Azospirillum

Lignin peroxidase is one of the main enzymes of fungi decomposers of wood, that is capable to many non-specific oxidation of aromatic and polycyclic compounds. By the beginning of our research there were virtually no data of the bacteria’s ability to produce the lignin peroxidase. Rather recently lignin peroxidase activity was detected by us in the washouts from the surface of the bacterial cells and in intracellular extracts of bacteria from genus Azospirillum.

Synthetic dyes are the largest class of chemicals that have found their commercial use in various industries. The most used are azo and anthraquinone dyes. However, most of them are not only toxic, carcinogenic, and mutagenic, but also resistant to biological destruction. The aim of the work was the screening of azospirillum strains according to their ability to biodegrade azo dyes and anthraquinone dyes. 

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of plant-growth-promoting bacteria of the genus Azospirillum are involved in the initial steps of formation of the association with host plant. This work aimed compositional analysis of the LPS from Azospirillum zeae and Azospirillum formosense. The LPS were extracted from the cells by hot phenolwater solution. Biopolymer composition of the LPS was studied by colorimetric methods. Determination of the fatty acid composition of the lipid A was performed by GLC. O-deacylation of the LPS A.

The IBPPM Collection maintains unique pool of bacterial strains related to Azospirillum genus, notable for its biotechnological potential. Progressively developing systematics of this genus requires checking and clarifying the taxonomic position for long-term stored isolates in the collection.

Many bacteria, in response to unfavourable environmental conditions, can synthesise polyesters of the polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) class. These biopolymers, accumulating intracellularly in the form of granules, help the bacteria to cope with negative environments and are utilised as reserve sources of carbon and energy. Rhizobacteria of the species Azospirillum brasilense synthesise a single type of PHA, poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), in response to stress factors.

Significant researches aimed at the greening of agro-industrial production are focused on obtaining immobilized bacterial preparations with preserved proliferative function and metabolic activity. Herein, we investigated the possibility of bacteria of the genus Azospirillum to be immobilized in Ca-alginate beads. A. brasilense SR80 cells, encapsulated in an alginate hydrogel, were obtained using the “soft” immobilization method based on physical binding.