Preventing biofilm formation: promoting cell separation with terpenes

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Biochemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Organic solvents can stimulate cell aggregation in Rhodococcus erythropolis.
• Cell membrane composition influences cell hydrophobicity and aggregation.
• Biofilm formation is a significant challenge in various industrial processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of carveol and carvone in dispersing aggregated Rhodococcus erythropolis cells.
• To determine the impact of these terpenes on cell membrane properties and biofilm formation.
• To explore the relationship between carvone concentration and cell aggregation during bioconversion.

Main Methods:

• Treatment of Rhodococcus erythropolis cultures with varying concentrations of carveol and carvone.
• Analysis of cell membrane fatty acid composition.
• Measurement of biofilm volume.
• Monitoring cell aggregation during bioconversion in a membrane reactor.

Main Results:

• Both carveol and carvone effectively dispersed aggregated Rhodococcus erythropolis cells.
• Terpenes altered cell membrane fatty acid profiles, reducing hydrophobicity and saturation.
• A concentration of 250 micromol of terpene reduced biofilm volume by one third.
• Cell aggregation decreased from 90% to 10% with increasing carvone concentration (ca. 48 mM).

Conclusions:

• Carveol and carvone are effective agents for controlling Rhodococcus erythropolis aggregation and biofilm formation.
• Modulating cell membrane properties with terpenes offers a strategy to enhance bioprocess efficiency.
• Carvone concentration is a critical factor in managing cell aggregation during bioconversion processes.