Antibacterial and anticancer activities of three novel lectin-conjugated chitosan nanoparticles.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to synthesize, characterize, and determine the antibacterial and anticancer effects of three novel conjugates of plant lectins: phytohemagglutinin lectin (PHA), soybean agglutinin (SBA), and peanut agglutinin (PNA) with chitosan nanoparticles (CHNPs). The lectin concentration within prepared conjugates was estimated using nannodrop, and the highest concentration was 0.96 mg/ml in PHA-CHNPs.

Statistical factorial designs for optimum production of thermostable α-amylase by the degradative bacterium Parageobacillus thermoglucosidasius Pharon1 isolated from Sinai, Egypt.

Background: 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.

Results: A thermophilic bacterium was isolated from the hot spring of Pharaoh's Bath, Sinai, Egypt.

Assessment of exopolysaccharides, bacteriocins and in vitro and in vivo hypocholesterolemic potential of some Egyptian Lactobacillus spp.

Lactobacilli probiotics have been suggested to reduce cholesterol with low side effects to host. Bacteriocins and exopolysaccharides (EPSs) production are two meaningful examples of functional applications of lactobacilli in the food industry. Eight Lactobacillus strains were isolated from some Egyptian fermented food and tested for their probiotic properties.

Response surface methodology-mediated improvement of the irradiated endophytic fungal strain, Alternaria brassicae AGF041 for Huperzine A-hyperproduction.

Huperzine A (HupA) is an anti-Alzheimer's therapeutic and a dietary supplement for memory boosting that is extracted mainly from Huperziacae plants. Endophytes represent the upcoming refuge to protect the plant resource from distinction but their HupA yield is still far from commercialization. In this context, UV and gamma radiation mutagenesis of the newly isolated HupA-producing Alternaria brassicae AGF041 would be applied in this study for improving the endophytic HupA yield.

Characterization and antimicrobial activity of lectins purified from three Egyptian leguminous seeds.

Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins that play vital roles in many biological processes. In this study, lectins from three Egyptian cultivars (fava bean, lentil, and pea) were isolated by precipitation with different concentrations of ammonium sulfate. The purification process was performed by affinity chromatography using mannose agarose.