presence of ten natural product-biosynthetic gene clusters, including one responsible for the biosynthesis of desferrioxamine B. Whilst 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses showed that the isolate was most closely related to the type strain of Micromonospora chalcea, a whole genome sequence analysis revealed it to be most closely related to Micromonospora tulbaghiae 45142T. The two strains were distinguished using a combination of genomic and phenotypic features. Based on these data, it is proposed that strain MT25T (NCIMB 15245T, TISTR 2834T) be classified as Micromonospora provocatoris sp. nov. Analysis of the genome sequence of strain MT25T (genome size 6.1 Mbp) revealed genes predicted to responsible for its adaptation to extreme environmental conditions that prevail in deep-sea sediments

A detailed study on chemical characterization of essential oil components of two Plectranthus species grown in Saudi Arabia

The chemical composition of the essential oils of Plectranthus cylindraceus and Plectranthus arabicus grown in Saudi Arabia were analyzed using gas chromatography techniques (GC–MS, GC–FID, Co-GC, LRI determination, and database and literature searches) using two different stationary phase columns (polar and nonpolar). The analysis led to the characterization of a total of 157 different compounds from both oils. In the oil derived from P. cylindraceus, 79 compounds were identified, whereas 132 compounds were identified in the oil derived from P. arabicus; these compounds account for 95.2% and 98.4% of the total oil compositions, respectively. The major constituents of P. cylindraceus oil were patchouli alcohol (55.5 ± 0.01%), 1,8-cineole (6.0 ± 0.01%) and valerianol (3.8 ± 0.18%), whereas, the main compounds of the P. arabicus oil were 1,8-cineole (50.5 ± 1.37%), β-pinene (7.0 ± 0.08%), camphor (6.3 ± 0.19%) and β-myrcene (4.1 ± 0.10%). To the best of our knowledge, patchouli alcohol found in high concentration in the P. cylindraceus oil has never been reported from the genus Plectranthus. Moreover, this is the first phytochemical study of P. arabicus

Phytochemical standardization and biological activities of certain desert plants growing in Saudi Arabia

The phytochemical screening, antimicrobial and antitumor activities of Calendula tripterocarpa, Centarea sinaica, Centaurea pseudosinaica, Koelpinia linearis, Plectranthus arabicus, Plectranthus asirensis and Tripleurospermum auriculatum determined. The best antibacterial activity; 41.8 ± 0.23 mm, 39.7 ± 0.25 mm, 35.8 ± 0.58 mm, 34.7 ± 0.51 mm and 32.7 ± 0.25 mm was obtained by Plectranthus arabicus against Klebsiella pneumonia, Tripleurospermum auriculatum against Bacillus subtilis, Centaurea pseudosinaica against Bacillus subtilis, Centaurea pseudosinaica against Stroptococcus pyogenes and Plectranthus arabicus against Staphylococcus epidermidis, respectively. While the highest antifungal activity; 35.9 ± 1.15 mm, 34.6 ± 0.34, 30.6 ± 0.26 mm and 29.9 ± 0.63 mm was obtained by Tripleurospermum auriculatum against Geotricum candidum, Candida albicans, C. tropicalis and Aspergillus fumigatus, respectively. The antitumor activity (IC50) obtained by Centarea sinaica; 3.1 ± 6.9 µg/ml, 14.3 ± 3.1 µg/ml and 22.7 ± 4.1 µg/ml was better than activity of vinblastine sulphate; 5.9 ± 0.4 µg/ml, 59.7 ± 2.1 µg/ml and 30.3 ± 1.4 µg/ml against breast carcinoma (MCF-7), cervical carcinoma (Hela) and colorectal carcinoma (CACO), respectively. Plectranthus arabicus alcoholic extract showed higher antitumor activity; 15.3 ± 5.3 µg/ml, 28.6 ± 3.6 µg/ml and 24.3 ± 4.1 µg/ml than vinblastine; 21.2 ± 0.9 µg/ml, 59.7 ± 2.1 µg/ml and 30.3 ± 1.4 µg/ml against prostate carcinoma (Pc3), cervical carcinoma (Hela) and colorectal carcinoma (CACO), respectively. Also, the antitumor activity of Plectranthus asirensis against cervical carcinoma (Hela) (37.1 ± 2.6 µg/ml) was potent than vinblastine sulphate (59.7 ± 2.1 µg/ml). The obtained results of LD50 and sub-chronic toxicity revealed that the plants have no toxicity

A detailed study of the volatile components of <i>Plectranthus asirensis</i> of Saudi Arabian origin

<p>Essential oil composition of <i>Plectranthus asirensis</i> grown in Saudi Arabia was chemically analysed for the first time by various gas chromatography techniques (GC–MS, GC–FID, Co–GC, LRI determination and database and literature searches) using two different stationary phase columns (polar and nonpolar). This analysis led to the characterisation of a total of 124 components representing 98.5% of the total oil composition. The results revealed that <i>P. asirensis</i> oil was mainly dominated by monoterpenoids (90.7%) in which most representative constituents were thymol (66.0 ± 0.36%), <i>γ</i>-terpinene (14.0 ± 0.18%), <i>p</i>-cymene (5.2 ± 0.06%) and <i>β</i>-caryophyllene (3.0 ± 0.03%). It is worth mentioning here that this is the first report on the phytochemical constituents of <i>P. asirensis.</i></p

Metabolic Profiling and In Vitro Assessment of the Biological Activities of the Ethyl Acetate Extract of Penicillium chrysogenum &ldquo;Endozoic of Cliona sp. Marine Sponge&rdquo; from the Red Sea (Egypt)

Marine sponge-derived endozoic fungi have been gaining increasing importance as promising sources of numerous and unique bioactive compounds. This study investigates the phytochemical profile and biological activities of the ethyl acetate extract of Penicillium chrysogenum derived from Cliona sp. sponge. Thirty-six compounds were tentatively identified from P. chrysogenum ethyl acetate extract along with the kojic acid (KA) isolation. The UPLC-ESI-MS/MS positive ionization mode was used to analyze and identify the extract constituents while 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy were used for kojic acid (KA) structure confirmation. The antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities were assessed in vitro. Both the extract and kojic acid showed potent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with MIC 250 &plusmn; 0.82 &micro;g/mL. Interestingly, the extract showed strong antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans with MIC 93.75 &plusmn; 0.55 and 19.53 &plusmn; 0.48 &micro;g/mL, respectively. Furthermore, KA showed the same potency against Fusarium oxysporum and Cryptococcus neoformans with MIC 39.06 &plusmn; 0.85 and 39.06 &plusmn; 0.98 &micro;g/mL, respectively. Ultimately, KA showed strong antioxidant activity with IC50 33.7 &plusmn; 0.8 &micro;g/mL. Moreover, the extract and KA showed strong cytotoxic activity against colon carcinoma (with IC50 22.6 &plusmn; 0.8 and 23.4 &plusmn; 1.4 &micro;g/mL, respectively) and human larynx carcinoma (with equal IC50 30.8 &plusmn; 1.3 and &plusmn; 2.1 &micro;g/mL, respectively), respectively. The current study represents the first insights into the phytochemical profile and biological properties of P. chrysoenum ethyl acetate extract, which could be a promising source of valuable secondary metabolites with potent biological potentials