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Title: Production of microbial glycolipid biosurfactants and their antimicrobial activity

Author
item Solaiman, Daniel
item Ashby, Richard - Rick
item Zerkowski, Jonathan

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/7/2014
Publication Date: 5/12/2014
Citation: Solaiman, D., Ashby, R.D., Zerkowski, J.A. 2014. Production of microbial glycolipid biosurfactants and their antimicrobial activity [abstract]. 11th Annual World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology. p. 1.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Microbial glycolipids produced by bacteria or yeast as secondary metabolites, such as sophorolipids (SLs), rhamnolipids (RLs) and mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) are “green” biosurfactants desirable in a bioeconomy. High cost of production is a major hurdle toward widespread commercial use of biosurfactants. We demonstrated here the suitability of using industrial-process waste streams such as bioglycerol and soy molasses as feedstocks to produce SL from Candida bombicola, thus help lowering the raw-material costs. Antimicrobial activity of these biosurfactants is an attractive property that adds value to these bioproducts. We present in this talk the antimicrobial activity data of SLs (from C. bombicola and Rhodotorula bogoriensis) and RLs (from nonpathogenic Pseudomonas chlororaphis) against Propionibacterium acnes, Pseudomonas corrugata, and Escherichia coli. A cost-effective production and the value-added antimicrobial property of these glycolipid biosurfactants shall greatly improve their commercial viability.