Production and Characterization of Polysaccharides from Rhodotorula toruloides †
Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
Presented at the International Conference EcoBalt 2023 “Chemicals & Environment”, Tallinn, Estonia, 9–11 October 2023.
Proceedings 2023, 92(1), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2023092015
Published: 21 November 2023
(This article belongs to the Proceedings of International Conference EcoBalt 2023 "Chemicals & Environment")
The increasing demand for sustainable material production has fueled extensive research on alternative polysaccharide sources. Microbial polysaccharides, particularly exopolysaccharides (EPSs) in yeast, have garnered significant attention in the industrial sector for their unique properties and production methods [1]. Rhodotorula toruloides, an unconventional yeast known for intracellular lipids and carotenoid production, also possesses the capacity to produce EPSs [2]. EPS are primarily composed of mannose and glucose, alongside non-carbohydrate components such as proteins and glycoproteins [3]. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate, characterize, and evaluate the chemical properties of EPSs derived from R. toruloides. The yeast was cultivated in shaker flasks under varied growth conditions, including various pH levels, salt concentrations, agitation speeds, and C/N ratios, allowing the identification of the optimal environment for EPS production. Previous research has shown that a high carbon-to-limiting nutrient ratio in the growth media increases EPS production [4]. Additionally, an increase in the ionic strength of the medium hinders R. toruloides flocculation [5]. EPS purification was achieved through absolute ethanol precipitation, followed by characterization via HPLC for monosaccharide composition, GC-MS for glycosidic linkages after methylation using iodomethane/sodium hydroxide, high-performance gel permeation chromatography for homogeneity and molecular weight, and FT-IR spectrometric analysis to identify functional groups [6,7,8]. Determining the chemical properties of EPS is crucial for their potential application in industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, and bioplastics. This study contributes to the growing knowledge of sustainable polysaccharide production using yeast, particularly through the utilization of R. toruloides as a microbial source. In conclusion, this study underscores the potential of R. toruloides as a promising candidate for microbial polysaccharide production. The optimization of cultivation conditions and EPS characterization pave the way for exploring yeast-based polysaccharides in various industrial applications.
Author Contributions
Conceptualization, H.S.D.R.H. and R.K.; methodology, H.S.D.R.H.; software, H.S.D.R.H.; validation, H.S.D.R.H.; formal analysis, H.S.D.R.H.; investigation, H.S.D.R.H. and R.K.; resources, H.S.D.R.H.; data curation, H.S.D.R.H.; writing—original draft preparation, H.S.D.R.H.; writing—review and editing, H.S.D.R.H. and R.K.; visualization, H.S.D.R.H.; supervision, R.K.; project administration, R.K.; funding acquisition, P.-J.L. and R.K. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding
This research was funded by the Estonian Research Council, team grant number PRG1101 and the APC was funded by PRG1101.
Institutional Review Board Statement
Not applicable.
Informed Consent Statement
Not applicable.
Data Availability Statement
Data sharing is not applicable to this article.
Conflicts of Interest
Henrique Sepulveda Del Rio Hamacek and Rahul Kumar declare no conflicts of interest. Petri-Jaan Lahtvee has a financial interest in Äio, a biotechnology company that has no relation to or influence on the present research. The funder, Estonian Research Council, had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Hamacek, H.S.D.R.; Lahtvee, P.-J.; Kumar, R. Production and Characterization of Polysaccharides from Rhodotorula toruloides . Proceedings 2023, 92, 15. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2023092015
AMA Style
Hamacek HSDR, Lahtvee P-J, Kumar R. Production and Characterization of Polysaccharides from Rhodotorula toruloides . Proceedings. 2023; 92(1):15. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2023092015
Chicago/Turabian StyleHamacek, Henrique Sepulveda Del Rio, Petri-Jaan Lahtvee, and Rahul Kumar. 2023. "Production and Characterization of Polysaccharides from Rhodotorula toruloides " Proceedings 92, no. 1: 15. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2023092015
