Isolation and algae-lysing characteristics of the algicidal bacterium B5

Water blooms have become a worldwide environmental problem. Recently, algicidal bacteria have attracted wide attention as possible agents for inhibiting algal water blooms. In this study, one strain of algicidal bacterium B5 was isolated from activated sludge. On the basis of analysis of its physiological characteristics and 16S rDNA gene sequence, it was identified as Bacillusfusiformis. Its algaelysing characteristics on Microcystis aeruginosa, Chlorella and Scenedesmus were tested. The results showed that： （1） the algicidal bacterium B5 is a Gram-negative bacterium. The 16S rDNA nucleotide sequence homology of strain B5 with 2 strains of B. fusiformis reached 99.86%, so B5 was identified as B. fusiformis; （2） the algal-lysing effects of the algicidal bacterium B5 on M. aeruginosa, Chlorella and Scenedesrnus were pronounced. The initial bacterial and algal cell densities strongly influence the removal rates of chlorophyll-a. The greater the initial bacterial cell density, the faster the degradation of chlorophyll-a. The greater the initial algal cell density, the slower the degradation of chlorophyll-a. When the bacterial cell density was 3.6 × 10^7 cells/ml, nearly 90% of chlorophyll-a was removed. When the chlorophyll-a concentration was less than 550 μg/L, about 70% was removed; （3） the strain B5 lysed algae by secreting metabolites and these metabolites could bear heat treatment.

Isolation and Characterization of an Algicidal Bacterium Indigenous to Lake Taihu with a Red Pigment able to Lyse Microcystis aeruginosa

Objective To isolate and characterize indigenous algicidal bacteria and their algae-lysing compounds active against Microcystis aeruginosa, strains TH1, TH2, and FACHB 905. Methods The bacteria were identified using the Biolog automated microbial identification system and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The algae-lysing compounds were isolated and purified by silica gel column chromatography and reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography. Their structures were confirmed by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance （NMR） and Fourier Transform infrared （FT-IR） spectroscopy. Algae-lysing activity was observed using microscopy. Results The algae-lysing bacterium LTH-2 isolated from Lake Taihu was identified as Serratia marcescens. Strain LTH-2 secreted a red pigment identified as prodigiosin （C20H25N30）, which showed strong lytic activity with algal strains M. aeruginoso TH1, TH2, and FACHB 905 in a concentration-dependent manner. The 50% inhibitory concentration （ICs0） of prodigiosin with the algal strains was 4.8 （±0.4）×10^-2 μg/mL, 8.9 （±1.1）×10^-2μg/mL, and 1.7 （±0.1）×10^-1 μg/mL in 24 h, respectively. Conclusion The bacterium LTH-2 and its pigment related to damage of cell membranes. The bacterium for regulating blooms of harmful M. aeruginosa. had strong Microcystis-lysing activity probably LTH-2 and its red pigment are potentially useful