ARS | Publication request: LIPIDIC PRECURSORS TO CONTROL THE SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF MICROBIAL SOPHOROLIPIDS AND POLYHYDROXYALKANOATES

Submitted to: UJNR Food & Agricultural Panel Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: October 15, 2004
Publication Date: December 11, 2004
Citation: Ashby, R.D., Nunez, A., Solaiman, D., Foglia, T.A. 2004. Lipidic precursors to control the synthesis and properties of microbial sophorolipids and polyhydroxyalkanoates. Proceedings of the United States-Japan Cooperative Program in Natural Resources, Protein Resources Panel Annual Meeting. p. 225:229.

Technical Abstract: Animal fats and vegetable oils have been studied as carbon substrates for the microbial production of sophorolipids (SLs) and poly(hydroxyalkanoates) (PHA). Our research has shown that under suitable conditions triacylglycerols (TAGs), free fatty acids (FFAs), and glycerol will support microbial growth and production of SLs and PHAs. The physical properties of both SLs and PHAs can be controlled based on the microorganism and the specific FFA or fatty acid content of the TAGs. In this paper, we present the results of our studies on the use of various fats, oils and/or their components in the synthesis and detailed characterization of SLs and PHAs.