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Investigation of Efficient Pullulan Synthesis Utilizing Huangjiu Lees as a Substrate

Summary

Scientists have discovered a way to use Huangjiu lees, the waste material left over from making Chinese rice wine, to produce pullulan, a valuable biopolymer used in food and medicine. By evolving a special fungal strain through repeated exposure to these lees, they created a strain that produces pullulan much more efficiently. Using optimized fermentation conditions and a two-stage process with different microorganisms, they achieved significantly higher pullulan yields, making this previously discarded byproduct into a valuable resource.

Background

Pullulan is a high-value biopolymer synthesized by Aureobasidium pullulans with extensive applications in food, packaging, and biomedicine. However, high production costs limit its development. Huangjiu lees are waste byproducts from the Huangjiu (Chinese rice wine) industry that are rich in nutrients like starch, proteins, and amino acids, presenting an opportunity for resource utilization.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the use of Huangjiu lees as a substrate for efficient pullulan production by Aureobasidium pullulans. The research focused on developing an evolved strain capable of efficiently utilizing Huangjiu lees and optimizing fermentation conditions to maximize pullulan yield.

Results

The evolved strain A. pullulans AP9 demonstrated 74.28% higher pullulan yield compared to the original strain. Under optimal conditions with multi-strain staged fermentation involving Aspergillus niger and A. pullulans, maximum pullulan yield reached 22.06 g/L with a molecular weight of 1.04 × 10⁶ Da. Transcriptome analysis revealed significant alterations in gene expression related to metabolic pathways and pullulan biosynthesis.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the significant potential of utilizing Huangjiu lees for efficient pullulan production, achieving yields substantially higher than the original strain. The combination of adaptive evolution, transcriptome analysis, and optimized fermentation conditions provides valuable insights for industrial-scale pullulan production and resource utilization of Huangjiu lees byproducts.
  • Published in:Foods,
  • Study Type:Experimental Research,
  • Source: PMID: 39682945, DOI: 10.3390/foods13233874
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