Effects of Biosurfactant on Bacterial Surface Hydrophobicity and Their Role in Bioremediation

Biosurfactants affected cell surface hydrophobicity and change in cell surface is associated with increasing biodegradation rates of hydrocarbons. Thus biosurfactants play important role in removing hydrocarbon contamination and bioremediation. In this project the effect of biosurfactant-rhamnolipid was investigated on cell surface of Pseudomonas aeruginosa MM1011 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa TMU56. The results of this study showed that change of cell surface hydrophobicity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa MM1011 in presence and absence of biosurfactant had no significant difference. Therefore, this strain may not be appropriate to use of bioremediation for biodegradation of hydrocarbon pollutants. However, the cell surface hydrophobicity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa TMU56 was increased in presence of rhamnolipid. This change primarily resulted from the loss of bacterial surface components. Therefor hydrophobic compounds are more easily pass through the membrane. So, this strain is appropriate to remove the hydrocarbon contamination.

Keywords:

Biosurfactant , Bacterial Cell Surface , Hydrophobicity , Bioremediation