Synthesis and Characterization of an Exopolysaccharide by Antarctic Yeast Strain Cryptococcus laurentii AL

• Published in: Applied biochemistry and biotechnology 2011-04, Vol.163 (8), p.1038-1052
• Main Authors: Pavlova, Kostantsa, Rusinova-Videva, Snezhana, Kuncheva, Margarita, Kratchanova, Maria, Gocheva, Mariana, Dimitrova, Stela
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbohydrate Sequence; Cryptococcus - chemistry; Cryptococcus - metabolism; Extracellular Space - chemistry; Extracellular Space - metabolism; Molecular Sequence Data; Polysaccharides - biosynthesis; Polysaccharides - chemistry; Sucrose - metabolism
• ISSN: 0273-2289; 1559-0291
• DOI: 10.1007/s12010-010-9107-9

An exopolysaccharide-producing Antarctic yeast strain was selected and identified as Cryptococcus laurentii AL₁₀₀. The physiological properties of the strain and its ability to utilize and biotransform different carbon sources (pentoses, hexoses, and oligosaccharides) into exopolysaccharide and biomass were investigated. Sucrose was chosen as a suitable and accessible carbon source. The biosynthetic capacity of the strain was studied in its dynamics at different sucrose concentrations (20, 30, 40, and 50 g/L) and temperatures (22 and 24 °C). The maximum biopolymer quantity of 6.4 g/L was obtained at 40 g/L of sucrose, 22 °C temperature and 96-h fermentation duration. The newly synthesized microbial carbohydrate was a heteropolysaccharide having the following monosaccharide composition: arabinose, 61.1%; mannose, 15.0%; glucose, 12.0%; galactose, 5.9%; and rhamnose, 2.8%. It was characterized by polydispersity of the polymer molecule, 60% of it having molecular mass of 4200 Da. The exopolysaccharide demonstrated good emulsifying and stabilizing properties with regard to oil/water emulsions and a pronounced synergistic effect with other hydrocolloids such as xanthan gum, guar gum, and alginate.