Peer Review History

Original SubmissionDecember 24, 2021
Decision Letter - Noshin Ilyas, Editor

PONE-D-21-40541Melanin Pigment of Streptomyces puniceus RHPR9 Exhibits Antibacterial, Antioxidant, and Anticancer ActivitiesPLOS ONE

Dear Dr. Hameeda,

Thank you for submitting your manuscript to PLOS ONE. After careful consideration, we feel that it has merit but does not fully meet PLOS ONE’s publication criteria as it currently stands. Therefore, we invite you to submit a revised version of the manuscript that addresses the points raised during the review process.

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We look forward to receiving your revised manuscript.

Kind regards,

Noshin Ilyas

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

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Additional Editor Comments:

For the Manuscript entitled as, Melanin Pigment of Streptomyces puniceus RHPR9 Exhibits Antibacterial, Antioxidant,and Anticancer Activities, please look carefully into the comments and do the changes

Moreover, this paper needs a comprehensive re check for language issues and grammatical mistakes

Add DMRT in Fig 3 and Fig 4B

Improve material n method section and add recent relevant references in discussion

[Note: HTML markup is below. Please do not edit.]

Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

The manuscript must describe a technically sound piece of scientific research with data that supports the conclusions. Experiments must have been conducted rigorously, with appropriate controls, replication, and sample sizes. The conclusions must be drawn appropriately based on the data presented.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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2. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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3. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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4. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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5. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #1: • There are typographical errors throughout the MS and authors need to check on English

• There is no recent literature cited related to the work done and needs to be added

• The authors have to correlate the importance of antibacterial and anti-oxidant activity done

• Why only DPPH assay was used for anti-oxidant activity in this study

• Table 3.4.1, is not explained clearly, the title and the subheading needs to be mentioned accordingly with the

melanin pigment used and the antibacterial activity measured

• In M and M, line 69, the details of information about the identification can be cited

• The genus and species need to be italicize throughout the MS for Scientific names

• Figure 1A,1B, 1C can be given as supplementary data

• The authors need to explain clearly how the characterization of pigment is reported as Eumelanin

• Discussion needs to be improved with latest literature, with importance of melanin

Reviewer #2: Authors have reported on Production, characterization of melanin pigment from Streptomyces puniceus RHPR9 and its antibacterial, antioxidant and anticancer activities. Streptomyces spp. from medicinal plant have been explored for various applications. It is a good piece of work and well written, however, the following corrections can be made.

• Line no 149 The word Invitro has to be italicised.

• Line 185 Rewrite the sentence as Purified melanin has pure black colour, which is characteristic among all melanins instead of Purified melanin has a pure black colour, which is characteristic among all melanins.

• Section 2.3 can be modified. Authors can remove the lines that do not describe methodology.

• Section 3.4.1 Table 1 Rewrite the heading and subheadings of the table accordingly. (Mention the concentration of melanin separately).

• Authors can change the labelling of Figure 1C.

• No images of the antibacterial activity have been provided by the authors. Authors can include the images either in the manuscript or as a supplementary source

• Authors can improvise the discussion by correlating antibacterial and antioxidant activity.

• Typographical errors in the manuscript have to be rechecked.

**********

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Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: Yes: Sonia Seifi

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Attachments
Attachment
Submitted filename: Pols.docx
Revision 1

Reviewer 1 Report

1) There are typographical errors throughout the MS and authors need to check on English

Authors’ response: We thank the reviewers for their suggestions and inputs. Now we have checked the manuscript thoroughly.

2) There is no recent literature cited related to the work done and needs to be added

Authors’ response: Recent literature is now included in this manuscript.

3) The authors have to correlate the importance of antibacterial and anti-oxidant activity done

Authors’ response: Correlation between antibacterial and anti-oxidant activities is now explained in discussion by citing a reference.

4) Why only DPPH assay was used for anti-oxidant activity in this study

Authors’ response: DPPH assay is a sensitive and reliable technique for determining anti-oxidant ability of any compound. Hence, no secondary tests were performed to validate the results obtained by DPPH method for the tested melanin pigment.

5) Table 3.4.1, is not explained clearly, the title and the subheading needs to be mentioned accordingly with the melanin pigment used and the antibacterial activity measured

Authors’ response: Title and subheadings are now rewritten in the manuscript.

6) In M and M, line 69, the details of information about the identification can be cited

Authors’ response: Cited

7) The genus and species need to be italicize throughout the MS for Scientific names

Authors’ response: Genus and species are italicized throughout the manuscript.

8) Figure 1A, 1B, 1C can be given as supplementary data

Authors’ response: Figure 1A, 1B, 1C are now is included as supplementary data

9) The authors need to explain clearly how the characterization of pigment is reported as Eumelanin

Authors’ response: Based on the literature reported (Noura El-Ahmady El-Naggar et al., 2017)

10) Discussion needs to be improved with latest literature, with importance of melanin

Authors’ response: Now we improved with latest literature and importance of melanin pigment in manuscript.

Reviewer 2 Report

Authors have reported on Production, characterization of melanin pigment from Streptomyces puniceus RHPR9 and its antibacterial, antioxidant and anticancer activities. Streptomyces spp. from medicinal plant have been explored for various applications. It is a good piece of work and well written, however, the following corrections can be made.

• Line no 149 The word In-vitro has to be italicised.

Authors response: Now the word In vitro is italicized

• Line 185 Rewrite the sentence as Purified melanin has pure black colour, which is characteristic among all melanins instead of Purified melanin has a pure black colour, which is characteristic among all melanins.

Authors response: Now edited in MS accordingly

• Section 2.3 can be modified. Authors can remove the lines that do not describe methodology.

Authors response: Now the sentences removed from section 2.3

• Section 3.4.1 Table 1 Rewrite the heading and subheadings of the table accordingly. (Mention the concentration of melanin separately).

Authors response: Now the table heading is made appropriately

• Authors can change the labelling of Figure 1C.

Authors response: Now changed in the MS

• No images of the antibacterial activity have been provided by the authors. Authors can include the images either in the manuscript or as a supplementary source

Authors response: The images of antibacterial activity are now included as supplementary source

• Authors can improvise the discussion by correlating antibacterial and antioxidant activity.

Authors response: Now the discussion is improvised by correlating antibacterial and antioxidant activity

• Typographical errors in the manuscript have to be rechecked.

Authors response: Now the MS is thoroughly checked for typographical errors

Attachments
Attachment
Submitted filename: Response to Reviewers.docx
Decision Letter - Noshin Ilyas, Editor

Melanin Pigment of Streptomyces puniceus RHPR9 Exhibits Antibacterial, Antioxidant, and Anticancer Activities

PONE-D-21-40541R1

Dear Dr. Hameeda

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

Within one week, you’ll receive an e-mail detailing the required amendments. When these have been addressed, you’ll receive a formal acceptance letter and your manuscript will be scheduled for publication.

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Kind regards,

Noshin Ilyas

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Additional Editor Comments (optional):

Nil

Reviewers' comments:

NIl

Formally Accepted
Acceptance Letter - Noshin Ilyas, Editor

PONE-D-21-40541R1

Melanin Pigment of Streptomyces puniceus RHPR9 Exhibits Antibacterial, Antioxidant and Anticancer Activities

Dear Dr. Hameeda:

I'm pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been deemed suitable for publication in PLOS ONE. Congratulations! Your manuscript is now with our production department.

If your institution or institutions have a press office, please let them know about your upcoming paper now to help maximize its impact. If they'll be preparing press materials, please inform our press team within the next 48 hours. Your manuscript will remain under strict press embargo until 2 pm Eastern Time on the date of publication. For more information please contact onepress@plos.org.

If we can help with anything else, please email us at plosone@plos.org.

Thank you for submitting your work to PLOS ONE and supporting open access.

Kind regards,

PLOS ONE Editorial Office Staff

on behalf of

Dr. Noshin Ilyas

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

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