Antimicrobial,Antiproliferative Effects and Docking Studies of Methoxy Group Enriched Coumarin-Chalcone Hybrids

Methoxy group enriched eight coumarin-chalcone hybrid derivatives were synthesized. Antimicrobial/ antiproliferative activities were tested against eight human pathogenic microorganisms and four cancer cell lines (AGS, HepG2, MCF-7 and PC-3), respectively. Antimicrobial results showed that most of the compounds were almost more active than used standard antibiotics. Cytotoxicity results showed that 2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl and thiophene containing structures have promising antiproliferative effects against AGS gastric cell lines with ∼5 μg/ml IC₅₀ values. At the same time, 2,4-dimethoxyphenyl bearing derivative exhibited the lowest IC₅₀ values against HepG2 (∼10 μg/ml) and PC-3 (∼5 μg/ml) cell lines. Particularly, the cell viabilities of MCF-7 cell lines were remarkably inhibited by all the compounds with lower IC₅₀ values. Therefore, molecular docking studies between hybrid ligands and quinone reductase-2 enzyme (regulates in MCF-7 cancer cells) were performed. The results demonstrated that all the derivatives can smoothly interact with interested enzyme in agreement with the experimental results. Finally, ADME parameters were studied to reveal drug-likeness potentials of the coumarin-chalcone hybrids.     

Inulinase production and mathematical modeling from carob extract by using Aspergillus niger

The main objectives of the study were to produce inulinase from carob extract by Aspergillus niger A42 (ATCC 204447) and to model the inulinase fermentation in the optimum carob extract-based medium. In the study, carob extract was used as a novel and renewable carbon source in the production of A. niger inulinase. For medium optimization, eight different variables including initial sugar concentration (°Bx), (NH₄)₂HPO₄, MgSO₄.7H₂O, KH₂PO₄, NH₄NO₃, yeast extract, peptone, and ZnSO₄.7H₂O were employed. After fermentations, optimum medium composition contained 1% yeast extract in 5°Bx carob extract. As a result of the fermentation, the maximum inulinase activity, maximum invertase-type activity, I/S ratio, maximum inulinase- and invertase-type activity rates, maximum sugar consumption rate, and sugar utilization yield were 1507.03 U/ml, 1552.86 U/ml, 0.97, 175.82 and 323.76 U/ml/day, 13.26 g/L/day, and 98.52%, respectively. Regarding mathematical modeling, the actual inulinase production and sugar consumption data were successfully predicted by Baranyi and Cone models based on the model evaluation and validation results and the predicted kinetic values, respectively. Consequently, this was the first report in which carob extract was used in the production of inulinase as a carbon source. Additionally, the best-selected models can serve as universal equations in modeling the inulinase production and sugar consumption in shake flask fermentation with carob extract medium.