Purification and characterization of a new peptide antibiotic produced by a thermotolerant Bacillus licheniformis strain

• Published in: Biotechnology letters Vol. 26; no. 2; pp. 115 - 119
• Main Authors: MENDO, Sonia, FAUSTINO, Nuno André, SARMENTO, Ana Cristina, AMADO, Francisco, MOIR, Arthur J. G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01.01.2004
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - isolation & purification; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Azores; Bacillus - metabolism; Bacillus licheniformis; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Endopeptidases - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gram-Positive Bacteria - drug effects; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Mass Spectrometry; Peptides; Azores; Portugal; Purification; peptide synthetases; Peptides; Enzyme; Bacillus licheniformis; Bacillaceae; Characterization; Antibiotic; thermotolerant Bacillus; Bacillales; Ligases; Bacteria; peptide antibiotics
• ISSN: 0141-5492; 1573-6776
• DOI: 10.1023/B:BILE.0000012888.72489.3f

A Bacillus licheniformis strain, 189, isolated from a hot spring environment in the Azores, Portugal, strongly inhibited growth of Gram-positive bacteria. It produced a peptide antibiotic at 50 degrees C. The antibiotic was purified and biochemically characterized. It was highly resistant to several proteolytic enzymes. Additionally, it retained its antimicrobial activity after incubation at pH values between 3.5 and 8; it was thermostable, retaining about 85% and 20% of its activity after 6 h at 50 degrees C and 100 degrees C, respectively. Its molecular mass determined by mass spectrometry was 3249.7 Da.