Changing bacterial feedstock unlocks flexible biopolymers with stronger antibacterial effects
Changing the carbon source used during bacterial fermentation—essentially, what bacteria are fed—can significantly influence the properties of the sugar polymers they produce, known as bacterial exopolysaccharides (EPSs).
Changing the carbon source during bacterial fermentation can significantly affect the properties of the resulting bacterial exopolysaccharides (EPSs), according to research from Hiroshima University. Scientists studied the impact of refined sucrose and sugarcane molasses on the EPSs produced by the bacterium Bacillus velezensis AZU-A3.
The study, published in the Chemical Engineering Journal, revealed that refined sucrose produced a more ordered, helical-like molecular conformation, while sugarcane molasses yielded a glucose-rich polymer with greater structural flexibility. This flexibility enabled the EPS-M derived from sugarcane molasses to exhibit superior antioxidant capabilities, achieving 94.23% free-radical scavenging activity, compared to 76.43% for the sucrose-derived EPS-S.
Moreover, EPS-M demonstrated stronger antibacterial activity against common pathogenic strains, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, and Staphylococcus aureus. The researchers aim to further understand the molecular mechanisms regulating EPS biosynthesis in response to different carbon sources, with the goal of developing cost-effective production methods using inexpensive substrates like sugarcane molasses.
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