Wax ester-like compounds as biosurfactants produced by Dietzia maris from n-alkane as a sole carbon source

The hydrocarbon-degrading bacterium Dietzia maris WR-3 was isolated from a consortium comprising ammonia-oxidizing and denitrifying bacteria derived from marine sediments. Here, we examined biosurfactant production by strain WR-3 when cultured using several different carbon (D-glucose, n -decane, n -hexadecane, motor oil, olive oil, and rapeseed oil) and nitrogen (NH(4) )(2) SO(4) , NaNO(3) , yeast extract, and polypeptone) sources as growth substrates. Strain WR-3 was able to grow and reduce the surface tension of culture broth to 31±1.0 mN m(-1) when cultured using n -hexadecane and nitrate ions. The surface-active compounds produced by strain WR-3 were extracted and analyzed by thin layer chromatography. Moreover, the main components in the extract were further purified and subjected to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). From the analysis, the surface-active compounds were tentatively identified as wax ester-like compounds, which were synthesized from the degradation process of n -alkane. The production of surface-active compounds by strain WR-3 promoted attachment of cells to hydrocarbon droplets via increased cell hydrophobicity, thus allowing enhanced degradation of water immiscible substrates. As Dietzia spp. can grow and produce wax esters from the degradation process of hydrocarbons, these marine bacteria are potentially useful for the bioremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated environments.