1.A new isolate of thermophilic and organic solvent tolerant bacteria for lipase production using basal medium of palm kernel cake 80-87
Nurul Hidayah Mohd Zubairi ; Md. Zahangir ALAM ; Md Noor SALLEH ; Hamzah Mohd SALLEH ; Nurul Alia FAZIL
Malaysian Journal of Microbiology 2018;14(2):80-87
Aims: This research focused on the selection of potential strains especially bacteria that can grow effectively in palm kernel cake (PKC) and produce high amount of thermostable and solvent tolerant (TS-OST) lipase. The work involved the exploration of renewable PKC as potential fermentation medium for discovery to novel TS-OST lipase that would have excellent tolerance and activity in presence of organic solvents with high temperatures for industrial applications.Methodology and results: Using palm kernel cake (PKC) as source of thermophilic bacteria, 53 bacterial strains were found survived at temperature 65 °C. However, after subcultured several times, only 17 strains were found as pure thermophilic strains. Preliminary screening both qualitative and quantitative was performed to all 17 potential thermophilic bacterial strains and showed that only 11 purified thermophilic strains are lipase producer. Strain PKC-P1 produced highest enzyme activity (11.13 U/g), followed by PKC-P13 and PKC-C9. The lowest enzymeactivity was lipase produced byPKC-C10 (0.76U/g). Strain PKC-P1 has been classified as Gram negative bacteria and identified as Bacillus smithiistrain PKC_P1.Conclusion, significance and impact of study: PKC as a by-product of oil palm industry consistsof many nutrients that can give benefits towards industry and can be utilized in order to produce enzymes like lipases. From these results, it could be concluded that this lipase stable at temperature 65 °C and pH 7 and may be a potential candidate to be used in a variety of biotechnological applications. This finding revealed that a bacterial strain obtained from oil-rich environment which is PKC through isolation process has potential as a source of more economical enzyme to be applied in biotechnology industr
2.Phytochemicals with antifungal properties: Cure from nature
Amal A. M. Elgharbawy ; Nurhusna Samsudin ; Farah Fadwa Benbelgacem ; Yumi Zuhanis Has-Yun Hashim ; Hamzah Mohd. Salleh ; Jacinta Santhanam
Malaysian Journal of Microbiology 2020;16(4):323-345
Aims:
The exploration of natural products with innovative uses is dynamic and expanding rapidly. Medicinal plants have
fascinated many researchers that subsequently lead to research publications highlighting plant extracts with wide range
of secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, quinones, terpenoids, tannins and saponins that
exhibit antimicrobial activities and disease control. The concentration of these bioactive compounds in each plant
species varies based on the pathosystem and environmental conditions. This study aims to uncover the various types of
phytochemicals with antifungal properties.
Methodology and results:
Seven categories of plant-based antifungal compounds were reviewed, which are
terpenoids, saponins, phenolic compounds, coumarins, alkaloids, essential oils and peptides, with examples and
structures of some available compounds. The mechanism of action of each category of phytochemical was discussed.
Also, the impact of some compounds was explained and elaborated.
Conclusion, significance and impact of study
It is of a great importance to explore natural plant fighters against
fungal infection. Those active plant components do not only have antifungal properties, but they also help in the healing
process and some even exhibit anticancer activities. The development and knowledge of antifungal activities from plant
extracts have the potential for applications in antifungal therapy. Since the exact description of how antifungal
compounds function in the human body is still unclear more studies are required to unveil phytochemicals’ properties
and to elucidate their effects on living cells.
Phytochemicals--therapeutic use
;
Antifungal Agents