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Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm disruption using microbial surfactants
Author(s) -
Díaz De Rienzo M.A.,
Stevenson P.S.,
Marchant R.,
Banat I.M.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 1364-5072
DOI - 10.1111/jam.13049
Subject(s) - caprylic acid , biofilm , pseudomonas aeruginosa , rhamnolipid , ascorbic acid , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , pulmonary surfactant , pseudomonas , bacteria , antimicrobial , biochemistry , food science , biology , fatty acid , genetics
Aims To establish the ability of the rhamnolipids biosurfactants from Pseudomonas aeruginosa , in the presence and absence of caprylic acid and ascorbic acid, to disrupt bacterial biofilms, compared with the anionic alkyl sulphate surfactant Sodium dodecyl sulphate ( SDS ). Methods and Results Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442 biofilms were disrupted by rhamnolipids at concentrations between 0·5 and 0·4 g l −1 and with SDS at 0·8 g l −1 . The combination of rhamnolipids 0·4 g l −1 and caprylic acid at 0·1 g l −1 showed a remarkable effect on biofilm disruption and cell killing. After 30 min of treatment most of the biofilm was disrupted and cell viability was significantly reduced. Neither caprylic acid nor ascorbic acid has any effect on biofilm disruption at 0·1 g l −1 . SDS is an effective antimicrobial agent; however, in the presence of caprylic acid its effect was neutralized. Conclusions The results show that rhamnolipids at low concentration in the presence of caprylic acid are promising molecules for inhibition/disruption of biofilms formed by Ps. aeruginosa ATCC 15442. Significance and Impact of the Study The disruption of biofilms has major significance in many industrial and domestic cleaning applications and in medical situations.