Transcriptional response of Lactococcus lactis during bacterial emulsification
Fig 1
Emulsification of petroleum by L. lactis.
(A) A suspension of overnight-grown L. lactis MG1363 cells in 10 mM phosphate buffer (pH 6.8), after vigorous shaking with petroleum, shows no emulsification of the oil phase (top layer). The cells can be seen in the lower phase (compare with (B)). (B) L. lactis NCDO712 produces an emulsion in petroleum with 99% of the cells residing at the oil-water interphase (top layer). (C) CLSM image of the oil-in-water emulsion made with L. lactis NCDO712. Petroleum droplets are not fluorescent (black), buffer containing the dye carboxyfluorescein is green (continuous phase) and bacterial cells are red. Due to the polydispersity of the droplets the position in depth differs for individual droplets and therefore different densities of cells are visualized on the oil-water interphase. Size marker is indicated in white.