Production and release of surfactant byCorynebacterium lepus in hydrocarbon and glucose media

Summary Corynebacterium lepus produced a considerable amount of extracellular surfactant during growth in a mineral salts medium containing hexadecane as the sole carbon source. The study revealed that the bacterium also produced a large amount of surfactant when grown on glucose, but in this case the surface active agent was cell bound. The surfactant was released from the cells when they were treated with hexadecane after growth. Tetradecane also showed a good capability for release of the surfactant. Decane and octane were less effective than hexadecane and tetradecane.