Induction of Systemic Resistance in Maize and Antibiofilm Activity of Surfactin From Bacillus velezensis MS20

Shireen Adeeb Mujtaba Ali; R Z Sayyed; Mohammad I Mir; M Y Khan; Bee Hameeda; Mustfa F Alkhanani; Shafiul Haque; Abdel Rahman Mohammad Al Tawaha; Péter Poczai

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2022.879739

Induction of Systemic Resistance in Maize and Antibiofilm Activity of Surfactin From Bacillus velezensis MS20

Front Microbiol. 2022 May 9:13:879739. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.879739. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Shireen Adeeb Mujtaba Ali¹, R Z Sayyed², Mohammad I Mir³, M Y Khan⁴, Bee Hameeda¹, Mustfa F Alkhanani⁵, Shafiul Haque^{6

7}, Abdel Rahman Mohammad Al Tawaha⁸, Péter Poczai⁹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Microbiology, University College of Science, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India.
² Department of Microbiology, PSGVP Mandal's Arts, Science, and Commerce College, Shahada, India.
³ Department of Botany, University College of Science, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India.
⁴ Kalam Biotech Pvt Ltd., Hyderabad, India.
⁵ Emergency Service Department, College of Applied Sciences, Al-Maarefa University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Research and Scientific Studies Unit, College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Bursa Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine, Bursa, Turkey.
⁸ Department of Biological Sciences, Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, Ma'an, Jordan.
⁹ Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.

Abstract

Surfactin lipopeptide is an eco-friendly microbially synthesized bioproduct that holds considerable potential in therapeutics (antibiofilm) as well as in agriculture (antifungal). In the present study, production of surfactin by a marine strain Bacillus velezensis MS20 was carried out, followed by physico-chemical characterization, anti-biofilm activity, plant growth promotion, and quantitative Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (q RT-PCR) studies. From the results, it was inferred that MS20 was found to produce biosurfactant (3,300 mg L^-1) under optimized conditions. From the physicochemical characterization [Thin layer chromatography (TLC), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy (LC/MS), and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification] it was revealed to be surfactin. From bio-assay and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images, it was observed that surfactin (MIC 50 μg Ml^-1) has appreciable bacterial aggregation against clinical pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC424, Escherichia coli MTCC43, Klebsiella pneumoniae MTCC9751, and Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and mycelial condensation property against a fungal phytopathogen Rhizoctonia solani. In addition, the q-RTPCR studies revealed 8-fold upregulation (9.34 ± 0.11-fold) of srfA-A gene compared to controls. Further, treatment of maize crop (infected with R. solani) with surfactin and MS20 led to the production of defense enzymes. In conclusion, concentration and synergy of a carbon source with inorganic/mineral salts can ameliorate surfactin yield and, application wise, it has antibiofilm and antifungal activities. In addition, it induced systemic resistance in maize crop, which makes it a good candidate to be employed in sustainable agricultural practices.

Keywords: Bacillus velezensis MS20; antibiofilm; biocontrol; biosurfactants; characterization; induced systemic resistance; optimization-OVAT; sustainable agriculture.