title: Cytotoxicity of alkaline-tolerant dairy-associated Bacillus spp.
abstract: The cytotoxicity of five Bacillus spp. isolated from alkaline cleaning solutions in South African dairies was evaluated against McCoy mouse cells using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT)-based assay, confocal scanning laser microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. According to the MTT-based assay, two of the Bacillus isolates (Bacillus licheniformis 5 and B. pumilus 122) were cytotoxic to McCoy cells and the cytotoxic components were heat labile. Confocal scanning laser microscopy combined with fluorescent staining using propidium iodide and fluorescein diacetate indicated that cytotoxic effects occurred within 3 h, appeared to be membrane active and resulted in cell necrosis. Scanning electron microscopy showed that McCoy cells exposed to the cytotoxic components exhibited morphological damage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of the Witwatersrand, Wits and Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. denise@gecko.biol.wits.ac.za
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lindsay
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Mosupye
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Brözel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Von Holy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001407:Bacillus / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D003902:Detergents; D051379:Mice; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D013019:South Africa
chemical_list: D003603:Cytotoxins; D003902:Detergents