Isolation and characterization of a antimicrobial compound from Bacillus coagulans

A bacterium strain called Bacillus coagulans was isolated from an industrial wastewater drainage and selected for its antimicrobial activities against bacteria and fungi. Characterization studies strongly suggested that this strain is Bacillus coagulans. Antimicrobial activity was found against gram-positive, gram-negative bacteria and yeast strain. Maximal activity was observed after 24 h when incubated at 30 degrees C and pH 8. The activity was found to be stable at 75 degrees C for 30 min and at pH range of 2-12. Analysis of the antimicrobial compound by SDS-PAGE suggested a molecular mass of approximately 7.5 KDa. The substance was characterized as a bacteriocin, because of its proteinaceous nature and low molecular weight. Our bacteriocin could potentially be used as a food preservative, because of its thermostable property and broad antimicrobial spectrum.