African Journal of
Microbiology Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Microbiol. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0808
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJMR
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 5233

Full Length Research Paper

Evaluation of the probiotic properties of Bacillus spp. strains isolated from Tunisian hypersaline environments

Abderrahmen Merghni
  • Abderrahmen Merghni
  • Laboratory of Analysis, Treatment and Valorization of Pollutants of the Environment and Products (LATVPEP). Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, 5000. Tunisia.
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Nadia Leban
  • Nadia Leban
  • Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Monastir, Tunisia.
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Abir Behi
  • Abir Behi
  • Laboratory of Analysis, Treatment and Valorization of Pollutants of the Environment and Products (LATVPEP). Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, 5000. Tunisia.
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Amina Bakhrouf
  • Amina Bakhrouf
  • Laboratory of Analysis, Treatment and Valorization of Pollutants of the Environment and Products (LATVPEP). Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, 5000. Tunisia.
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  •  Received: 29 January 2013
  •  Accepted: 22 May 2013
  •  Published: 22 January 2014

Abstract

Bacillus species are ubiquitous and diverse both in the terrestrial and marine ecosystems. In this study, Bacillus species were isolated from Tunisian hypersaline environments and their probiotic properties were studied. In total, 13 strains were identified as a Bacillus spp. Antagonism assay revealed an inhibitory effect of these strains against pathogenic bacteria. Cell surface hydrophobicity values ranged between 0.33 and 30%. The tested strains were able to produce extracellular enzymes such as amylase, lipase, caseinase, and lecithinase. Qualitative analysis of biofilm results show that seven strains were able to produce slime on Congo red agar. Furthermore, the investigated strains were fairly adhesive to glass and polystyrene with values ranging from 0.07 to 0.70 at 570 nm.

Key words: Bacillus spp., hypersaline, antagonism, extracellular enzymes, adhesion.

Abbreviation

NBSW, Nutrient broth sea water; TBE, Tris-borate-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; TSB, trypticase soy broth; PBS, phosphate buffered saline; TSA, trypticase soy agar; CSH, cell surface hydrophobicity; DLVO, Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey, and Overbeek; CRA, Congo red agar.

Copyright © 2024 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.

This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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