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The biosurfactant produced by Pseudomonas desmolyticum NCIM 2112 (Pd 2112) was confirmed as rhamnolipid based on the formation of dark blue halos around the colonies in CTAB-methylene blue agar plates and the content of rhamnose sugar. The average yield of rhamnolipid was 0.398 g/l/day when grown on hexadecane as sole carbon source. Pd 2112 emulsification potential associated with cell free culture broth was stable for 72 h using various hydrocarbons and vegetable oils. Chemical structure of the biosurfactant was identified as mono-rhamnolipid (Rha-C(6) -C(8) ) using HPTLC, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, (1) H and (13) C NMR and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy analysis. Pd 2112 mono-rhamnolipid (1 mg/ml) had increased permeabilization of Bacillus sp VUS NCIM 5342 and increased decolorization rate of textile dye Brown 3REL by 50%. Extracellular activities of lignin peroxidase and veratryl alcohol oxidase, enzymes involved in dye degradation, were significantly increased in the presence of mono-rhamnolipid by 324.52% and 100% respectively. Scanning electron micro-scopy observations revealed that rhamnolipid did not exert any disruptive action on Bacillus cells as compared to Tween 80. The mono-rhamnolipid of Pd 2112 has potential for its application in biodegradation of textile dyes., (Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The filamentous fungus Aspergillus ochraceus NCIM-1146 was found to degrade kerosene, when previously grown mycelium (96 h) was incubated in the broth containing kerosene. Higher levels of NADPH-DCIP reductase, aminopyrine N-demethylase and kerosene biodegradation activities were found to be present after the growth in potato dextrose broth for 96 h, when compared with the activities at different time intervals during the growth phase. NADPH was the preferred cofactor for enzyme activity, which was inhibited by CO, indicating cytochrome P450 mediated reactions. A significant increase in all the enzyme activities was observed when mycelium incubated for 18 h in mineral salts medium, containing cholesterol, camphor, naphthalene, 1,2-dimethoxybenzene, phenobarbital, n-hexane, kerosene or saffola oil as inducers. Acetaldehyde produced by alcohol dehydrogenase could be used as an indicator for the kerosene biodegradation.