Production, characterization, and biological activity of a chitin-like EPS produced by Mortierella alpina under submerged fermentation

O artigo científico em colaboração do Luis Daniel Goyzueta foi aceito para publicação na revista Carbohydrate Polymers (FI 6.04). O projeto foi orientado pelo Prof. Dr. Júlio Carvalho e prof. Dr. Carlos Ricardo Soccol. No trabalho realizado, o Doutor Luis Daniel Goyzueta do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Bioprocessos e Biotecnologia avaliou a produção de quitina através de uma via fermentativa otimizada, utilizando o microrganismo Mortierella alpina. O exopolissacarídeo obtido apresentou propriedades formadoras de gel dependente da temperatura, além de propriedades biológicas (atividade antioxidante, antimicrobiana e antitumoral). O trabalho teve também como colaboradores o prof. Dr. Miguel D. Noseda, Prof. Dr. Sandro J.R. Bonatto e Prof. Dr. Rilton Alves de Freitas.

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Abstract

The production of a chitin-like exopolysaccharide (EPS) was optimized through experimental design methods, evaluating the influence of urea, phosphate, and glucose. Under optimized conditions, up to 1.51 g/L was produced and its physicochemical characteristics were evaluated by chromatography, NMR, and FTIR spectroscopy, and rheological techniques. The results showed a homogeneous EPS (Mw 4.9 × 10⁵ g mol⁻¹) composed of chitin, linear polymer of β-(1→4)-linked N-acetyl-d-glucosamine residues. The acetylation degree as determined by ¹³C CP-MAS NMR spectroscopy was over 90 %. The EPS biological activities, such as antioxidant effect and antitumor properties, were evaluated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the production of a new alternative of extracellular chitin-like polysaccharide with promising bioactive properties from the filamentous fungus M. alpina.