gramicidin-a and subtilin

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antibiosis; Bacteria; Bacteriocins; Dipeptides; Ecosystem; Escherichia coli; Gramicidin; Soil Microbiology; Terpenes; Tyrocidine

Biofilms were used to produce gramicidin S (a cyclic decapeptide) to inhibit corrosion-causing, sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). In laboratory studies these biofilms protected mild steel 1010 continuously from corrosion in the aggressive, cooling service water of the AmerGen Three-Mile-Island (TMI) nuclear plant, which was augmented with reference SRB. The growth of both reference SRB (Gram-positive Desulfosporosinus orientis and Gram-negative Desulfovibrio vulgaris) was shown to be inhibited by supernatants of the gramicidin-S-producing bacteria as well as by purified gramicidin S. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and mass loss measurements showed that the protective biofilms decreased the corrosion rate of mild steel by 2- to 10-fold when challenged with the natural SRB of the TMI process water supplemented with D. orientis or D. vulgaris. The relative corrosion inhibition efficiency was 50-90% in continuous reactors, compared to a biofilm control which did not produce the antimicrobial gramicidin S. Scanning electron microscope and reactor images also revealed that SRB attack was thwarted by protective biofilms that secrete gramicidin S. A consortium of beneficial bacteria (GGPST consortium, producing gramicidin S and other antimicrobials) also protected the mild steel.

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antibiosis; Bacteria; Bacterial Proteins; Bacteriocins; Biofilms; Biotechnology; Corrosion; Desulfovibrio; Gramicidin; Industrial Microbiology; Oxidation-Reduction; Peptides; Peptococcaceae; Polymyxins; Steel; Sulfur-Reducing Bacteria; Tyrocidine; Water Microbiology