Avaliação da atividade de micocinas livres e imobilizadas obtidas de Wickerhamomyces anomalus frente a coliformes fecais

Abstract

Wickerhamomyces anomalus is mycocin-producing yeast, these substances are glycoproteins secreted by some yeasts and have antimicrobial action with broad spectrum of activity. Escherichia coli is the predominant bacterium of the coliform group, its presence in the water indicates fecal contamination, being used as indicator in microbiological analyzes of water. Although belonging to the human and animal microbiota can be pathogenic, causing various types of infections. The immobilization of cells and substances shows great potential of biotechnological application in several areas. In this way, this work aimed to evaluate the activity of free and immobilized mycocins, obtained from W. anomalus, against strains of E. coli and fecal coliforms. The broth microdilution method was used to evaluate the action of the free mycocins, in different dilutions, against 45 multiresistant strains of E. coli isolated from clinical samples. Mycocins were immobilized at different concentrations of sodium alginate and calcium chloride and tested for antimicrobial activity against E. coli strain ATCC25922 and fecal coliforms present in fecal contaminated water samples. The free mycocins were able to inhibit all the strains used in the broth microdilution, with 100% of the strains being inhibited by the pure used mycocins and, even when diluted, the mycocins showed an inhibitory action, the dilution of 1:2 inhibited 78.2% of the multiresistant strains of E. coli. The concentration of sodium alginate influenced the shape of the granules obtained in immobilization, a result not observed when the calcium chloride concentration varied. The mycocins immobilized with 2% sodium alginate and 0.2 mol/L CaCl2 showed better antimicrobial activity against E. coli strain ATCC25922. Fecal coliforms were inhibited by immobilized mycocins after 48h of incubation. In summary, in this study, mycocins were able to inhibit E. coli and coliforms present in samples of water contaminated with feces. Considering the problem of multiresistant strains of antibiotics and the need for new alternatives to improve water quality and sewage effluents, these results demonstrate a possible application as an alternative to antimicrobial agents.