Marine macroalga-associated heterotroph Bacillus velezensis as prospective therapeutic agent

Marine macroalgae and their accompanying microbial flora were proved to be the reservoir of potential bioactive compounds with promising pharmacological applications. Heterotrophic bacteria concomitant with the marine algae were isolated and screened for their antibacterial potential against clinically recognized pathogens. The bacterial isolate with greater bioactive properties was identified as Bacillus velezensis MBTDLP1 (phylum Firmicutes), which was isolated from the marine macroalga Laurencia papillosa, by integrated morphological, biochemical and molecular characterization. B. velezensis showed promising antibacterial property against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio parahemolyticus with inhibition zone of 32-36 mm. Organic ethyl acetate extract of the isolate also displayed prospective antibacterial activity against the test pathogens (minimum inhibitory concentration 7.5-15 µg/mL), coupled with promising antioxidant (IC₅₀ 0.1-0.9 mg/mL against oxidants), anti-inflammatory (IC₅₀ 0.01 mg/mL against 5-lipoxygenase), and carbolytic enzyme attenuation properties (IC₅₀ 0.1-0.4 mg/mL in response to α-amylase and α-glucosidase). Significant anticancer potential against breast carcinoma (MCF-7) cells (IC₅₀ 0.03 mg/mL) coupled with lesser cytotoxicity to the normal fibroblast (3T3L) cells (IC₅₀ 0.14 mg/mL) were also recognized. The apoptosis assay could give reasonable outcome as the organic extract of B. velezensis induced apoptosis to 81% of the cancer cells while maintaining almost 60% viability in normal cells. The results put forward that B. velezensis MBTDLP1 could be used to isolate bioactive compounds with therapeutic potential and biomedical applications.