Optimization for the Production of Mycelial Biomass from Benjaminiella poitrasii to Isolate Highly Deacetylated Chitosan

By : S.R. Mane, E. K. Pathan, D. Kale, M.V. Deshpande, V. Ghormade, R.V. Gadre, P.R. Rajamohanan, M.V.Badiger

Page No: 145-156

Abstract
Benjaminiella poitrasii, a dimorphic zygomycetous fungus contains more chitosan in the mycelial cell wall than the cell wall of its yeast form. The optimized medium containing yeast extract, peptone, MgSO4 , KH2 PO4 , trace metals (Fe2+, Mn2+ Zn2+ and Co2+ ) solution and 1% starch produced 10-12 g/L(dry wt.) of mycelial biomass in 48 h in a 2L fermenter. Using 1N NaOH treatment, from 1 g of dried biomass 51.00 ± 0.52 mg of chitosan of 42.82 KDa molecular weight and 94.25 % degree of deacetylation was extracted. With Metarhizium anisopliae chitin deacetylase (CDA), chitosan yield was 59.00 ± 0.84 mg while treatment with CDA of B. poitrasii it was 78.05 ± 0.58 mg/g of dry wt. of biomass.The chitosan dissolved in 2% acetic acid showed higher antifungal activity against Candida albicans (MIC90 0.025 mg/mL) and Candida glabrata (MIC90 0.2 mg/mL) than chitosan extracted from marine source (MIC90 >1.6 mg/mL) suggesting use of fungal chitosan in healthcare.

Authors :
S.R. Mane, E. K. Pathan, D. Kale and M.V. Deshpande : Biochemical Sciences Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune-411008, India
V. Ghormade : Centre for Nanobioscience, Agharkar Research Institute, Pune-411004, India.
R.V. Gadre : Biochemical Engineering, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune-411008, India
P.R. Rajamohanan : Central NMR Facility, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune-411008, Indi
M.V.Badiger : Polymer Science and Engineering Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune-411008, India