The Ability of Janthinobacterium sp. GrWVr-12 from Groundwater to Suppress the Growth of Coli Group Bacteria

Strain GrWVr-12 was isolated from a groundwater sample (Voskresensk District, Moscow oblast) and characterized. It was identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing as a member of the genus Janthinobacterium, most phylogenetically related to the species J. svalbardensis. The strain produces a blue-violet pigment, presumably violacein. Disk diffusion assay demonstrated pronounced antibacterial and antifungal activity of the strain’s culture liquid against a wide range of test cultures of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as of phytopathogenic fungi. The antimicrobial activity and antagonistic properties of a new isolate, strain GrWVr-12, against various model E. coli strains were discovered and characterized. These data suggest that Janthinobacterium sp. GrWVr-12 is a promising source of natural broad-spectrum antimicrobial compounds.