Microbial conversion and anticandidal effects of bioconverted product of cabbage (Brassica oleracea) by Pectobacterium carotovorum pv. carotovorum 21

Microbial Biotransformation to Obtain New Antifungals

Antifungal drugs belong to few chemical groups and such low diversity limits the therapeutic choices. The urgent need of innovative options has pushed researchers to search new bioactive molecules. Literature regarding the last 15 years reveals that different research groups have used different approaches to achieve such goal. However, the discovery of molecules with different mechanisms of action still demands considerable time and efforts. This review was conceived to present how Pharmaceutical Biotechnology might contribute to the discovery of molecules with antifungal properties by microbial biotransformation procedures. Authors present some aspects of (1) microbial biotransformation of herbal medicines and food; (2) possibility of major and minor molecular amendments in existing molecules by biocatalysis; (3) methodological improvements in processes involving whole cells and immobilized enzymes; (4) potential of endophytic fungi to produce antimicrobials by bioconversions; and (5) in silico research driving to the improvement of molecules. All these issues belong to a new conception of transformation procedures, so-called "green chemistry," which aims the highest possible efficiency with reduced production of waste and the smallest environmental impact.

Microbial transformation of curcumin to its derivatives with a novel Pichia kudriavzevii ZJPH0802 strain

Curcumin, a polyphenolic compound, has shown a wide range of pharmacological activities and has been widely used as a food additive. However, the clinical use of curcumin is limited to some extent because of its poor water solubility and low bioavailability. To overcome these problems, many approaches have been attempted and structural modification of curcumin by microbial transformation has been proven to be an alternative. In this study, we isolated a novel yeast strain Pichia kudriavzevii ZJPH0802 from a soil sample, which is capable of converting curcumin to its derivatives. The transformed products by this strain were evaluated by HPLC, (+) electrospray ionization (ESI)-MS(n), and (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance methods. Compared with controls, two new peaks of the transformed broth appeared at retention times of 26 min (I) and 62 min (II) by HPLC analysis. The two transformed products were then further identified by (+) ESI-MS(n). The spectrum showed that compound I had an accurate [M+H+NH3](+) ion at m/z 392, [M+H](+) ion at m/z 375, [M+H-H2O](+) ion at m/z 357, and (+) ESI-MS(3) spectrum showed that ion at m/z 357 could further form fragment ions at m/z 339, 177, and 163; compound II had an accurate [M+H](+) ion at m/z 373, [M+H-H2O](+) ion at m/z 355, and (+) ESI-MS(3) spectrum showed that ion at m/z 355 could further form fragment ions at m/z 219, 179, 177, 163, and 137. These two transformed products thereby were confirmed as hexahydrocurcumin (I) and tetrahydrocurcumin (II).

Microbial Conversion of Tomato by a Plant Pathogenic Bacterium Pectobacterium atrosepticum: A Plant-Microbial Approach to Control Pathogenic Candida Species

This study was carried out to produce bioconverted products by microbial fermentation of tomato using a plant pathogenic bacterium Pectobacterium atrosepticum and to evaluate their in vitro antimycotic effect against pathogenic Candida species. The bioconverted products (500 μg/disc) provoked promising antimycotic effects against pathogenic isolates of Candida species as shown by the diameters of zones of inhibition (9 ± 0.6 to 14 ± 0.4 mm), along with their respective minimum inhibitory and minimum fungicidal concentration values, which increased from 250 to 1000 and 250 to 2000 μg/mL, respectively. With the viable counts of the tested fungal pathogens, exposure of the bioconverted products revealed a remarkable antimycotic effect. In addition, the morphology of a clinical isolate of C. glabrata KBN06P00368, visualized by scanning electron microscopy, showed a severe detrimental effect produced by the bioconverted products at the minimum inhibitory concentration (250 μg/mL). The bioconverted products significantly inhibited the in vitro growth of all the tested clinical and pathogenic laboratory isolates of Candida species. This study confirmed the potent antimycotic efficacy of the bioconverted products of tomato, hence justifying the therapeutic uses of bioconverted products in pharmaceutical preparations as an alternative approach to support the antifungal activity of conventional antimycotics.