Open AccessCharacterization of an organic‐solvent‐tolerant Brevibacillus agri strain 13 able to stabilize solvent/water emulsion
Author(s) -
Kongpol Ajiraporn,
Pongtharangkul Thunyarat,
Kato Junichi,
Honda Kohsuke,
Ohtake Hisao,
Vangnai Alisa S.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2009.01684.x
Subject(s) - solvent , zeta potential , emulsion , strain (injury) , chemistry , hydrocarbon , chemical engineering , organic solvent , organic chemistry , biology , nanoparticle , engineering , anatomy
Brevibacillus agri strain 13 was isolated and characterized as a Gram‐positive organic‐solvent‐tolerant bacterium able to grow at 45 °C. It can tolerate high concentrations (5% and 20%, v/v) of various organic solvents with a broad range of log P ow when the organic solvent was provided as a nonaqueous layer. Although it can tolerate a number of aromatic solvents, it cannot utilize them as a sole carbon source. The surface characteristics of cells exposed to organic solvent were investigated using the bacterial adhesion to hydrocarbon test, a contact angle measurement, ζ potential determination, and fluorescence microscopy analysis and compared with that of nonexposed cells. The results showed that although it has a hydrophilic cell surface, it has a unique indigenous cell surface characteristic in which the cells can stabilize solvent‐in‐water emulsion by adhering to the solvent–water interface of the solvent droplets. The tolerance and predilection of B. agri strain 13 toward organic solvents may suggest its potential application as a whole‐cell biocatalyst for the biotransformation process of water‐immiscible substrate(s).