Biosurfactants from Bacillus licheniformis: structural analysis and characterization.
The surface-active compounds of the strain Bacillus licheniformis were isolated and their structure was elucidated. The high surface-active capacity of the crude extract was basically due to traces of long-chain saturated fatty acids, especially of palmitic and stearic acids, to a mixture of small amounts of hydrocarbons with chain lengths of 20 and 22 carbons, and mainly to appreciable amounts of four slightly different lipopeptides. The lipopeptides were found to be a mixture of four closely related compounds. The lipophilic part consisting of i-, n-C14 or i-, ai-C15 beta-OH fatty acids was linked to the hydrophilic peptide moiety, which contained seven amino acids (Glu, Asp, Val, three Leu and Ile) by a lactone linkage. Fifteen milligrams per litre of the purified lipopeptide product decreased the surface tension of water from 72 mN m-1 to 27 mN m-1, characterizing the product as a powerful surface-active agent that compares favourably to other (bio)surfactants. Antibiotic activity was demonstrated against bacteria and yeasts.
Institut für Biotechnologie, ETH-Hönggerberg, Zürich, Switzerland.
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Käppeli
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Fiechter
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001407:Bacillus / Q000737:chemistry*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013500:Surface Tension / Q000187:drug effects; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014867:Water; D015003:Yeasts / Q000187:drug effects
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D005227:Fatty Acids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D014867:Water