The effect of organic solvents on the viability and morphofunctional properties of rhodococcus

Abstract

The effect of organic solvents on the viability and structural-mechanical (size, surface roughness, and elasticity) properties of actinobacteria of the genus Rhodococcus was studied. The dependence of the survival of Rhodococcus on the hydrophobicity of the solvent, the culture density, and the incubation medium composition was demonstrated. The most resistant strains have been selected. Using combined confocal laser scanning and atomic force microscopy, we established that exposure to solvents resulted in an increase in the relative area and roughness of the surface of living cells and a decrease in their Young’s modulus. The involvement of protonand sodium-dependent efflux pumps in the formation of solvent tolerance in Rhodococcus was demonstrated.