Heterotrophic CaCO3-precipitating bacteria were isolated from biofilms on deteriorated ignimbrites, siliceous acidic rocks, from Morelia Cathedral (Mexico) and identified as Enterobacter cancerogenus (22e), Bacillus sp. (32a) and Bacillus subtilis (52g). In solid medium, 22e and 32a precipitated calcite and vaterite while 52g produced calcite. Urease activity was detected in these isolates and CaCO3 precipitation increased in the presence of urea in the liquid medium. In the presence of calcium, EPS production decreased in 22e and 32a and increased in 52g. Under laboratory conditions, ignimbrite colonization by these isolates only occurred in the presence of calcium and no CaCO3 was precipitated. Calcium may therefore be important for biofilm formation on stones. The importance of the type of stone, here a siliceous stone, on biological colonization is emphasized. This calcium effect has not been reported on calcareous materials. The importance of the effect of calcium on EPS production and biofilm formation is discussed in relation to other applications of CaCO3 precipitation by bacteria.
Keywords: BG-11, Blue Green mineral medium; BLAST, basic local alignment search tool; CPS, capsular polysaccharides; CR, Congo Red; CaCO3 precipitation; EPS production; EPS, extracellular polymeric substances; MEGA, molecular evolutionary genetics analysis; NCBI, National Center for Biotechnology Information; OD, optical density; PBS, phosphate buffered saline; PGY-BG11, BG-11 medium supplemented with peptone, glucose and yeast extract; SEM, scanning electron microscopy; XRD, X-ray diffraction; biofilm formation; calcium effect; heterotrophic bacteria; ignimbrite stones; rRNA, ribosomal ribonucleic acid.