From Sea to Science: Unveiling the Diverse Biotechnological Applications of Marine Endophytic Bacillus aerius

Abstract

Marine endophytic bacteria represent a promising source of bioactive compounds with diverse applications. This study investigates the multifunctional properties of Bacillus aerius PMRU2.8, isolated from the marine red alga Gracilaria sp. from coastal Tamil Nadu, India. The bacterium demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against multiple human pathogens, with its ethyl acetate extract containing bioactive compounds including indoles and ketones. Molecular docking analysis revealed potential binding mechanisms to bacterial proteins. Additionally, B. aerius efficiently synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with enhanced antimicrobial efficacy compared to the crude extract. The bacterium also exhibited remarkable bioremediation capability, decolorizing up to 92.5% of Direct Blue 6 azo dye within 48 hours. Cytotoxicity assays confirmed the potential therapeutic applications of both the extract and biosynthesized AgNPs. These findings highlight B. aerius as a valuable resource for pharmaceutical development, nanobiotechnology, and environmental remediation applications.