Importance of microbial amphiphiles: interaction potential of biosurfactants, amyloids, and other exo-polymeric-substances

In this report, the ecological importance and biotechnological usage of important amphiphiles have been discussed. The low molecular weight amphiphiles like biosurfactants, siderophores, and peptides showing helical and antimicrobial activities have been extensively reported for their ability to work as quorum-sensing mediators. While high molecular weight amphiphiles make up amyloid fibers, exopolysaccharides, liposomes, or magnetosomes have been shown to have a significant influence in deciding microbial physiology and survival. In this report, we have discussed the functional similarities and biochemical variations of several amphipathic biomolecules produced by microbes, and the present report shows these amphiphiles showing polyphyletic and ecophysiological groups of microorganisms and hence can `be replaced in biotechnological applications depending on the compatibility of the processes.
Source: World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology - Category: Microbiology Source Type: research