Abstract
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 37–43 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Letters in Applied Microbiology |
| Volume | 60 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 24 Sep 2014 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jan 2015 |
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Predicting the minimum liquid surface tension activity of pseudomonads expressing biosurfactants. / Mohammed, I. U.; Deeni, Yusuf Y.; Hapca, Simona M.; McLaughlin, Kimberley; Spiers, Andrew J.
In: Letters in Applied Microbiology, Vol. 60, No. 1, 01.2015, p. 37–43.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Predicting the minimum liquid surface tension activity of pseudomonads expressing biosurfactants
AU - Mohammed, I. U.
AU - Deeni, Yusuf Y.
AU - Hapca, Simona M.
AU - McLaughlin, Kimberley
AU - Spiers, Andrew J.
PY - 2015/1
Y1 - 2015/1
N2 - Bacteria produce a variety of biosurfactants capable of significantly reducing liquid (aqueous) surface tension (γ) with a range of biological roles and biotechnological uses. In order to determine the lowest achievable surface tension (γMin), we tested a diverse collection of Pseudomonas-like isolates from contaminated soil and activated sludge, and identified those expressing biosurfactants by drop-collapse assay. Liquid surface tension reducing ability was quantitatively determined by tensiometry, with 57 isolates found to significantly lower culture supernatant surface tensions to 24.5 – 49.1 mN m−1. Differences in biosurfactant behaviour determined by foaming, emulsion and oil-displacement assays, was also observed amongst isolates producing surface tensions of 25 – 27 mN m−1, suggesting that a range of structurally-diverse biosurfactants were being expressed. Individual distribution identification (IDI) analysis was used to identify the theoretical probability distribution that best fitted the surface tension data, which predicted a γMin of 24.24 mN m−1. This was in agreement with predictions based on earlier work of published mixed–bacterial spp. data, suggesting a fundamental limit to the ability of bacterial biosurfactants to reduce surface tensions in aqueous systems. This implies a biological restriction on the synthesis and export of these agents or a physical-chemical restriction on their functioning once produced.
AB - Bacteria produce a variety of biosurfactants capable of significantly reducing liquid (aqueous) surface tension (γ) with a range of biological roles and biotechnological uses. In order to determine the lowest achievable surface tension (γMin), we tested a diverse collection of Pseudomonas-like isolates from contaminated soil and activated sludge, and identified those expressing biosurfactants by drop-collapse assay. Liquid surface tension reducing ability was quantitatively determined by tensiometry, with 57 isolates found to significantly lower culture supernatant surface tensions to 24.5 – 49.1 mN m−1. Differences in biosurfactant behaviour determined by foaming, emulsion and oil-displacement assays, was also observed amongst isolates producing surface tensions of 25 – 27 mN m−1, suggesting that a range of structurally-diverse biosurfactants were being expressed. Individual distribution identification (IDI) analysis was used to identify the theoretical probability distribution that best fitted the surface tension data, which predicted a γMin of 24.24 mN m−1. This was in agreement with predictions based on earlier work of published mixed–bacterial spp. data, suggesting a fundamental limit to the ability of bacterial biosurfactants to reduce surface tensions in aqueous systems. This implies a biological restriction on the synthesis and export of these agents or a physical-chemical restriction on their functioning once produced.
U2 - 10.1111/lam.12331
DO - 10.1111/lam.12331
M3 - Article
VL - 60
SP - 37
EP - 43
JO - Letters in Applied Microbiology
JF - Letters in Applied Microbiology
SN - 0266-8254
IS - 1
ER -