Evaluation of the Combinatory Anticancer Effect of Chemotherapeutic Compounds and Prodigiosin against HCT-116, LoVo, and A549 Cell lines.

Despite their wide usage in reducing tumors and improving patients' survival, chemotherapeutic drugs or natural compounds are facing the development of cancer resistance. Many experimental data and clinical trials have shown that combinatorial treatment could be an efficient solution for some resistance problems. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the synergistic effects of combining prodigiosin (PG), a natural compound with known anticancer properties, with the commonly used chemotherapy drugs 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), oxaliplatin, and paclitaxel.

New bacterial strains isolated from Tunisian biotopes: A sustainable enzymatic approach for decolorization and detoxification of Congo Red and Malachite Green.

Seven bacterial strains, isolated from various Tunisian biotopes, were investigated for Congo Red (CR) and Malachite Green (MG) decolorization. The isolated strains underwent morphological and biochemical tests, including assessments for antibiotic sensitivity as well as biofilm formation. One selected strain, ST11, was partially identified as Paenibacillus sp.

Control of Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm by surfactins of an endophytic bacterium Bacillus sp. 15 F.

The present paper deals with the preparation and annotation of a surfactin(s) derived from a culture of the endophytic bacterium Bacillus 15 F. The LC-MS analysis of the acetonitrile fraction confirmed the presence of surfactins Leu/Ile7 C15, Leu/Ile7 C14 and Leu/Ile7 C13 with [M+H] at m/z 1036.6895, 1022.

Unveiling the impact of selected essential oils on MRSA strain ATCC 33591: antibacterial efficiency, biofilm disruption, and staphyloxanthin inhibition.

This work aimed to evaluate the effects of 4 selected essential oils on planktonic cells and microbial biofilms of the Staphylococcus aureus strain (MRSA ATCC 33591). The antibacterial activities of the four essential oils Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), PgEO, Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) MaEO, Lemon peel (Citrus limon) ClEO and Peppermint (Mentha piperita) MpEO had MICs ranging from 1.56 to 12.

A novel perspective on eugenol as a natural anti-quorum sensing molecule against Serratia sp.

Serratia marcescens is commonly noted to be an opportunistic pathogen and is often associated with nosocomial infections. In addition to its high antibiotic resistance, it exhibits a wide range of virulence factors that confer pathogenicity. Targeting quorum sensing (QS) presents a potential therapeutic strategy for treating bacterial infections caused by S.

Antibacterial, antibiofilm and cytotoxic properties of prodigiosin produced by a newly isolated Serratia sp. C6LB from a milk collection center.

The aim of this work was to produce a red tripyrrole pigment prodigiosin from Serratia sp. C6LB strain, to investigate the promising antimicrobial properties on Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. The research was also proposed to evaluate the antibiofilm activity on Staphylococcus epidermidis S61 biofilm and its cytotoxic activity against human cancer cell lines.

Change in some quality parameters and oxidative stability of olive oils with regard to ultrasound pretreatment, depitting and water addition.

Ultrasound pretreatment with different times (0, 4, 8, 10 min) on olive paste previous malaxation of olive oil extraction along with depitting and water application procedures were studied. The effects of these procedures on oil yield, quality parameters and oxidative stability have been studied. Therefore, the olive oil yield increase with increasing time of ultrasound treatment.

Antibacterial, anti-adherent and cytotoxic activities of surfactin(s) from a lipolytic strain Bacillus safensis F4.

The bacterial strain F4, isolated from olive oil-contaminated soil, has been found to produce biosurfactants as confirmed by oil displacement test and the emulsification index results. The identification of the strain F4, by 16S ribosomal RNA gene, showed a close similarity to Bacillus safensis, therefore the strain has been termed Bacillus safensis F4. The Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and the High Pressure Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) demonstrated that the biosurfactant had a lipopeptide structure and was classified as surfactin.

The novel cationic cell-penetrating peptide PEP-NJSM is highly active against Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm.

A cationic cell-penetrating peptide PEP-NJSM was identified in human virus proteomes by a screening of charge clusters in protein sequences generating Cell-Penetrating Peptides (CPP). PEP-NJSM was selectively active against Gram-positive Staphylococcus epidermidis as antibacterial agent with MIC value of 128 μM compared to the Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain with MIC value exceeded 512 μM. The selected peptide exhibited an important anti-biofilm activity even at sub-MIC levels.

Chemical composition, anti-biofilm activity and potential cytotoxic effect on cancer cells of Rosmarinus officinalis L. essential oil from Tunisia.

Background: Rosmarinus officinalis L. from Tunisia, popularly known as rosemary, is of a considerable importance for its medicinal uses and aromatic value. The aim of this study was to examine the chemical composition of Rosmarinus officinalis essential oil (ROEO) and to evaluate its antibiofilm activity on biofilm-forming bacterium and its anticancer activity on cancer cell lines.

Evaluation of biofilm-forming ability of bacterial strains isolated from the roof of an old house.

The bacterial diversity associated with biofilm-forming ability was studied. Eighteen bacterial strains were isolated from a microbial film collected from the roof of an old house located in Sfax, Tunisia. The purity of these microorganisms was confirmed by microscopic observation after repeated streaking on a Tryptic Soy agar medium.

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) from traditional uses to potential biomedical applications.

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) is a small annual and herbaceous plant belonging to the Apiaceae family. It is a multipurpose plant species cultivated in the Middle East, India, China, and several Mediterranean countries, including Tunisia.

Biodegradation of diesel oil by a novel microbial consortium: comparison between co-inoculation with biosurfactant-producing strain and exogenously added biosurfactants.

Bioremediation, involving the use of microorganisms to detoxify or remove pollutants, is the most interesting strategy for hydrocarbon remediation. In this aim, four hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria were isolated from oil-contaminated soil in Tunisia. They were identified by the 16S rDNA sequence analysis, as Lysinibacillus bronitolerans RI18 (KF964487), Bacillus thuringiensis RI16 (KM111604), Bacillus weihenstephanensis RI12 (KM094930), and Acinetobacter radioresistens RI7 (KJ829530).

Characterization of the microbial diversity in production waters of mesothermic and geothermic Tunisian oilfields.

The microbial diversity of production waters of five Tunisian oilfields was investigated using Single Strand Conformation Polymorphism (SSCP) technique followed by cloning-sequencing. Dynamics of bacterial populations in production waters collected from four wellheads were also evaluated. For all production water samples collected, DNA from Archaea and Eucarya was not sufficiently abundant to permit detection rRNA genes from these groups by PCR-SSCP.

Isolation and characterization of Klebsiella oxytoca strain degrading crude oil from a Tunisian off-shore oil field.

A facultatively anaerobic, Gram-negative, mesophilic, moderately halotolerant, non-motile, and non-sporulated bacterium, designated strain BSC5 was isolated from an off-shore "Sercina" oil field, located near the Kerkennah island, Tunisia. Yeast extract was not required for growth. Phenotypic characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain BSC5 revealed that it was related to members of the genus Klebsiella, being most closely related to the type strain of K.

A newly high alkaline lipase: an ideal choice for application in detergent formulations.

Background: Bacterial lipases received much attention for their substrate specificity and their ability to function in extreme environments (pH, temperature...

Strategy for improving extracellular lipolytic activities by a novel thermotolerant Staphylococcus sp. strain.

Background: Extracellular bacterial lipases received much attention for their substrate specificity and their ability to function under extreme environments (pH, temperature...

Characterization of a novel biosurfactant produced by Staphylococcus sp. strain 1E with potential application on hydrocarbon bioremediation.

A biosurfactant-producing bacterium (Staphylococcus sp. strain 1E) was isolated from an Algerian crude oil contaminated soil. Biosurfactant production was tested with different carbon sources using the surface tension measurement and the oil displacement test.

Anaerobic membrane bioreactor for the treatment of leachates from Jebel Chakir discharge in Tunisia.

Landfill leachate (LFL) collected from the controlled discharge of Jebel Chakir in Tunisia was treated without any physical or chemical pretreatment in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR). The organic loading rate (OLR) in the AnMBR was gradually increased from 1 g COD l(-1)d(-1) to an average of 6.27 g COD l(-1)d(-1).

Isolation of a thermophilic and halophilic tyrosol-degrading Geobacillus from a Tunisian high-temperature oil field.

An aerobic, thermophilic, halotolerant and Gram-positive bacterium, designated strain C5, was isolated from a high-temperature oil field, located in Sfax, Tunisia, after enrichment on tyrosol. Strain C5 grew between 25 and 70 degrees C and optimally at 50 degrees C. It grew in the presence of 0-12% (w/v) NaCl, with optimum growth at 3% (w/v) NaCl.