Evaluation of the biotechnological potential of Rhizobium tropici strains for exopolysaccharide production

• Grant number: 14/11929-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants - Publications - Scientific article
• Start date: August 01, 2014
• End date: January 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Biochemistry of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Eliana Gertrudes de Macedo Lemos
• Grantee: Eliana Gertrudes de Macedo Lemos
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Rhizobium tropici, a member of the Rhizobiaceae family, has the ability to synthesize andsecrete extracellular polysaccharides (EPS). Rhizobial EPS have attracted much attention from thescientific and industrial communities. Rhizobial isolates and R. tropici mutants that produced higherlevels of EPS than the wild-type strain SEMIA4080 were used in the present study. The resultssuggested a heteropolymer structure for these EPS composed by glucose and galactose as prevailingmonomer unit. All EPS samples exhibited a typical non-Newtonian and pseudoplastic fluid flow, andthe aqueous solutions apparent viscosities increased in a concentration-dependent manner. Theseresults serve as a foundation for further studies aimed at enhancing interest in the application of theMUTZC3, JAB1 and JAB6 strains with high EPS production and viscosity can be exploited for the largescalecommercial production of Rhizobial polysaccharides. (AU)