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Biosurfactant from Lactococcus lactis 53 inhibits microbial adhesion on silicone rubber

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Abstract

The ability of biosurfactant obtained from the probiotic bacterium Lactococcus lactis 53 to inhibit adhesion of four bacterial and two yeast strains isolated from explanted voice prostheses to silicone rubber with and without an adsorbed biosurfactant layer was investigated in a parallel-plate flow chamber. The microbial cell surfaces and the silicone rubber with and without an adsorbed biosurfactant layer were characterized using contact-angle measurements. Water contact angles indicated that the silicone-rubber surface with adsorbed biosurfactant was more hydrophilic (48°) than bare silicone rubber (109°). The results showed that the biosurfactant was effective in decreasing the initial deposition rates of Staphylococcus epidermidis GB 9/6 from 2,100 to 220 microorganisms cm−2 s−1, Streptococcus salivarius GB 24/9 from 1,560 to 137 microorganisms cm−2 s−1, and Staphylococcus aureus GB 2/1 from 1,255 to 135 microorganisms cm−2 s−1, allowing for a 90% reduction of the deposition rates. The deposition rates of Rothia dentocariosa GBJ 52/2B, Candida albicans GBJ 13/4A, and Candida tropicalis GB 9/9 were far less reduced in the presence of the biosurfactant as compared with the other strains. This study constitutes a step ahead in developing strategies to prevent microbial colonization of silicone-rubber voice prostheses.

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Acknowledgments

The FCT provided financial support for L. Rodrigues through a doctoral research grant SFRH/BD/4700/2001.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Engenharia Biológica—IBQF, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Largo do Paço, 4719, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal

    Lígia Rodrigues, José António Teixeira & Rosário Oliveira

  2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Groningen Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Henny van der Mei

Authors
  1. Lígia Rodrigues
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  2. Henny van der Mei
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  3. José António Teixeira
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  4. Rosário Oliveira
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Correspondence to José António Teixeira.

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Rodrigues, L., van der Mei, H., Teixeira, J.A. et al. Biosurfactant from Lactococcus lactis 53 inhibits microbial adhesion on silicone rubber. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 66, 306–311 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-004-1674-7

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