Purification and structural characterization of bacillomycin F produced by a bacterial honey isolate active against Byssochlamys fulva H25

• Published in: Journal of applied microbiology 2008-09, Vol.105 (3), p.663-673
• Main Authors: Lee, H, Churey, J.J, Worobo, R.W
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino Acids - analysis; Antifungal Agents - chemistry; Antifungal Agents - isolation & purification; antifungal peptides; bacillomycin F; Bacillus subtilis; Bacillus subtilis - metabolism; Beverages - microbiology; Biological and medical sciences; Byssochlamys; Byssochlamys fulva; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid - methods; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel - methods; Food Microbiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; heat resistant mould spoilage; Honey - microbiology; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Mass Spectrometry - methods; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Microbiology; Peptides, Cyclic - chemistry; Peptides, Cyclic - genetics; Peptides, Cyclic - isolation & purification; Ribotyping - methods
• ISSN: 1364-5072; 1365-2672
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2008.03797.x

Isolate and characterize antifungal peptides exhibiting activity against Byssochlamys fulva H25, a spoilage mould associated with juices and beverages. A bacterium (H215) isolated from honey showed high antifungal activity against B. fulva H25. The antifungal producer strain was identified as Bacillus subtilis using 16S rDNA sequencing. The antifungal peptide was purified by 20% ammonium sulfate precipitation of the bacterial culture supernatant, followed by Octyl-Sepharose CL-4B and reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography. The five active fractions were lyophilized and subjected to mass, tandem mass spectrometry and amino acid analysis to deduce their corresponding molecular masses and structural characteristics. The five peaks were determined to be identical to bacillomycin F, varying in the length of the fatty acid chain moiety from C14 to C16. The broad-spectrum antifungal activity produced by a bacterium from honey was determined to be due to the production of bacillomycin F. The antifungal compound produced by a bacterial strain isolated from honey was determined to be stable over a broad pH range and was stable to heat treatments up to 100°C. This is the first report of honey microflora producing bacillomycin F or any antifungal compound.