Synthesis, crystal structure and antifungal activity of dihydroisoquinoline Oxaziridines Substitued in Position 1

We report here the synthesis and the X-ray crystallography of dihydroisoquinoline oxaziridines with methyl substitute in position 1 and with nitro group in position 7 (compound 3b). We also synthesized the compound 3a without nitro. These compounds have been prepared by the peracidic oxidation of imines with m-chloroperbenzoic (m-CPBA) like oxidizing agent. This two compounds exhibit higher antifungal activity

Phoenix dactylifera L. sap enhances wound healing in Wistar rats : Phytochemical and histological assessment

Acknowledgment Financial support of the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research is gratefully acknowledged.Peer reviewedPostprin

Response Surface Methodology Optimization of an Acidic Protease Produced by Penicillium bilaiae Isolate TDPEF30, a Newly Recovered Endophytic Fungus from Healthy Roots of Date Palm Trees (Phoenix dactylifera L.)

To explore proteolytic activity of endophytic fungi inhabiting date palm roots, a Penicillium bilaiae isolate, displaying the highest level of protease production, has been recovered. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize culture conditions for protease production by the fungus. Plackett-Burman design allowed for screening of variables effective in protease production. Results indicated that temperature, initial pH and glucose concentration dramatically affect protease yield. These factors were further optimized using a Box-Behnken design and RSM. A combination of initial pH (6.26), temperature (24.5 °C), glucose (13.75 g/L), NaNO3 (1.5 g/L), MgSO4 (0.2 g/L), KH2PO4 (0.5 g/L) and KCl (0.5 g/L) were optimum for maximum production of protease. A 1086-fold enhancement of protease production was gained after optimization. Biochemical properties of fungal protease including the effect of pH and temperature on the activity and the stability of proteolytic enzyme were determined. Moreover, the influence of carbon and nitrogen sources, metal ions, detergents as well as enzyme inhibitors was investigated. Our results highlighted that protease of Penicillium bilaiae isolate TDPEF30 could be considered as a promising candidate for industrial applications

Analysis of the Cultivable Endophytic Bacterial Diversity in the Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) and Evaluation of Its Antagonistic Potential against Pathogenic Fusarium Species that Cause Date Palm Bayound Disease

International audienceBiological control still remains an unexploited issue in southern countries such as Tunisia. Thus, the present study focused on the diversity of cultivable endophytic bacteria in the internal tissues (roots and leaves) of Tunisian date palm trees (Phoenix dactylifera L.). In order to assess their antagonistic potential towards date palm pathogens, particularly Fusarium. Indeed, the Genus Fusarium includes the causative agent of the Bayound disease, Fusarium oxysporum, a major treat for date production North Africa. Twenty two bacterial isolates presenting distinct colony morphology on TSA media were selected. The latter were characterized using Gram staining, biochemical tests, and molecular identification techniques based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Cultivable endophytic isolates were assigned into seven distinct groups. The species Arthrobacter agilis and Bacillus subtilis exhibited lasting antagonistic properties against a range of Fusarium species including the causing agent of the Bayoud disease, thus demonstrating their strong potential for future applications in the inoculation of date palm trees for biocontrol purposes. The isolates showed extracellular enzymatic activity including cellulase (76, 92%), protease (69, 23%) and amylase (38, 46%). This study thus demonstrates for the first time that the diversity of endophytic bacteria is abundant in date palm trees (Phoenix dactylifera L.) and could present varying biotechnological applications and particularly disease control

Date Palm Trees Root-Derived Endophytes as Fungal Cell Factories for Diverse Bioactive Metabolites

Endophytic fungi of healthy and brittle leaf diseased (BLD) date palm trees (Phoenix dactylifera L.) represent a promising source of bioactive compounds with biomedical, industrial, and pharmaceutical applications. The fungal endophytes Penicillium citrinum isolate TDPEF34, and Geotrichum candidum isolate TDPEF20 from healthy and BLD date palm trees, respectively, proved very effective in confrontation assays against three pathogenic bacteria, including two Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and Enterococcus faecalis (Ef), and one Gram-negative bacterium Salmonella enterica (St). They also inhibited the growth of three fungi Trichoderma sp. (Ti), Fusarium sporotrichioides (Fs), Trichoderma sp. (Ts). Additionally, their volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were shown to be in part responsible for the inhibition of Ti and Ts and could account for the full inhibition of Fs. Therefore, we have explored their potential as fungal cell factories for bioactive metabolites production. Four extracts of each endophyte were prepared using different solvent polarities, ethanol (EtOH), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), hexane (Hex), and methanol (MetOH). Both endophyte species showed varying degrees of inhibition of the bacterial and fungal pathogens according to the solvent used. These results suggest a good relationship between fungal bioactivities and their produced secondary metabolites. Targeting the discovery of potential anti-diabetic, anti-hemolysis, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, and cytotoxic activities, endophytic extracts showed promising results. The EtOAc extract of G. candidum displayed IC50 value comparable to the positive control diclofenac sodium in the anti-inflammatory assays. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using α,α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), β-carotene bleaching, reducing power (RP), and 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonique) (ABTS) radical scavenging assays. The findings revealed strong anti-oxidant power with an IC50 of 177.55 µg/mL for G. candidum EtOAc extract using DPPH assay, probably due to high polyphenol and flavonoid content in both fungal extracts. Finally, LC-HRMS (Liquid Chromatography–High Resolution Mass Spectrometry) and GC-MS (Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry) analysis of G. candidum and P. citrinum extracts revealed an impressive arsenal of compounds with previously reported biological activities, partly explaining the obtained results. Finally, LC-HRMS analysis indicated the presence of new fungal metabolites that have never been reported, which represent good candidates to follow for the discovery of new bioactive molecules