Efficacy of Penicillium limosum Strain AK-7 Derived Bioactive Metabolites on Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Anticancer Activity against Human Ovarian Teratocarcinoma (PA-1) Cell Line

Dhanyakumara Shivapoojar Basavarajappa; Shaik Kalimulla Niazi; Asmatanzeem Bepari; Rasha Assad Assiri; Syed Arif Hussain; Muzaheed; Sreenivasa Nayaka; Halaswamy Hiremath; Muthuraj Rudrappa; Bidhayak Chakraborty; Anil Hugar

doi:10.3390/microorganisms11102480

Efficacy of Penicillium limosum Strain AK-7 Derived Bioactive Metabolites on Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Anticancer Activity against Human Ovarian Teratocarcinoma (PA-1) Cell Line

Microorganisms. 2023 Oct 3;11(10):2480. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms11102480.

Affiliations

¹ P.G. Department of Studies in Botany, Karnatak University, Dharwad 580003, Karnataka, India.
² Department of Preparatory Health Sciences, Riyadh Elm University, Riyadh 12611, Saudi Arabia.
³ Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Respiratory Care Department, College of Applied Sciences, Almaarefa University, Riyadh 13713, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Natural metabolites from beneficial fungi were recognized for their potential to inhibit multidrug-resistant human and plant fungal pathogens. The present study describes the isolation, metabolite profiling, antibacterial, and antifungal, antioxidant, and anticancer activities of soil fungi. Among the 17 isolates, the AK-7 isolate was selected based on the primary screening. Further, the identification of isolate AK-7 was performed by 18S rRNA sequencing and identified as Penicillium limosum (with 99.90% similarity). Additionally, the ethyl acetate extract of the Penicillium limosum strain AK-7 (AK-7 extract) was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and a Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis, and the results showed different functional groups and bioactive metabolites. Consequently, a secondary screening of antibacterial activity by the agar well diffusion method showed significant antibacterial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial pathogens. The AK-7 extract exhibited notable antifungal activity by a food poisoning method and showed maximum inhibition of 77.84 ± 1.62%, 56.42 ± 1.27%, and 37.96 ± 1.84% against Cercospora canescens, Fusarium sambucinum and Sclerotium rolfsii phytopathogens. Consequently, the AK-7 extract showed significant antioxidant activity against DPPH and ABTS^•+ free radicals with IC₅₀ values of 59.084 μg/mL and 73.36 μg/mL. Further, the anticancer activity of the AK-7 extract against the human ovarian teratocarcinoma (PA-1) cell line was tested by MTT and Annexin V flow cytometry. The results showed a dose-dependent reduction in cell viability and exhibited apoptosis with an IC₅₀ value of 82.04 μg/mL. The study highlights the potential of the Penicillium limosum strain AK-7 as a source of active metabolites and natural antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, and anticancer agent, and it could be an excellent alternative for pharmaceutical and agricultural sectors.

Keywords: GC-MS analysis; Penicillium limosum; anticancer; apoptosis; biological activity.

Grants and funding

PNURSP2023R148/Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University