Biosurfactant and bioemulsifier as promising molecules produced by Mucor hiemalis isolated from Caatinga soil

BACKGROUND: The present study describes the production of biosurfactant (BS) and emulsifier (BE) by the filamentous fungus Mucor hiemalis UCP 0039, as well as the characterization and stability of the both biomolecules for environmental or industrial applications. RESULTS: Biosurfactants and bioemulsifiers are amphiphilic compounds and are produced as extracellular molecules. The results showed that bioproduct obtained by shaker condition reduced the water surface tension of 72 to 32 mN/m and reached an emulsification index of 96%, while the static cultivation resulted in a biomolecule with a surface tension of 40 mN/m and an emulsification index of 96%, suggesting the production of a biosurfactant and bioemulsifier, respectively. The compounds showed glycolipid nature but the biosurfactant presented cationic charge, while the bioemulsifier, anionic charge. Thus, the results confirmed that M. hiemalis produced two distinct biomolecules under different parameters and in the same culture medium. CONCLUSIONS: It is the first time that biosurfactant and emulsifier production has been described in the same medium and under different physical conditions by Mucor hiemalis. Both biomolecules showed thermal stability, as well as have significant effect on the viscosity of hydrophobic compounds, indicating the excellent potential for environmental safety or industrial applications to improve the efficiency of sustainable and economic technologies.

Effects of fermentation conditions on valuable products of ethanolic fungus Mucor indicus

Background: Mucor indicus is a dimorphic fungus used in the production of ethanol, oil, protein, and glucosamine. It can ferment different pentoses and hexoses; however, the yields of products highly depend on the nutrients and cultivation conditions. In this study, the effects of different morphologic forms, cultivation time and temperature, presence or absence of oxygen, carbon sources, and concentration of nitrogen source on the products of M. indicus were investigated. Results: The fungus with all morphologies produced high yields of ethanol, in the range of 0.32­0.43 g/g, on glucose. However, the fungus with filamentous morphology produced higher amounts of oil, protein, phosphate, and glucosamine together with ethanol, compared with other morphologies. A higher amount of oil (0.145 g/g biomass) was produced at 28°C, while the best temperature for protein and glucosamine production was 32 and 37°C, respectively. Although ethanol was produced at a higher yield (0.44 g/g) under anaerobic conditions compared with aerobic conditions (yield of 0.41 g/g), aerobic cultivation resulted in higher yields of protein (0.51 g/g biomass), glucosamine (0.16 g/g alkali insoluble material, AIM), and phosphate (0.11 g/g AIM). Conclusions: It is not possible to have the maximum amounts of the products simultaneously. The fermentation conditions and composition of culture media determine the product yields. Carbon source type and the addition of nitrogen source are among the most influencing factors on the product yields. Moreover, all measured products were made with higher yields in cultivation on glucose, except glucosamine, which was produced with higher yields on xylose.

A New Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitor from Green Glycosylation of Trachyloban-19-oic Acid by Mucor plumbeus

ABSTRACT The in vitro metabolism of a widespread natural product, trachyloban-19-oic acid (1), by the fungal species Mucor plumbeus was studied in a sucrose-yeast liquid medium. Two products were isolated, and their structures were determined by spectroscopic means as 7β-hydroxytrachyloban-19-oic acid (5) and trachyloban-19-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl ester (6). To the best of our knowledge, compound 6 is herein reported by the first time in the literature. These compounds were assayed for acetylcholinesterase inhibition along with some related compounds. Compound 6 showed the highest acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity at 10000 µg/mL among the tested compounds, a result (92.89%) comparable to the activity of the positive control, galanthamine (94.21%). Therefore, biotransformation of the natural product 1 by M. plumbeus produced a novel compound with potential as a new lead to develop anti-Alzheimer medicines.

Enhancement of Gamma-linolenic acid production by the fungus Mucor SP LB-54 by growth temperature

As a relatively prolific producer of GLA, the strain of Mucor sp LB-54 was selected for a study at different growth temperatures in shaker flask culture. The strain used in our experiemnt was capable to accumulate a relatively high amount of intracellular lipid, 20,73 per cent of dry cell weight, and GLA content of 15 per cent of total fatty acids after 5 days of incubation at 28 degree C. As the growth temperature was decreased from 28 to 12 degree C the percentage of GLA increased from 15 to 24 per cent of total fatty acids. In order to optimize the culture conditions for rapid biomass production and lipid production with a high proportion of GLA, the fungus was grown at two temperature combinations associated supplies of carbon source (glucose) in the culture medium. Maximal production of (GLA) (74 mg/l) was obtained from the Mucor sp LB-54 strain after 5 days of incubation at 28 degree C in basal medium following glucose addition (7 per cent w/v) and incubation for an additional 3 days at 12 degree C. The identity of GLA found in the strin of Mucor sp LB-54 was confirmed by the coupled gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.