Survival of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate producing bacteria in soil microcosms

LÓPEZ, NANCY IRENE; RUIZ, JIMENA ALICIA; MÉNDEZ, BEATRIZ SILVIA

WORLD JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY

Kluwer

Lugar: Dordrecht. Holanda.; Año: 1998 vol. 14 p. 681 - 684

0959-3993

Bacillus megaterium is a potential bioremediation and biocontrol agent. The accumulation of reserve polymers, such as poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), increases survival of B. megaterium in water. We used wild-type strains of this species and mutant strains deficient in PHB synthesis in soil microcosms for testing the hypothesis that differences in survival capabilities and spore quality between strains, nor a decrease in bacterial cell numbers were observed in sterile soil microcosms. No differences in survival between strains, nor a decrease in bacterial cell numbers were observed in sterile soil microcosms. In non-sterile soil, the total cell number (vegetative cells plus spores) of the PHB wild-type strain was 3.5 times higher than that of the PHB-negative mutant. We suggest that for predictive purposes, validation of survival in a variety of conditions is necessary