Surface-active compounds and their role in the access to hydrocarbons in Gordonia strains

Three new bacterial strains (M22, BS25 and BS29) belonging to the Gordonia genus were isolated from a site chronically contaminated by diesel. Those Gordonia strains were able to grow using a wide range of straight and branched aliphatic hydrocarbons as carbon and energy sources and to produce at least two classes of surface-active compounds. Emulsifying agents were released in the culture medium when bacteria grew both on hydrocarbons and water-soluble substrates. Cell-bound biosurfactants, which reduce the surface tension, were produced on hydrocarbons; however, their production was significantly lower on water soluble substrates. The relationship of growth phase, surface-active compound production and cell-surface properties was analyzed in kinetic experiments on hydrocarbons. Gordonia sp. BS29 synthesized, and released extracellularly, bioemulsans during the exponential phase with n-hexadecane as carbon and energy source. The production of biosurfactants started in the exponential phase and their concentration increased during the following linear growth. Furthermore, the adhesion of bacterial cells to hydrocarbons decreased during growth. Our results led us to hypothesize a change in the mode by which Gordonia cells access the substrate during growth on hydrocarbons.