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The development of mushrooms may be hampered by municipal (MW) and garden wastes (GW) containing spent mushroom substrates (SMS) with high cellulose and lignin contents. In comparison to controls, Pleurotus flabellatus growth patterns were generally enhanced by SMS and/or GM treatments. Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were performed to characterize and identify 30 metabolites from P. flabellatus ethanolic extract. The synthesis of bioactive silver nanoparticles (PFE-AgNPs) from P. flabellatus was characterized using different instrumental methods. Spectral analysis revealed that biogenic PFE-AgNPs were spherically shaped and well-dispersed nanostructures with typical particle sizes ranging from 5 to 20 nm. Selective bacterial strains (25–100 μg/ml) were inhibited by PFE-AgNPs. The IC50 values for the antioxidant activity of facile PFE-AgNPs against DPPH and NOD were substantial (56.62 and 53.93 μg/ml). Furthermore, the anticancer effects of PFE-AgNPs at 10–100 μg/ml were tested on A549 cells after 24 and 48 h of exposure. The DNA damage assay revealed that A549 had more tail creation than the non-cancerous cell line. As a result, our study shows that PFE-AgNPs can be used to manage bacterial illnesses as well as lung cancer. The results indicated similar biological composition, and there is no aggregation of unwanted toxic and biological components that could be drawn from the waste-formulated substrate, ensuring that it is safe to use for sustainable mushroom growth. Additionally, the new and ecologically friendly PFE-AgNPs are enhanced by a technique that transforms municipal wastes into compounds with potential anti-bacterial and anti-cancer properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was to examine the antibacterial and anticancer potential of titanium dioxide mediated (TiO2) nanoparticles using Hypsizygus ulmarius. The nanoparticles were characterized using UV, XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDX, HR-TEM, PSA, and zeta potential. The UV–visible spectroscopy results exhibited a sharp absorbance peak range at 264 nm. The X-ray diffraction analysis reflected the presence of diffraction major peak range at (101), (103), (004), (200), (112), (200), (105), (211), (213), (314), (602), and (215) planes of face centered cubic TiO2NPs. The HR-TEM absorption was expressed the presence of spherical structure particles with a normal size of 80 nm. The EDX results of mycosynthesized TiO2NPs recorded the strong major intense signal which confirms the presence of pure Ti (85%). Mycosynthesized TiO2NPs have a zeta potential value of − 18.4 mV, it shows that they are stable in water. For antibacterial assay, the mycosynthesized TiO2NPs have broad spectrum of growth inhibition against tested human pathogenic bacteria viz., S. aureus (8.4 ± 0.3), B. cereus (7.1 ± 0.5), E. coli (6.2 ± 0.3), and K. pneumoniae (4.0 ± 0.1 mm). The anticancer activity results of green synthesized TiO2NPs proved as highly toxic for the HepG2 cell line and show a reduced cell viability (85%) and L50 value of 83.3 µg/ml after 24 h treatment. Finally, outcome of the present investigation shows that the mycosynthesized titanium dioxide nanoparticles using mushroom extract served as an alternative and eco-friendly nano drugs in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "conflict" between humans and diseases caused by pathogens has been a continuous war for centuries which has resulted into the death of a large number of humans. Despite the discovery of several synthetic drugs for the eradication of pathogenic diseases, the massive abuse of these drugs has caused the pathogens to develop resistance genes toward available medications used for preventing and curing pathogenic diseases. Nanotechnology has been discovered as a crucial tool for the synthesis of nanomaterials with important applications such as wound healing, antimicrobial, and biofilm activities and many other merits across several fields. A significant number of researchers have validated the synthesis of nanobiomaterials from microorganisms. Among other methods used for the synthesis of nanomaterials, mycosynthesis of nanomaterials is attractive because it enhances high yields of protein production, and easy handling with little or no toxicity. Likewise, this synthetic process helps in coating the nanomaterials with biomolecules found in organism cells, which can improve its stability and may promote its biological efficiency. The aim of this review is to present comprehensive information on the wound healing, antimicrobial, and biofilm inhibitory activities of mycosynthesized nanobiomaterials. Furthermore, this review significantly summarized the synthetic processes, optimum conditions, and characterization tools required for the mycosynthesis of nanabiomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mycosynthesis of nanoparticles using mushroom is a promising and innovative approach to Biogenic Sustainable Nanotechnology. In this study, mycosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was carried out using an edible mushroom extract of Pleurotus eryngii (Pe). AgNPs were characterized by ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analyses. UV–vis analysis exhibited an absorption peak at 415 nm, which corresponds to the surface plasmon resonance of AgNPs. FT-IR and XRD revealed the presence of bioactive components and face-centered cubic structure in synthesis. SEM and EDX analyze confirmed that the AgNPs were spherical and 10–45 nm in size, and the presence of strong signals from silver metal. The therapeutic properties of AgNPs were tested by DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) damage, antioxidant (2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method), and lipid peroxidation (LPO) assays. Biosynthesized AgNPs were found to restore DNA damage at concentrations of 50 and 75 µg/mL. The highest DPPH radical scavenging activity of AgNPs was recorded as 89.44% at 400 µg/mL and was more effective than Pe extract. AgNPs demonstrated potent activity in inhibiting LPO with a percentage of 88.38% at a concentration of 300 μg/mL. The biological activity of AgNPs was found to be concentration dependent and had more activity than the Pe extract. The obtained results predict that the mycosynthesis method is less toxic, cost-effective and environmentally friendly, and the AgNPs produced will contribute to the development of new-generation drugs in the fields of biomedicine and pharmacology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycosynthesis of silver nano-scale particles by fungi is an important aspect in nanotechnology due to its eco-friendly, safe, and cost-effective nature. It also provides protein-capped nanoparticles, which are very stable and have good dispersion. The Mycosynthesis of silver nano-scale particles (SNPs) by Trichoderma asperellum Filtrate (TAF) was evaluated. The characterizations of TAFSNPs were done by UV–visible spectroscopy, FTIR, SEM, and EDX. Biological evaluations such as antibacterial activity against some pathogens, in-vivo immuno-stimulatory, and antitumor potential and hematological parameters of SNPs of T. asperellum were investigated. Changes in color from yellow to brown indicate the formation of nanoparticles. TAFSNPs biosynthesis had a Surface Plasmon Resonance peak at 450 nm. The nanoparticles were spherical, with a size ranging from 0.7 to 10.0 nm. EDX analysis revealed a strong signal for the silver element. TAFSNPs had profound antagonistic activity against the test microorganism. B. subtilis, S. aureus, and Salmonella typhi were highly susceptible with inhibition zone of 24.3 mm, 21.8 mm, and 21.3 mm. TAFSNPs had significant immune-stimulation in the treated mice with an increase in IgA and IgM production, which ranged from 169 0.83d–269 0.56a mg/dl and 26 0.16d–69 0.27a mg/dl. TAFSNPs had CEA level reduction capability (3.62–4.05 ng/L). TAFSNPs had the highest amounts of PCV, Red blood cells, heamoglobin, and neutrophils (38%, 5.7 × 1012%, 14.09 g/dl, and 71%). Significant improvement was recorded on the lifespan of the TAFSNPs treated tumor-induced mice. Conclusively, TAFSNPs have good antimicrobial, immuno-stimulatory, and antitumor potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green nanotechnology provides tools for the transformation of biological systems toward safe and cost-effective approaches of nanomaterial synthesis for biomedical applications. The aim of the current investigation was to mycosynthesis of functional platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) by Penicillium pinophilum cell-free filtrate using hydrogen hexachloroplatinate (IV) hexahydrate (H2PtCl6) as substrate. The UV–Visible spectroscopy, TEM, XRD, DLS, FTIR, TGA–DSC and GC–MS were used to characterize the mycosynthesized PtNPs. UV–visible spectrum of mycosynthesized PtNPs showed maximum absorption peak at 263 nm. The band gap energy of the PtNPs was estimated as 3.78 eV. TEM showed the PtNPs in different shapes with the size ranged from 2 to 25 nm. DLS demonstrated the size range of 2–30 nm for synthesized PtNPs. A zeta potential of − 43.0 ± 1.0 mV with a single peak was recorded for PtNPs. The XRD peaks 40.3, 46.8 and 68.2 with the plane of platinum crystals (111), (200), and (220) were identified indicating that the PtNPs were face-centered, cubic, and crystalline in nature. Mycosynthesized PtNPs were analyzed by simultaneous TGA–DSC showed thermal stability for PtNPs. The FTIR results showed the presence of some bio-molecules in fungal cell-free filtrate as possible bio-reducing and capping agent of PtNPs. GC–MS analysis of fungal cell-free filtrate showed 10 peaks representative of related compounds. The mycosynthesized PtNPs displayed antimicrobial activity (8.1 ± 0.8 to 24.3 ± 0.8 mm) against various important fungal and bacteria pathogens. They were toxic for cancer cell-line HepG-2 at IC50 value of 184.07 μg/ml. Microscopy images showed morphological changes and reduction of cancer cells populations in PtNPs-treated cell-line. Altogether, our results demonstrated for the first time the green synthesis of PtNPs using Penicillium pinophilum. Synthesized PtNPs were not only active against fungal and bacteria pathogens, but also they showed strong cytotoxic effects against human cancer cell-line HepG-2. Thus, they may be considered as promising chemotherapeutics to combat malignancies and overcome life-threatening infections arisen from multidrug resistant fungi and bacteria in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, FeNPs were mycosynthesized by extract of fungus Aspergillus terreus GS28. The mycosynthesized FeNPs were characterized by transmission and scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, and particle size analyzer. The biofabricated FeNPs were positively charged and their size varied from 20 to 60 nm as found in different investigations. The biological originated materials (phenolic component, protein, and amino acids) are associated with FeNPs for capping the nanoparticles. The mycosynthesized FeNPs showed excellent adsorption capacity for CR (48.7 mg/g) and DB-1 (38.0 mg/g) with a removal efficiency of 97.5 and 77.1%, respectively, at 100 mg/L of CR/DB-1, pH 7.0, 30 °C, 2 g/L concentration of FeNPs, 240 min, and shaking condition of 120 rpm. FeNPs also exhibited high dye removal performance under the presence of selective ions such as Na+, Mn2+, Zn2+, Ni2+, and NH4+. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model best fitted with the adsorption of DB-1 and CR. The multilayer layer adsorption was dominated in CR removal and the adsorption data well fitted with the Freundlich isotherm model while, DB-1 adsorption happened through monolayer adsorption on FeNPs and DB-1 adsorption data was fitted with the Langmuir isotherm model. Electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bond, and Fe–O interaction are the principle mechanism that deals with CR and DB-1 adsorption. Thus, mycosynthesized FeNPs has potential for adsorptive removal DB-1 and CR and can be used for large scale application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the light of the fast growing several applications of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) in different industrial and agricultural sectors, this paper was conducted to explore the suitability of endophytic fungi as nano-factories for SeNPs. Thus, 75 fungal isolates were recovered from plant tissues and tested for their efficacy to biosynthesize SeNPs. Four promising strains were found able to synthesis SeNPs with different characteristics and identified. These strains were Aspergillus quadrilineatus isolated from the twigs of Ricinus communis, Aspergillus ochraceus isolated from the leaves of Ricinus communis, Aspergillus terreus isolated from the twigs of Azadirachta indica, and Fusarium equiseti isolated from the twigs of Hibiscus rose-sinensis. The synthesized SeNPs were characterized by several techniques viz., UV–Vis, X-ray diffraction, Dynamic light scattering analyses, High resolution transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, to study their crystalline structure, particle sized distribution, and morphology. Furthermore, the in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activities were evaluated. SeNPs synthesized by the four strains showed potent antifungal and antibacterial potentials against different human and phyto- pathogens. Moreover, SeNPs synthesized by the respective strains showed promising antioxidant power with IC50 values of 198.32, 151.23, 100.31, and 91.52 µg mL− 1. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the use of endophytic fungi for SeNPs' biosynthesis. The presented research recommends the use of endophytic fungi as facile one-pot production bio-factories of SeNPs with promising characteristics. Key points: Discovery of four different promising endophytic fungi for a facile-synthesis of SeNPs. SeNPs were successfully mycosynthesized and characterized. SeNPs exhibited promising antifungal, antibacterial, and antioxidant activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of fungi as biological nanofactories is an innovative and promising research field of nanoscience. It offers the potential to yield sustainable and cost-effective nanostructures with fine-tuned features. This study reports the trichogenic synthesis of silver oxide/copper oxide (Ag2O/CuO) nanoalloys, using the culture filtrate of the endophytic fungus Trichoderma virens. The filtrate of T. virens mediated the synthesis of the Ag2O/CuO nanoalloys, which was visually verified by the formation of dark bluish-greenish colloidal suspension upon reacting with AgNO3 and CuSO4·5H2O (1:1 v/v). X-ray diffraction revealed the crystalline nature of the trichogenic Ag2O/CuO nanoalloys, showing the characteristic diffraction peaks of cubic Ag2O (Pn-3/201) and tenorite monoclinic CuO (C2/c/15). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed spectra corresponding to the core levels of Ag 3d, Cu 2p, and O 1 s in the Ag2O/CuO nanoalloys. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy showed nitro and ester stretching vibrations in addition to characteristic interatomic metal–metal vibrations near 500 cm−1. Dynamic light scattering revealed that the Ag2O/CuO nanoalloys had an average particle size distribution of 124 nm, while zeta potential measurement was + 23.8 mV. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) revealed a mixture of hemispherical and plate-like Ag2O/CuO particles arranged in crystalline clusters. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy revealed the formation of quasi-spherical, circular, cuboid, and triangular Ag2O NPs along with the sharp-edged nanoplates of CuO particles. Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis showed prominent emission peaks of Ag (12.41%), Cu (17.68%), and O (69.91%). The antibacterial efficacy of the Ag2O/CuO nanoalloys was evaluated against six Gram-negative and three Gram-positive bacterial strains. The Ag2O/CuO nanoalloys exhibited significant antibacterial activity against streptomycin-sensitive Xanthomonas citri pv. citri (Xcc) (17.85 ± 0.735 mm), streptomycin-resistant Xcc (17.77 ± 0.720 mm), Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (17.44 ± 3.492 mm), and Escherichia coli (16.23 ± 2.468 mm), whereas the effectiveness of the Ag2O/CuO nanoalloys was moderate against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (12.74 ± 1.302 mm), Staphylococcus aureus (12.56 ± 0.667 mm), streptomycin-sensitive Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (Pcc) (11.77 ± 0.431 mm), streptomycin-resistant Pcc (11.63 ± 0.741 mm), and C. michiganensis subsp. capsici (11.62 ± 0.958 mm). The bacterial cells exposed to the Ag2O/CuO nanoalloys exhibited notable morphological changes, such as cell membrane disruption, structural damage, compromised membrane integrity, shrinkage, and swelling. This research lays the groundwork for developing and using trichogenic Ag2O/CuO nanoalloys as highly effective nano-antimicrobial agents for a diverse array of applications.Graphical Abstract: The use of fungi as biological nanofactories is an innovative and promising research field of nanoscience. It offers the potential to yield sustainable and cost-effective nanostructures with fine-tuned features. This study reports the trichogenic synthesis of silver oxide/copper oxide (Ag2O/CuO) nanoalloys, using the culture filtrate of the endophytic fungus Trichoderma virens. The filtrate of T. virens mediated the synthesis of the Ag2O/CuO nanoalloys, which was visually verified by the formation of dark bluish-greenish colloidal suspension upon reacting with AgNO3 and CuSO4·5H2O (1:1 v/v). X-ray diffraction revealed the crystalline nature of the trichogenic Ag2O/CuO nanoalloys, showing the characteristic diffraction peaks of cubic Ag2O (Pn-3/201) and tenorite monoclinic CuO (C2/c/15). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed spectra corresponding to the core levels of Ag 3d, Cu 2p, and O 1 s in the Ag2O/CuO nanoalloys. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy showed nitro and ester stretching vibrations in addition to characteristic interatomic metal–metal vibrations near 500 cm−1. Dynamic light scattering revealed that the Ag2O/CuO nanoalloys had an average particle size distribution of 124 nm, while zeta potential measurement was + 23.8 mV. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) revealed a mixture of hemispherical and plate-like Ag2O/CuO particles arranged in crystalline clusters. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy revealed the formation of quasi-spherical, circular, cuboid, and triangular Ag2O NPs along with the sharp-edged nanoplates of CuO particles. Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis showed prominent emission peaks of Ag (12.41%), Cu (17.68%), and O (69.91%). The antibacterial efficacy of the Ag2O/CuO nanoalloys was evaluated against six Gram-negative and three Gram-positive bacterial strains. The Ag2O/CuO nanoalloys exhibited significant antibacterial activity against streptomycin-sensitive Xanthomonas citri pv. citri (Xcc) (17.85 ± 0.735 mm), streptomycin-resistant Xcc (17.77 ± 0.720 mm), Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (17.44 ± 3.492 mm), and Escherichia coli (16.23 ± 2.468 mm), whereas the effectiveness of the Ag2O/CuO nanoalloys was moderate against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (12.74 ± 1.302 mm), Staphylococcus aureus (12.56 ± 0.667 mm), streptomycin-sensitive Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (Pcc) (11.77 ± 0.431 mm), streptomycin-resistant Pcc (11.63 ± 0.741 mm), and C. michiganensis subsp. capsici (11.62 ± 0.958 mm). The bacterial cells exposed to the Ag2O/CuO nanoalloys exhibited notable morphological changes, such as cell membrane disruption, structural damage, compromised membrane integrity, shrinkage, and swelling. This research lays the groundwork for developing and using trichogenic Ag2O/CuO nanoalloys as highly effective nano-antimicrobial agents for a diverse array of applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study was aimed for the generation of Pleurotus extracellular extract-mediated selenium and zinc-oxide nanoparticles (NPs). The Pleurotus djamor (PD) and Pleurotus sajor-caju (PSC) extracts were incubated with different concentrations of sodium selenate and zinc acetate to yield BioSeNPs and BioZnONPs. The NPs formation led to visual color change (brick-red and white for Se and Zn nanosols, respectively). The synthesized NPs were spherical with size of 124 and 68 nm and 84 and 91 nm for PD and PSC BioSeNPs and BioZnONPs respectively. The UV absorbance peaks were recorded at 293.2 and 292.2 nm and 365.9 and 325.5 nm for BioSeNPs and BioZnONPs derived from PD and PSC respectively. FT-IR spectroscopy indicated specific functional group adoration on metal-based NPs. On supplementation in straw, these NPs improved the fruit body yield besides enhancing their protein and Se/ Zn contents. These biofortified mushrooms could be potential dietary supplement/ nutraceutical., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Mycogenic synthesis of medically applied zinc oxide (ZnO) and copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (NPs) were exploited using Penicillium chrysogenum. The biogenesis and capping processes of the produced nano-metals were conducted by functional fungal extracellular enzymes and proteins. The obtained ZnO-NPs and CuO-NPs were characterized. Also, the antibacterial activity and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of ZnO-NPs and CuO-NPs were determined. Also, antibiofilm and antifungal activities were investigated. Results have demonstrated the ability of the bio-secreted proteins to cape and reduce ZnO and CuO to hexagonal and spherical ZnO-NPs and CuO-NPs with particle size at 9.0–35.0 nm and 10.5–59.7 nm, respectively. Both ZnO-NPs and CuO-NPs showed high antimicrobial activities not only against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria but also against some phytopathogenic fungal strains. Besides this, those NPs showed varied antibiofilm effects against different microorganisms. Quantitative and qualitative analyses indicated that CuO-NPs had an effective antibiofilm activity against Staphylococcus aureus and therefore can be applied in diverse medical devices. Thus, the mycogenic green synthesized ZnO-NPs and CuO-NPs have the potential as smart nano-materials to be used in the medical field to limit the spread of some pathogenic microbes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrated that, myco-synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) using the aqueous extract of button mushroom (Agarius bisporus) as a reducing agent. The nanoparticle formation was evaluated by UV–visible spectroscopy, Fourier Transform-Infrared spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction spectroscopy, Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Transmission Electron Microscopy. Anti-corrosion against copper metal was studied in the occurrence of a highly corrosive aerobic bacterium B. thuringiensis EN2, Terribacillus aidingensis EN3, and Bacillus oleronius EN respectively. The results reveal that mixed consortium forms a thick biofilm on the metal surface and the weight loss (WL) was significantly increased to 0.041 ± 2 g when compared to abiotic system (0.014 ± 1 g). In contrast, inhibitor system WL was reduced about 0.004 ± 1 g than biotic system. For further confirmation of the above results, Surface analysis and EIS result revealed that the ZnONPs has inhibited the corrosive bacterial biofilm. This is the first description disclosing the application of myco-synthesized ZnONPs as effective anti-corrosive inhibitors against microbial influenced corrosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study on green synthesis methods and on its potential applications for the mankind are in trend over 10 or more decades in the field of bioscience. A significant number of works have been done on the synthesis of nanoparticles by a microorganism which clearly shows the reliability of this method. Microbes can be used for synthesis process at much lower cost and in an environment-friendly approach. Among microbes, fungi can be mass grown in vitro, and they demonstrate an easy downstream processing for nanoparticles. Biosynthesized nanoparticles are the by-product of their resistance mechanism of the metal concerned, in different sizes and shapes. Also, presently, there are various methods of characterizing the metal nanoparticles. In this review, we will analyze aspects of mycosynthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles and their different characterization techniques. We are intended to give a clear picture of the importance and downside of this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was carried out in the present investigation using an aqueous extract of endophytic non-pathogenic Alternaria solani F10 (KT721914). The mycosynthesized AgNPs were characterized by means of spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The surface plasmon resonance found at 430 nm confirmed the formation of stable AgNPs for several weeks at room temperature. Also, the results revealed the formation of spherical and monodispersed AgNPs with an average size of 14.8 ± 1.2 nm. The FT-IR spectrum suggested that the fungal extracellular proteins and secondary metabolites had the role in Ag reduction and AgNPs capping of which protein Ag nanoconjugates were formed. Furthermore, the mycosynthesized AgNPs exhibited potent antifungal activity against different pathogenic isolates of the same Alternaria solani fungus, the causal pathogen of tomato early blight disease. The antifungal efficiency of the AgNPs at 1, 5 and 10 ppm were evaluated for 8 days after incubation by measuring the inhibition rate of fungal radial growth. The results were further supported by investigating fungal hyphae morphology alteration by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Treated fungal hyphae showed formation of pits and pores. Also, the mycosynthesized AgNPs were able to pass and distribute throughout the fungal cell area and interact with the cell components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to biosynthesis silver nanoparticles from the fungus Nigrospora sphaerica isolated from soil samples and to examine their activity against five human pathogenic strains of bacteria viz. Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus using disc diffusion method. The synergistic effect of silver nanoparticles in combination with commonly used antibiotic Gentamycin against the selected bacteria was also examined. The synthesized silver nanoparticles from free-cell filtrate were characterized by using UV-Vis spectrophotometer analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). UV-Vis spectrophotometer analysis showed a peak at 420 nm indicating the synthesis of silver nanoparticles, FTIR analysis verified the detection of protein capping of silver nanoparticles while SEM micrographs revealed that the silver nanoparticles are dispersed and aggregated and mostly having spherical shape within the size range between 20 and 70 nm. The synthesized silver nanoparticles exhibited a varied growth inhibition activity (15-26 mm diam inhibition zones) against the tested pathogenic bacteria. A remarkable increase of bacterial growth inhibition (26-34 mm diam) was detected when a combination of silver nanoparticles and Gentamycin was used. A significant increase in fold area of antibacterial activity was observed when AgNPs in combination with Gentamycin was applied. The synthesized silver nanoparticles produced by the fungus N. sphaerica is a promising to be used as safe drug in medical therapy due to their broad spectrum against pathogenic bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mosquitoes transmit dreadful diseases, causing millions of deaths every year. Therefore, screening for larvicidal and pupicidal activity of microbial extracts attributes could lead to development of new and improved mosquito control methods that are economical and safe for nontarget organisms and are ecofriendly. Synthetic chemical insecticides occupy predominant position in control strategies. These hazardous chemicals exert unwarranted toxicity and lethal effects on nontarget organisms, develop physiological resistance in target, and cause adverse environmental effect. For vector control, fungal-mediated natural products have been a priority in this area at present. In the current study, effective larvicidal and pupicidal effect of mycosynthesized silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) using an entomopathogenic fungi Trichoderma harzianum against developmental stages of the dengue vector Aedes aegypti was investigated. An attractive possibility of green nanotechnology is to use microorganisms in the synthesis of nanosilver especially Ag NPs. The mycosynthesized Ag NPs were characterized to find their unique properties through UV-visible spectrophotometer, X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transform infrared, and surface characteristics by scanning electron microscopy. To analyze the bioefficacy, different test concentrations for extracellular filtrate (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0 %) and Ag NPs (0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, and 0.25 %) were prepared to a final volume of 200 mL using deionized water; 20 larvae of each instars (I-IV) and pupa were exposed to each test concentration separately which included a set of control (distilled water) group with five replicates. Characterization of the synthesized Ag NPs were about 10-20 nm without aggregation. Susceptibility of larval instars to synthesized Ag NPs was higher than the extracellular filtrate of T. harzianum alone after 24-h exposure, where the highest mortality was recorded as 92 and 96 % for first and second instars and 100 % for third, fourth instars, and pupa. Lethal concentration 50 values of 0.079, 0.084, 0.087, 0.068, and 0.026 % were recorded for I-IV instars and pupa, respectively, when exposed to Ag NPs at 0.25 % concentration. Toxicity was exhibited against first (1.076 %), second (0.912 %), third (0.770 %), fourth (0.914 %) instars larvae, and pupa (0.387 %) with extracellular filtrate at a concentration of 1 % that was three- to fourfold higher compared to Ag NPs; no mortality was observed in the control. The present study is the first report on effective larvicidal and pupicidal activity of Ag NPs synthesized from an entomopathogenic fungi T. harzianum extracellular filtrate and could be an ideal ecofriendly, single-step, and inexpensive approach for the control of A. aegypti. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myconanotechnology is an emerging field, where fungi can be harnessed for the synthesis of nanomaterials or nanostructures with desirable shape and size. Though myconanotechnology is in its infancy, potential applications provide exciting waves of transformation in agriculture and fascinate microbiologists and other researchers to contribute in providing incremental solutions through green chemistry approaches for advancing food security. In this article, we provide a brief overview of the research efforts on the mycogenic synthesis of nanoparticles with particular emphasis on mechanisms and potential applications in agriculture and allied sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanotechnology is relevant to diverse fields of science and technology. Due to the many advantages over non-biological systems, several research groups have exploited the use of biological systems for the synthesis of nanoparticles. Among the different microbes used for the synthesis of nanoparticles, fungi are efficient candidates for fabrication of metal nanoparticles both intra- and extracellulary. The nanoparticles synthesized using fungi present good polydispersity, dimensions and stability. The potential applications of nanotechnology and nanoparticles in different fields have revolutionized the health care, textile and agricultural industries and they are reviewed here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]