Partial Purification and Antimycobacterial Screening of the Ethyl Acetate Extract of Alcaligenes faecalis BW1

Aims: The focus of this study was to evaluate the antimycobacterial activity of Alcaligenes faecalis
BW1 extract and to purify it partially.
Study Design: Partial purification of A. faecalis BW1 extract was performed by using thin layer
chromatography and active substances responsible for the biological activity were localized.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology,
Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences and Technical, University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah,
BP 2202, Road of Immouzer, Fez, Morocco, during the period from January 2011 to July 2011.
Methodology: Crude extract of A. faecalis BW1 was obtained by using ethyl acetate as an organic
solvent and its antimycobacterial effect was investigated by agar discs diffusion method. The extract
was then fractionated by thin layer chromatography and the bioactivity was assessed with a
bioautography technique followed by spots elution tests.
Results: The results showed that A. faecalis BW1 produced compounds with antimycobacterial
activity. All the detected spots by thin layer chromatography inhibited the growth of M. smegamtis.
Conclusion: Various metabolites of A. faecalis BW1 are responsible for the sought effect or they
could act synergistically to inhibit mycobacterial growth. These compounds could be used after their
total purification in further work against mycobacterial infections.