title: Amicoumacin antibiotic production and genetic diversity of Bacillus subtilis strains isolated from different habitats.
abstract: One of the most interesting groups of phenolic compounds is comprised of the low molecular weight phenylpropanol derivative substances named isocoumarins, which possess important biological activities. In this study, the isocoumarin production and genetic diversity of 51 Bacillus strains isolated from different geographical and ecological niches were studied. Using molecular identification techniques, 47 strains were identified as B. subtilis, three as B. licheniformis and one as B. pumilus. When these strains were screened for isocumarin production, 11 belonging to the species B. subtilis produced amicoumacins, antibiotics of the isocoumarin group. RAPD analysis demonstrated that these strains fell into two groups which contained only these amicoumacin producers. No association was detected between RAPD profiles and the geographic origin or habitat of the strains tested. In conclusion, production of amicoumacin antibiotics by B. subtilis is a common characteristic of individual strains that presented genetic and physiological homogeneity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Microbiologie et Biochimie Appliquée, ENITA de Bordeaux, 1, Gradignan, France.
authors.forename: Irina V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Pinchuk
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bressollier
authors.forename: Irina B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Sorokulova
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Verneuil
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Urdaci
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D003374:Coumarins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000502:physiology; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D019105:Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003374:Coumarins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S