ARS | Publication request: Bioproducts from diverse phylogenetic clades of Aureobasidium pullulans

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: May 14, 2011
Publication Date: May 14, 2011
Citation: Manitchotpisit, P., Leathers, T.D., Peterson, S.W., Skory, C.D., Price, N.P., Rich, J.O. 2011. Bioproducts from diverse phylogenetic clades of Aureobasidium pullulans [abstract]. Asia-Pacific Biotechnology Congress and Philippine Society for Microbiology, Inc. p. 59.

Technical Abstract: More than 90 isolates of the fungus A. pullulans from tropical and temperate climates were classified into 13 phylogenetic clades using multilocus sequence analyses (ITS, IGS, BT2, RPB2, and EF-1a). Tropical isolates appeared to exhibit the greatest genetic diversity. Representatives of each clade were examined for the production of pullulan, poly(beta-L-malic acid) or PMA, heavy oil, and the enzymes xylanase and laccase. Pullulan is a polysaccharide commercially produced for food and pharmaceutical applications. PMA has pharmaceutical applications and potential uses in bioplastics. The heavy oil has anticancer and biosurfactant properties. Xylanase and laccase are commercially valuable enzymes. Interestingly, high yields of specific bioproducts were obtained from different clades. Clades 1 and 2 produced high levels of pullulan without contaminating pigments. Heavy oil production was common in clades 8, 9, and 11. Clade 13 (representing strains from temperate climates) produced high yields of PMA. The addition of CaCO3 to cultures improved PMA yields, but dramatically reduced yields of pullulan and heavy oil. High xylanase activities were produced by so called "color variant" strains found in clades 8 and 10, while high laccase activities were produced by members of clade 5, which formed distinctive purple colonies. These results will be useful for strain selections and the further development of bioproducts from this fungus.