Exploring the Multifaceted Applications of Streptosporangium terrae: From Antibacterial Activity to Microbial Fuel Cells

Venkatesh  Sakthivel; Karthikkumaran  Swaminathan; Shunmugiah  Mahendran; Sundarakumar  Muniyandi; Harinathan  Balasundaram; Sivabalan  Karthickprabhu; Kannathasan  Gautam; Subbiah  Sankaralingam

doi:10.5530/ctbp.2025.3.33

Authors

Venkatesh Sakthivel PG and Research Department of Botany, Saraswathi Narayanan College, Madurai-625 022, Tamil Nadu, India.
Karthikkumaran Swaminathan PG and Research Department of Botany, Saraswathi Narayanan College, Madurai-625 022, Tamil Nadu, India.
Shunmugiah Mahendran Department of Microbiology, Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal College (Autonomous), Sivakasi-626 124, Tamil Nadu, India.
Sundarakumar Muniyandi Department of Microbiology, Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal College (Autonomous), Sivakasi-626 124, Tamil Nadu, India.
Harinathan Balasundaram Krishna Institute of Allied Science, Department of Microbiology, Krishna Vishwa Vidhyapeeth, Deemed to be University, Karad, Maharashtra, India.
Sivabalan Karthickprabhu Department of Physics, Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Kannathasan Gautam Department of Microbiology, Asan Memorial College of Arts and Science, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Subbiah Sankaralingam PG and Research Department of Botany, Saraswathi Narayanan College, Madurai-625 022, Tamil Nadu, India.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5530/ctbp.2025.3.33

Keywords:

Streptosporangium terrae, Microbial Fuel Cells, Bioelectricity, Antibacterial activity, FT-IR

Abstract

The present study explored the dual potential of Streptosporangium terrae, isolated from the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India, for antibiotic production and bioelectricity generation using microbial fuel cells (MFCs). The optimization of growth conditions, including pH, temperature, incubation time, and nutrient sources, was conducted to enhance the production of bioactive metabolites and electricity. Antibiotic sensitivity was tested against vancomycin, tetracycline, amikacin, and amoxicillin, revealing resistance to tetracycline and sensitivity to the other antibiotics tested. The antibacterial activity was evaluated against pathogenic strains such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus pyogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella oxytoca, and Proteus mirabilis. The secondary metabolites were characterized using FT-IR spectroscopy, which identified functional groups such as amines, alkenes, and carboxyl groups. The MFCs utilizing S. terrae demonstrated the conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy, with a peak voltage of 1.204 mV observed on the 5^th day. This study highlights the potential of S. terrae in sustainable energy production and antimicrobial applications, contributing to environmental sustainability.