title: Optimizing the production of the biosurfactant lichenysin and its application in biofilm control.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Apply response surface methodology (RSM) to develop and optimize an economical medium for lichenysin production, which is a surfactant produced by Bacillus licheniformis and evaluate the application of lichenysin in the prevention and disruption of pathogenic micro-organism biofilm that creates health problems in the food industry and hospitals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An economical medium containing molasses was optimized to enhance lichenysin production by RSM. A production of 3·2 g l(-1) of lichenysin was achieved with an optimum medium containing 107·82 g l(-1) of molasses, 6·47 g l(-1) of NaNO3 and 9·7 g l(-1) of K2 HPO4 /KH2 PO4 , in which molasses and phosphate salts had a significant effect on biosurfactant production. Lichenysin was effectively applied in a surface pre-treatment to avoid microbial biofilm development of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (68·73%) and Candida albicans (74·35%), with ED50 values of 8·3 and 17·2 μg ml(-1) respectively. It was also very efficient in a surface post-treatment to remove biofilms of MRSA (55·74%) and Yersinia enterocolitica (51·51%), with an ED50 of 2·79 and 4·09 μg ml(-1) respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lichenysin was found to have notable anti-adhesion activity, being able to prevent and eliminate the biofilm formation by pathogenic strains associated with foodborne illness. This new medium resulted in a four-fold increase in production compared with the nonoptimized medium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Molasses can be regarded as a useful resource for biotechnological applications, such as the production of lichenysin. The use of agro-industrial substrates has an important role in the sustainable and competitive development of several industrial sectors, as well as in industrial residues management. Additionally, lichenysin is particularly effective in preventing biofilm formation by strains problematic for the food industry and in the hospital environment. Lichenysin also efficiently disrupts biofilm.
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Microbiología, Facultat de Farmacia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Coronel-León
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Microbiología, Facultat de Farmacia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Marqués
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad de Murcia, El Espinardo, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bastida
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Microbiología, Facultat de Farmacia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manresa
mesh_terms: D001407:Bacillus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D003470:Culture Media / Q000378:metabolism; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D013501:Surface-Active Agents
keywords: Bacillus licheniformis; adhesion; biofilms; biosurfactant; lichenysin; molasses; production optimization; response surface methodology