Fahrul Huyop

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia | UTM · Department of Biological Sciences

Plastic or microplastic pollution is a global threat affecting ecosystems, with the current generation reaching as much as 400 metric tons per/year. Soil ecosystems comprising agricultural lands act as microplastics sinks, though the impact could be unexpectedly more far-reaching. This is troubling as most plastic forms, such as polyethylene tereph...

This paper reports the characterization and antibacterial performance evaluation of some spherical and stable crystalline silver (Ag)/copper (Cu) nanocomposites (Ag-CuNCs) prepared in deionized water (DIW) using pulse laser ablation in liquid (PLAL) method. The influence of various laser fluences (LFs) on the structural, morphological, optical and...

Green honey is exclusively available on the island of Banggi in Sabah, and its uniqueness sees the commodity being sold at a high market price. Therefore, green honey is prone to adulteration by unscrupulous individuals, possibly compromising the health of those consuming this food commodity for its curative properties. Moreover, an established sta...

Halogenated organic compounds are found as waste in the biosphere and can cause numerous dilemmas because of their toxicity and persistence in the environment. They play a major role in the quality of life of both, human beings and other living organisms. Degradation of these compounds by microorganisms is significant to reduce re-calcitrant and co...

Current study was to investigate the presence of dehalogenase in the isolated bacterium from Selat Tebrau that can grow on 2,2-dichloropropionic acid (2,2-DCP is an active compound in herbicide Dalapon®). Strain RN1, a Gram-negative and rod in shape was tentatively identified as Enterobacter cancerogenus based on basic biochemical and the 16S rRNA...

Alternative solutions are eminently needed to combat the escalating number of infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Bacteriocins produced by lactic acid bacteria are promising candidates for next-generation antibiotics. Studies have found that these stable and nontoxic ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptide...

Background: Honey produced by Heterotrigona itama is highly preferred among consumers due to its high-value as a functional food and beneficial lactic acid bacteria (LAB) reservoir. Fructophilic lactic acid bacteria (FLAB) are a group of LAB with unique growth characteristics and are regarded as promising producers of bioactive compounds. Hence, i...

Efficacy of a β-1,4-glucosidase from Trichoderma harzianum T12 (ThBglT12) in disrupting the cell wall of the phytopathogenic fungus M. phaseolina (Macrophomina phaseolina) was studied, as the underlying molecular mechanisms of cell wall recognition remains elusive. In this study, the binding location identified by a consensus of residues predicted...

Fungal plant diseases can severely damage oil palm crops and compromise agricultural yields. To ensure a high crop yield while keeping the fungal pathogens at bay, microbial control to combat such diseases offers a more sustainable alternative to chemical control. It is safer to replace chemical fungicides with eco-friendly bio formulations contain...

Macrofungi belonging to the family "Polyporaceae" in the phylum Basidiomycota are among the commonplace causal agents of plant diseases. In the present study, we reported the molecular characterization of a macrofungi basidiomycetous brown-rot fungal phytopathogen Fomitopsis strain MM4. The fungal phytopatho-gen was identified and molecularly chara...

Purpose This paper focuses on monitoring the behavior of five different types of waste and humus during compost- ing to see the impact of the nature of the substrate on the process and the quality of mature compost. Method Green waste, coffee waste, household waste (Fraction of the household waste which having dimensions smaller than 8 mm) and humu...

Microbial-assisted removal of natural or synthetic pollutants is the prevailing green, low-cost technology to treat polluted environments. However, the challenge with enzyme-assisted bioremediation is the laborious nature of dehalogenase-producing microorganisms’ bioprospecting. This bottleneck could be circumvented by in-silico analysis of certain...

Pollution of the environment by organohalide compounds is a worldwide issue. Organohalide-degrading microbes isolated from such contaminated environments or extreme habitats could be key agents for the bioremediation of pollutants. We previously identified this bacterium as Bacillus thuringiensis H2 based on biochemical and 16S rRNA analysis. Howev...

This is the first structural model of L-haloacid dehalogenase (DehLBHS1) isolated from alkalotolerant Bacillus megaterium BHS1, which has been known to degrading halogenated environmental contaminants. The study suggested five important key amino acid residues of DehLBHS1, namely Arg40, Phe59, Asn118, Asn176 and Trp178 important for catalysis and m...

Aims: The surplus use of herbicide Dalapon® contains 2,2-dichloropropionic acid (2,2-DCP) poses great danger to human and ecosystem due to its toxicity. Hence, this study focused on the isolation and characterization of a dehalogenase producing bacteria from Sungai Skudai, Johor, capable of utilizing 2,2-DCP as a carbon source and in silico analysi...

The cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) contains a significant amount of antioxidants, especially when harvested at the right time. The present study evaluated differences in nutrients, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity of cucumbers grown in Kundasang, Malaysia, at the semi-ripe fruit (SR) and ripe fruit (R) maturation stages. Independent...

Increased scientific interest has led to the rise in biotechnological uses of halophilic and halotolerant microbes for hypersaline wastewater bioremediation. Hence, this study performed molecular docking, molecular dynamic (MD) simulations, and validation by Molecular Mechanic Poisson-Boltzmann Surface Area (MM-PBSA) calculations on the DehH2 from...

Micro-and nano plastic pollution poses a global threat and causes a future problem, and needs greater global attention. Its pollution is exacerbated recently by the excessive use of plastic polymers to prevent and handle the COVID-19 pandemic at a global scale. This review covered the major concerns about the characteristics, effect, and bioremedia...

Current study is to establish a basic plant tissue culture of Nicotiana tabacum TAPM 26 and test the plant tissue on resistancies against 2,2 DCP an active ingredient in herbicide-Dalapon. During micropropagation, the surface sterilization method was ascertained on seeds of tobacco. HgCl2 was used to disinfect tobacco seeds at different concentrati...

Halogenated compound such as 2,2-dichloropropionic acid is known for its toxicity and polluted many areas especially with agricultural activities. This study focused on the isolation and characterization of the bacterium that can utilise 2,2-dichloropropionic acid from palm oil plantation in Lenga, Johor and in silico analysis of putative dehalogen...

The maturation stage of Cucumis sativus is among the important factors affecting its composition and quality. Hence, this study monitored the differences in total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity, pigment and colour of Keningau-grown cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) at two stages of maturities, namely the semi-ripe (SR) and ripe (R). The...

Chitin is a polysaccharide component of the inner cell wall of fungi that has been used to estimate fungal invasion in plant products. However, its detection in major pathogenic fungal species has not been investigated. The present study aimed to determine the chitin contents of pathogenic fungal species in order to evaluate its diagnostic potentia...

Current study is to establish a basic plant tissue culture of Nicotiana tabacum TAPM 26 and test the plant tissue on resistancies against 2,2 DCP an active ingredient in herbicide-Dalapon. During micropropagation, the surface sterilization method was ascertained on seeds of tobacco. HgCl2 was used to disinfect tobacco seeds at different concentrati...

An integral approach to decoding both culturable and uncultured microorganisms' metabolic activity involves the whole genome sequencing (WGS) of individual/complex microbial communities. WGS of culturable microbes, amplicon sequencing, metagenomics, and single-cell genome analysis are selective techniques integrating genetic information and biochem...

BACKGROUND The growing demand for cellulases and xylanases in lignocellulosic degradation and reutilization has spurred the need for their improved production at a reduced cost. The abundantly available oil palm leaves (OPL) promises an alternative and sustainable substrate for producing the enzymes, in the degradation and biotransformation of unwa...

This study was conducted to assess the potential association between leptin (LEP) gene polymorphisms and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Iraqi patients. Genomic DNA was extracted from 120 diabetic subjects and 100 controls. Three specific PCR fragments were designed to flank three highly frequent single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)s within LEP,...

Water spinach ( Ipomoea aquatic Forsk.) is a food for human beings and animals. It is rich in minerals, protein, dietary fibre, with high moisture content. The work was undertaken to determine contents of K, Ca, Mg, Na & P in the stems, leaves and petioles of water spinach. Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and Inductive Couple Plasma (ICP) were...

Purpose: Bacillus megaterium strain BHS1, isolated from an alkaline water sample taken from Mavi Gölü (Blue Lake, Turkey), can grow on minimal medium containing 2,2-dichloropropionic acid. We characterized this bacterium at the genomic level. Methods: The HiSeq platform was used to carry out genome sequencing, de novo assembly, and scaffolding with...

Dehalogenases are microbial enzyme catalysed the cleavage of carbon-halogen bond of halogenated organic compounds. It has potential use in the area of biotechnology such as bioremediation and chemical industry. Halogenated organic compounds can be found in a considerable amount in the environment due to utilization in agriculture and industry, such...

Halogenated compounds are extensively utilized in different industrial applications such as pesticides and herbicides and cause severe environmental problems because of their toxicity and persistence. Degradation of these compounds by the biological method is a significant method to reduce these recalcitrant. Mesorhizobium loti is important for nit...

This study was conducted to assess the potential association between leptin (LEP) gene polymorphisms and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Iraqi patients. Genomic DNA was extracted from 120 diabetic subjects and 100 controls. Three specific PCR fragments were designed to flank three highly frequent single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)s within LEP,...

The 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing technique is a key aspect of studies of microbial communities but does not provide direct evidence of a community’s functional capabilities. This work aimed to assess the structure of the uncultured bacterial communities from two locations in Lake Tuz in Turkey to provide information on their roles in the lake ecosy...

Commercially available mouthwash formulations are often medicated and contain chemicals that may elicit adverse effects to the users. A mouthwash may be recommended for its efficacy in preventing dental caries and other oral conditions due to its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Therefore, it is essential to raise awarenes...

The oral cavity is a home to more than 500 bacterial species. Although some of the oral bacteria are harmless, there are certain species that may cause oral plaques, bad breath, and mouth disease. Thus, maintaining a good oral hygiene is essential for a healthy mouth and body. The present study aimed to formulate a polyherbal mouthwash that may hav...

The high dependency and surplus use of agrochemical products have liberated enormous quantities of toxic halogenated pollutants into the environment and threaten the well-being of humankind. Herein, this study performed molecular docking, molecular dynamic (MD) simulations, molecular mechanics-Poisson Boltzmann Surface Area (MM-PBSA) calculations o...

The use of herbicide is important in the modern integrated weed management system. However, herbicide also can kill valuable crops and cause significant losses in agricultural activity. One of the solutions to this problem is by developing herbicide resistant plant for instance using dehD gene from Rhizobial system. In this study, we developed tran...

Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of upland rice is established in few numbers of cultivars due to the high cultivar-specificity of regeneration from transformed explants. Further, dehalogenase E (dehE) gene had been characterized in Pseudomonas putida and it produces an enzyme that degrades dalapon. This study aimed to transform Turkish upland...

This review aims to briefly describe the potential role of dehalogenase-producing halophilic bacteria in decontamination of organohalide pollutants. Hypersaline habitats pose challenges to life because of low water activity (water content) and is considered as the largest and ultimate sink for pollutants due to naturally and anthropogenic activitie...

Starch-branching enzymes (SBE) serves as the only enzyme generating glucan branches in green plants and consequently plays a significant role on the resulting starch final structure. Research on rice (Oryza sativa) SBE1 (OsSBE1) structural biology remain untapped. Therefore, there is a necessity for research on the enzyme molecular structure which...

In vitro regeneration of Nicotiana tabacum was efficiently achieved using growth regulators combination supplemented into semi-solid MS medium using leaves from 1-month-old plant as explants. The growth regulators used were NAA for auxin (0.0, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 mgL-1) and BAP (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, and 5.0 mgL-1). The effects of growth regulator comb...

Starch-branching enzymes (SBE) serves as the only enzyme generating glucan branches in green plants and consequently plays a significant role on the resulting starch final structure. Research on rice (Oryza sativa) SBE1 (OsSBE1) structural biology remain untapped. Therefore, there is a necessity for research on theenzyme molecular structure which c...

Halogenated compounds are an important class of environmental pollutants that are widely used in industrial chemicals such as solvents, herbicides, and pesticides. Many studies have been carried out to explore the biodegradation of these chemicals. Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) is one of the main halogenated compounds that are carcinogenic to humans a...

As yet, the full potential of raw oil palm frond leaves (OPFL) is not fully explored. This study therefore, evaluated OPFL as cheap and sustainable growth substrate for two novel fungi species to produce cellulase and xylanase under solid-state fermentation (SSF). 18S rRNA, phylogeny and BIOLOG® analyses identified the cellulase and xylanase-produc...

The indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides alongside the expansion of large-scale industries globally can critically jeopardize marine ecology and the well-being of mankind. This is because the agricultural runoffs and industrial effluents eventually enter waterways before flowing into highly saline environments i.e., oceans. Herein, the study a...

The nutritional benefits of stingless bee ( Heterotrigona itama ) honey originates from a complex of essential nutrients including carbohydrates, organic acids alongside an assortment of live lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Nonetheless, little is known about the nutritional composition over an extended storage duration. Herein, this study assessed the...

Spherical Cin-NCs were prepared in citric acid via nanosecond pulse laser ablation. • Physiochemical traits of these NCs strongly depended on the laser fluence. • Morphology and structure of Cin-NCs was controlled via laser fluence variation. • Cin-NCs containing cinnamaldehyde compounds showed strong antibacterial action. • Achieved Cin-NCs were s...

Rhizobium sp. RC1 grows on haloalkanoic acid (haloacid) pollutants and expresses a haloacid permease (DehrP) which mediates the uptake of haloacids into the cells. For the first time, we report the homology model and docking analysis of DehrP and proposed its putative binding residues. The Protein Data Bank for protein of similar sequence. Ligand s...

We previously reported on a mutant lipase KV1 (Mut-LipKV1) from Acinetobacter haemolyticus which optimal pH was raised from 8.0 to 11.0 after triple substitutions of surface aspartic acid (Asp) with lysine (Lys). Herein, this study further examined the Mut-LipKV1 by molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and molecular mechanics-Pois...

Halogenated organic compounds are extensively and widely used as pesticides, herbicides, and antibiotics that contribute to the pollution. This research was aimed to further analyze and characterize a bacterium that has the ability to utilize 2,2-dichloropropionic acid (2,2-DCP) as a model to study dehalogenase enzyme production. Microscopic observ...

Haloacid dehalogenases catalyse the cleavage of carbon − halogen bonds in halogenated organic acids. These enzymes are of high interest due to their potential applications in bioremediation and in synthesis of various industrial products. The efficiency of dehalogenases in various applications can be enhanced, provided that their molecular catalyti...

The stingless bee Heterotrigona itama honey is generating interest among consumers due to unique antibacterial properties. Despite the substantial health benefits of this honey, its action mode of inhibiting and killing pathogenic bacteria remains unresolved. The present study aimed to unravel the effect of raw H. itama honey against four clinicall...

Rhizobium sp. RC1 grows on haloalkanoic acid (haloacid) pollutants and expresses a haloacid permease (DehrP) which mediates the uptake of haloacids into the cells. For the first time, we report the homology model and docking analysis of DehrP and proposed its putative binding residues. The Protein Data Bank for protein of similar sequence. Ligand s...

Alkaline-stable lipases are highly valuable biocatalysts that catalyze reactions under highly basic conditions. Herein, computational predictions of lipase from Acinetobacter haemolyticus and its mutant, Mut-LipKV1 was performed to identify functionally relevant mutations that enhance pH performance under increasing basicity. Mut-LipKV1 was constru...

Kundur area in Kepulauan Riau, Indonesia is very well known for having many superior durian cultivars. It is foretold that most of durian plants on the island are originally grown from seeds derived from Malaysian durian. Superiorities of Kundur durian are differently unique in taste, texture and arylus colour. This study aimed to analyse the diver...

Indonesia has high diversity of Durian. More than a hundred cultivars have been recognized as superior durians. The main characteristics of superior durian are seen from superiority of taste, texture and color of arillus. Fruit identification and characterization of durian requires a relatively long periods because fruit producing minimum 4 years a...

Halophiles are extremophilic microorganisms that grow optimally at high salt concentrations by producing a myriad of equally halotolerant enzymes. Structural haloadaptation of these enzymes adept to thriving under high-salt environments, though are not fully understood. Herein, the study attempts an in-silico investigation to identify and comprehen...

Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Production of cellulases and xylanase by a novel Trichoderma asperellum UC1 (GenBank accession no. MF774876)under solid state fermentation (SSF)of raw oil palm frond leaves (OPFL)was optimized. Under optimum fermentation parameters (30 °C, 60–80% moisture content, 2.5 × 10 ⁶ spores/g inoculum size)maximum CMCase, FPase, β-glucosidase and xylanase a...

Dehalogenases continue to garner interest of the scientific community due to their potential applications in bioremediation of halogen-contaminated environment and in synthesis of various industrially relevant products. Example of such enzymes is DehL, an L-2-haloacid dehalogenase (EC 3.8.1.2) from Rhizobium sp. RC1 that catalyses the specific clea...

Dehalogenase E (DehE) is a non-stereospecific enzyme produced by the soil bacterium, Rhizobium sp. RC1. Till now, the catalytic mechanism of DehE remains unclear although several literature concerning its structure and function are available. Since DehE is non-stereospecific, the enzyme was hypothesized to follow a ‘direct attack mechanism’ for the...