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Lactiplantibacillus plantarum BRD3A was isolated from Atingba, a traditional fermented rice-based beverage of Manipur. Its genomic sequence has 13 contigs and its genome size is 3,320,817 bp with a guanine-cytosine (GC) ratio of 44.6%. It comprises 3185 genes including 3112 coding sequences (CDSs), 73 RNAs (including 66 tRNAs and others), and one clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) array. A comparative and phylogenetic analysis with the Lp. plantarum genome shows that this strain has close similarity with other Lp. plantarum strains and about 99% average nucleotide identity. Functional annotation using evolutionary genealogy of genes-non-supervised orthologous groups (EggNOG) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) reveals genes associated with various biological processes such as metabolism, genetic information processing, and transport functions. Furthermore, the strain harbors bacteriocins like plantaricin E, Plantaricin F, and Enterocin X categorized under class IIb by the BAGEL4 database, indicating its potential antimicrobial properties. Additionally, AntiSMASH web server predicted four secondary regions-T3PKS, terpene, cyclic lactone inducer, and ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide (RiPP)-suggesting an even higher antimicrobial potential. We validated the antimicrobial activity of Lp. plantarum BRD3A through in vitro experiments in which it exhibited promising bactericidal effects on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus , inhibiting their biofilm growth. These findings indicate the potential of Lp. plantarum BRD3A to be used as an alternative to conventional antibiotics., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Huidrom, Ngashangva, Khumlianlal, Sharma, Mukherjee and Devi.)

The Badami Caves are a significant example of ancient Indian rock-cut architecture, dating back to the 6th century. These caves are situated in the Malaprabha River valley and are part of the candidate UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Evolution of Temple Architecture-Aihole-Badami-Pattadakal", which is considered to be the cradle of temple architecture in India. Our study aimed to investigate the diversity, distribution, and biodeterioration phenomena of the fungal communities present on the cave surfaces. The study also conducted a comprehensive analysis of fungal biodeterioration on the cave carvings. Utilizing specialized techniques, the dissolution of calcite, alterations in pH levels, and biomineralization capabilities of isolated fungal strains were monitored. Additionally, this study analyzed fungal acid production using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Our findings revealed that the major genera of fungi found on the cave surfaces included Acremonium , Curvularia , Cladosporium , Penicillium , and Aspergillus . These isolated fungi were observed to produce acids, leading to the dissolution of calcium carbonate and subsequent decrease in pH values. Notably, the dominant genus responsible for acid production and the promotion of biomineralization was Aspergillus . These discoveries provide valuable insight into the ecology and functions of fungi inhabiting stone surfaces, contributing to our understanding of how to preserve and protect sculptures from biodeterioration.

The mushroom is an important food for the rural tribal populations in Manipur, because of its high nutritional contents. In this study, we report on the nutritional profile of three wild edible mushrooms consumed by the tribal populations of Manipur viz.: Macrocybe gigantea J124; Lactifluus leptomerus J201 and Ramaria thindii J470. The studied mushrooms possess a high protein content of 37.6%, 20.8% and 16.4%, respectively. They have a high vitamin C content with low vitamin B1, B2 and folic acid. Among the three mushrooms, M. gigantea J124 possesses the highest mineral content, followed by R. thindii J470 and L. leptomerus J201. The total phenolic content of L. leptomerus J201, M. gigantea J124 and R. thindii J470 were 26.206, 29.23 and 30.99 mg GAE/g, with flavonoid content of 6.646, 6.854 and 9.187 mg quercetin/g, respectively. R. thindii J470 has the highest TPC and TFC content, which correlates with its DPPH radical scavenging activity. The IC50 values for R. thindii J470, M. gigantea J124 and L. leptomerus J201 are 242.0 µg/mL, 550.4 µg/mL and 689.0 µg/mL, respectively, which suggest that the higher content of phenolic compounds in R. thindii J470 contributes to its radical scavenging properties.