In a very early study Escherichia coli K12 strain was found to lose the culturability in the tween 80-supplemented minimal medium (Howe and Ward, 1976).
Reference:
T. G. B. HOWE AND JUDITH M. WARD. The Utilization of Tween 80 as Carbon Source by Pseudumonas. Journal of General Microbiology (1976), 92, 234-235
check this paper
Chakrabarty, A. N., Adhya, S. and Pramanik, M. K. (1970), The Hydrolysis of Tween 80 by Vibrios and Aeromonads. Journal of Applied Bacteriology, 33: 397–402. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1970.tb02212.x
it's an old one but may be useful
Regards
Hala
Tween 20 is a big molecule. It might be difficult for bacteria to transport into the cell. If bacteria can cleave off the long lipid-like tail from Tw20 by some lipase-like enzymes, that tail might undergo beta-oxidation, just like fatty acid metabolism in the cell. But the problem still is that bacteria need to take up the substrate. Another thing is that high concentration of detergent can disrupt cell membrane and inhibit bacteria growth, especially for G- bacteria.
Tween when hydrolyzed releases oleoic acid, which is converted to oleaolyl CoA, which can then enter into beta oxidation pathway. Tween 20 is commonly uded in mycobacterial cultures to prevent clumping, but whenever carbon starvation is given, Tween is replaced by some non-hydrolizyable detergents like Tergitol.
Suhail Yousuf is correct. There generally is a significant level of free oleic acid in Tween 80.
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