Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Characterization of
Bacillus
Strains
Producing Biosurfactants
Anna Płaza Gra ˙ yna , Magdalena Pacwa-Płociniczak ,
Z o fi a Piotrowska-Seget , Robin Brigmon ,
and Ewa Król
Abstract
Genus
Bacillus
includes species of industrial, biotechnological, and
environmental interest, as well as clinically important strains. In terms of
metabolic properties, they present a diverse group, as they can degrade
various substrates and produce many molecules, including lipopeptide
(LP) biosurfactants. Due to a high interest in biosurfactants for applica-
tion in different fi elds, the molecular mechanisms of regulation of the
expression of the operons responsible for LPs have been intensively
studied. Additionally, many assays have been created to evaluate the use
of cost-effective renewable agro-industrial substrates for production. The
purpose of the chapter is to provide a comprehensive overview of the
results of our studies on identifi cation, characterization, and assessment
ability of three
Bacillus
strains to produce biosurfactants and detection of
genes encoding enzymes involved in biosurfactant synthesis. Moreover,
the use of alternative substrates to decrease the cost of LP biosurfactant
production and some aspects of application of
Bacillus
spp. as biocontrol
agents are discussed.
Keywords
Bacillus
strains • Biosurfactants • Mesophiles • Thermophiles
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