Occurrence of Rhamnolipid synthesising genes in Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) utilizing Pseudomonas

Abstract

As promising biotechnological products, rhamnolipids are the most studied biosurfactants. The present study focused on the distribution of rhlI among polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) utilizing bacterial isolates as a tool for the identification of rhamnolipid synthesizing Pseudomonas species. Physical and biochemical characterization were done through Gram staining, Macconkey agar test, oxidase test, cell surface hydrophobicity, sulphur reduction indole production mannitol fermentation test, mannitol motility nitrate test. All the isolates show different morphological aspects in terms of Gram staining, color of colonies, motility, sulphur reduction, indole production and mannitol fermentation. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification with rhlI specific primers revealed the presence of rhlI coding gene in Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, N6, NBH1, NBH4, NPD6 and the size of amplified product is 155 bp.