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Antagonistic Action of the Bacterium Bacillus Licheniformis M‐4 Toward the Amoeba Naegleria Fowleri
Author(s) -
CORDOVILLA PILAR,
VALDIVIA EVA,
GONZALEZSEGURA ALICIA,
GALVEZ ANTONIO,
MARTINEZBUENO MANUEL,
MAQUEDA MERCEDES
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of eukaryotic microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 1066-5234
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1993.tb04923.x
Subject(s) - naegleria fowleri , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , meningoencephalitis , naegleria , bacillus licheniformis , bacteria , protozoa , bacillus (shape) , virology , genetics , bacillus subtilis
. Free‐living amoebae belonging to the species Naegleria fowleri are known to be the etiological agents for a form of fulminant meningoencephalitis that is generally fatal (primary amoebic meningoencephalitis). In a broad bacterial screening from soil and water we have isolated three strains (M‐4, D‐13 and A‐12) belonging to the species Bacillus licheniformis that have remarkable amoebicidal activity against Naegleria sp. and also against different Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria. Physical‐chemical characteristics, partial purification and biological activities of a substance produced by the M‐4 strain have been investigated. This substance (m‐4) is stable at high temperature (up to 100°C) and extremes of pH (2.5‐9.5) and also at ‐20°C for months. Its production is greatly influenced by oxygenation of the cultures and is probably related to the sporulation process of the bacterium. Scanning electron microscope observations reveal that amoebae are lysed after a few minutes contact with m‐4.