Effect of different Bacillus subtilis lipopeptides on surface hydrophobicity and adhesion of Bacillus cereus 98/4 spores to stainless steel and Teflon.

Various lipopeptides produced by Bacillus subtilis were examined for their ability to modify the surface hydrophobicity of two substrata, stainless steel (SS) and Teflon. These modifications were evaluated by water contact angle measurements. The effects depended on the lipopeptide, its concentration, and the tested substratum. Treatment of SS with different concentrations of surfactin S1 showed an increase of the hydrophobicity between 1 and 100 mg l(-1). On the same substratum, fengycin increased hydrophobicity up to its critical micelle concentration (6.25 mg l(-1)). With higher concentrations of fengycin, hydrophobicity decreased. Surfactin, mycosubtilin, and iturin A decreased hydrophobicity on Teflon. The different effects of these three families of lipopeptides were related to their structural differences. A good correlation was shown between hydrophobicity modifications of surfaces and the attachment of B. cereus 98/4 spores. Enhancement in the hydrophobicity of the surfaces increased the number of adhering spores.