Characterization of a broad range antibacterial substance from a new Bacillus species isolated from Amazon basin

• Published in: Archives of microbiology 2007-10, Vol.188 (4), p.367-375
• Main Authors: Motta, Amanda S, Cannavan, Fabiana S, Tsai, Siu-Mui, Brandelli, Adriano
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aeromonas hydrophila; Amazon; Anti-Bacterial Agents - biosynthesis; Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antibacterial agents; Antiinfectives and antibacterials; Antimicrobial; Antimicrobial activity; Bacillus; Bacillus (bacteria); Bacillus - classification; Bacillus - genetics; Bacillus - isolation & purification; Bacillus - metabolism; Bacteria; Bacterial Typing Techniques; Bacteriocin; Bacteriocins; Bacteriocins - biosynthesis; Bacteriocins - chemistry; Bacteriocins - pharmacology; Bacteriology; Bacteriolysis; Biological and medical sciences; DNA, Bacterial - chemistry; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; DNA, Ribosomal - chemistry; DNA, Ribosomal - genetics; Erwinia carotovora; Fish bacteria; Food; Food spoilage; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genes, rRNA; Gram-Negative Bacteria - drug effects; Gram-Positive Bacteria - drug effects; Lipase - metabolism; Listeria monocytogenes; Mannheimia haemolytica; Microbial Viability; Microbiology; Microorganisms; Miscellaneous; Molecular Sequence Data; New species; Phylogeny; Physical characteristics; Profiling; Pronase; Pronase - metabolism; RNA, Bacterial - genetics; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; rRNA 16S; Salmonella gallinarum; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; Spoilage; Stationary phase
• ISSN: 0302-8933; 1432-072X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00203-007-0257-2

A Bacillus sp. strain producing a bacteriocin-like substance was characterized by biochemical profiling and 16S rDNA sequencing. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that this strain has low sequence similarity with most Bacillus spp., suggesting a new species was isolated. The antimicrobial activity was detected starting at the exponential growth phase, and maximum activity was observed at stationary phase. The substance was inhibitory to a broad range of indicator strains, incluing pathogenic and food spoilage bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes, B. cereus, Aeromonas hydrophila, Erwinia carotovora, Pasteurella haemolytica, Salmonella Gallinarum, among other. The antibacterial substance was stable over a wide pH range, but it was sensitive to pronase E and lipase. The antibacterial substance was bactericidal and bacteriolytic to L. monocytogenes and B. cereus at 160 AU ml-¹. The identification of a broad range bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance active against L. monocytogenes addresses an important aspect of food protection against pathogens and spoilage microorganisms.