Pleurotus spp. are white-rot fungi that utilize different agro-wastes to produce useful biologically active compounds. In this study, exopolysaccharides (EPS) were produced by Pleurotus pulmonarius in submerged culture supplemented with different agro-wastes. Functional groups in EPS were revealed using Fourier Transform-Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Antimicrobial activity of EPS was tested against microorganisms using agar well diffusion. Scavenging potentials of EPS was tested against 1, 1- diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl (OH), iron (Fe 2+ ) and nitric oxide (NO) radicals. In vitro prebiotic activity of EPS was carried out. The highest yield (5.60 g/L) of EPS was produced by P. pulmonarius in submerged culture supplemented with groundnut shell (20.0 g/L). The functional groups in EPS were hydroxyl (-OH), methyl (-CH 3 ), ketone (-RCOH) and carbonyl group (-C=O). EPS displayed zones of inhibition (5.00–14.00 mm) against tested microorganisms. Scavenging activity of EPS ranged from 65.70-81.80% against DPPH. EPS supported the growth of Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Streptococcus thermophiles with values ranged from 3.04 × 10 4 –3.40 × 10 4 cfu/ml and 2.50 × 10 4 –2.81 × 10 4 cfu/ml, respectively. Submerged culture of P. pulmonarius with addition of agro-wastes enhanced yield of EPS. The EPS exhibited bio-functional properties like antimicrobial, antioxidant and prebiotic activities. Hence, agrowastes can be recycled in submerged fermentation with fungi to produce promising biomaterials for biopharmaceutical applications.

Background The frequent incidence of fungal infection and widespread of antibiotic resistance are emergent concerns in public health. Hence, there is a need to harness the potential of natural bioactive compounds from plant towards treatment of fungal infection. Combination effect of antibiotic creams with natural products from plants is prospective strategy to produce new antifungal agent. This study therefore, revealed antifungal effect of combined Antifungal Creams (AFCs) with Turmeric Essential Oil (TEO) or Aloe vera Gel (AVG). Methods Phytochemicals and bioactive compounds in TEO and AVG were revealed using GC-MS. Bioactive compounds in plant extracts were compared to known compounds in database library of National Institute of Standards and Technology (U.S.). Antifungal activity and synergistic effect of AFCs with TEO or AVG were carried out using agar well diffusion method. Results Phenol, flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids and cardiac glycosides were present in TEO and AVG. GCMS revealed thirty-six (36) and eighteen (18) bioactive compounds in TEO and AVG, respectively. AFCs displayed zones of inhibition with values ranged from 5.0 to 14.3 mm, TEO was 5.0 to 11.0 mm and AVG was 8.0 to 11.7 mm against tested fungi. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) by AFCs, TEO and AVG ranged from 1.25 to 10.0 mg/ml. Combinatory effects of AFCs with TEO or AVG revealed synergistic and indifferent properties. Conclusion Development of novel products using bioactive ingredients from plants with commercially available AFCs will serve as potential alternative therapy to cure dermatological infections with no side effects.

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Escherichia coli is one of the primary intestinal commensal organisms found in endothermic      animals and hence, it is widely disseminated in the environment. A total of 36 (10.68%)               Escherichia coli was isolated from 101 faecal samples collected from straw coloured fruit bats (Eidolon helvum) faeces  from three different major cities (Ile-Ife, Osogbo and Ilesa) in Osun State, Nigeria. The E. coli isolates showed a higher percentage antibiotic resistance to augumentin (83.33%), followed by cefuroxime (69.44%), ceftazidime (55.55%), amoxicillin (38.88%), and cefotaxime (33.33%), but relatively low to eterpenem, meropenem, and tetracycline (11.11%) and also nitrofurantoin (8.33%). Multiple antibiotic resistance to three or more antibiotics was recorded among the isolates in all the study locations. Escherichia coli (16.7%) were multiple antibiotic-resistant. Six (100%) of the multiple antibiotic-resistant E. coli posesses MultiDHA gene while 3 (50%) were positive for TEM gene.  The virulence gene eaeA had the highest prevalence of 83.3% while the least was observed in PAPC (16.7%) and ISS (16.7%) but no biofilm production was observed in all the isolates. The resistance found across the three locations indicated that resistance genes can be transmitted to other animal and human through direct and or indirect contact. The antibiotic resistance profile and patterns as well as the antibiotic resistance genes detected indicated the possibility of cross transmission and spread of the resistance trait among the organisms with great consequences in therapeutic management of infections resulting from such              a source. The dendrogram shows that the isolates were genetically related across the three locations.

Amylases have wide biotechnological potentials for applications in various industries. An α-amylase-producing bacterium was isolated from deteriorating yam tubers. Molecular characterization using the 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to confirm the identity of the bacterium as Bacillus subtilis Y25. The effect of some cultural and nutritional factors such as pH, temperature, carbon and nitrogen sources on α-amylase production from the bacterium was determined. Maximum α-amylase production was observed using starch and peptone as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, with an initial medium pH of 8.0 and incubation at 45 °C for 36 h. The enzyme was purified by ion exchange chromatography on CM Sepharose CL-6B. The kinetic parameters Km and Vmax of the enzyme, as well as the effect of pH, temperature, metal ions and ethylenediaminetetra acetic acid (EDTA) on the activity of the purified enzyme were studied. The specific activity of the partially purified enzyme was determined to be 15.21 Units/mg protein with a purification fold of 3.80. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 58.0 kDa. The Vmax and Km values obtained with soluble starch for Bacillus subtilis Y25 α-amylase were 314.10 ± 23.30 Units/mg protein and 53.98 ± 12.03 mg/ml, respectively. The enzyme exhibited optimum activity at a temperature of 60 °C and pH 8.0. The metal ion Ca2+ had no effect on the enzyme at 20 mM concentration, whereas Na+ and Mg2+, as well as EDTA inhibited the enzyme at the same concentration. The characteristics of the α-amylase from Bacillus subtilis Y25 revealed it to be a thermostable and an alkaline metalloenzyme with potential for applications in the detergent and saccharification industries.