P. Garry et al., SURFACE-PROPERTIES AND ADHESION OF BACILLUS-CEREUS AND BACILLUS-SUBTILIS TO POLYURETHANE - INFLUENCE OF GROWTH TEMPERATURE, Journal of dispersion science and technology, 19(6-7), 1998, pp. 1175-1197
We sought to determine the influence of the growth temperature on the
surface physicochemical properties and adhesion of Bacillus cereus and
Bacillus subtilis. Growth temperature did not affect the surface char
acteristics of Bacillus cereus. With respect to the surface characteri
stics of the bacteria, water contact angle values indicated a hydrophi
lic nature for the vegetative forms of Bacillus subtilis with the exce
ption of vegetative form cultured at 44 degrees C which, like the spor
ulated forms of the two species, was more hydrophobic. When Bacillus s
ubtilis was cultured at a temperature other than the optimum growth te
mperature, its global charge was increased; the more distant the cultu
re temperature from the optimum temperature (30 degrees C), the higher
the negative charge. Furthermore, using a tensiometric method, we dem
onstrated a production of surfactant by Bacillus subtilis. The rate of
production rose the closer the growth temperature was to the optimum
temperature. In line with the forecasts made on the basis of bacterial
energy characteristics and those of a polyurethane surface, the growt
h and adhesion temperature only had a slight influence on the number o
f adherent cells.