---

Lipase is used in the production of foods, flavor enhancers, detergents, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. A common impediment to the production of commercial enzymes is their low-stability aqueous solutions. In this study, the downstream process was investigated to obtain a stable spray-dried lipase powder of Yarrowia lipolytica. The enzyme solution samples were supplemented with different concentrations of Arabic gum and milk powder to spray-drying. Samples were dried in a pilot spray dryer at inlet and outlet temperatures of 175 and 85 °C, respectively, at a flow rate of 15 liters per hour. The best lipase powder obtained from spray-drying with 3% of Arabic gum and 9% of milk powder formulation as compared with other formulations. Results showed that spray-dried lipase powders of Y. lipolytica had a good yield suitable for various applications.
 
 

---

Plants have been used as medicines in the treatment of diseases from the past to present. In this research, the anti-microbial effects of aqueous and methanolic extracts of Erythrostemon gilliesii were studied. For this purpose, fresh flowers were ground and then macerated in methanol 100% and water overnight. After the evaporation of solvents, anti-microbial activities of the concentrated extracts were evaluated by the well-diffusion method on Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Methicilin resistance, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Candida albicans. The results showed that the extracts were effective on different bacteria and yeasts. In order to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum biocidal concentration (MBC), anti-microbial tests were performed in micro-plates. Subsequently, the results indicated that the extracts were stable at different temperatures. The aqueous and methanolic extracts of the flowers of E. gilliesii had exhibited anti-microbial effects against important infectious microbes and could be introduced as an excellent source for anti-microbial agents.
 
 

---

The biosynthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) has been proposed due to its fast, clean, safe, and cost-effective production and being efficient alternative to conventional physicochemical methods. This study aimed to isolate and identify aquatic yeast strains for their potential to form Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs). A yeast strain, NS02, with high tolerance against zinc ion (5.25 mM) was isolated using the enrichment technique and was selected as efficient candidate for the biosynthesis of ZnONPs under cell-free extract (CFE) strategy. The preliminary evaluation on the formation of ZnONPs was performed by visual observation and UV-visible absorption spectra of the biosynthesized ZnONPs. The morphology, size and elemental distribution of the nanoparticles were determined by Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX). X-ray diffractometer (XRD) was used to identify the crystalline phase of the ZnONPs. Antibacterial activity of ZnONPs against pathogenic bacteria isolated from the clinical specimens was investigated using agar well diffusion method. The isolate NS02 was characterized based on their morphological properties and amplification the ITS-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA regions. The present study pioneered the capabilities of the native aquatic strain Rhodotorula pacifica for the extracellular synthesis of ZnONPs with CFE strategy. The biosynthesized ZnONPs had a growth inhibitory effect all tested clinical isolates due to their nanometric size and well-defined dispersity. This investigation is attempted to indicate the novel microbial sources of aquatic yeasts as biological plant in the synthesis of ZnONPs with antimicrobial activity under cell-free extract strategy.