iBB

Moesziomyces antarcticus is an efficient producer of mannosylerythritol lipids (MEL), a biosurfactant with a wide range of potential applications. The use of lignocellulosic biomass can contribute to sustainable MEL production. While lignocellulosic sugars (e.g. D-glucose and D-xylose) can be converted to MEL, the required pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass releases by products that are potentially inhibitory for yeasts. A recent publication by Marisa Santos, Nuno Faria and Frederico Ferreira from BERG-iBB , in collaboration with César Fonseca from LNEG, describes a design of experiment (DoE) that was performed to evaluate the effect of furfural, acetate and formate on M. antarcticus and its capacity to produce MEL from lignocellulose hydrolysates. The study provides insight into the conditions required by M. antarcticus for MEL production from lignocellulosic hydrolysates and points towards further process and strain development requirements. The work was published in Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology and made it to the cover of the journal.

Image details: JCTB cover,  copyright by Marisa V. Santos, 2018. Acknowledgements: FCT grant CRUISE (PTDC/AAG‐TEC/0696/2014)

The project "Green Detergents: biosurfactants from lignocellulosic biomass" was submitted to the 8th edition of the Green Project Awards Portugal (2015) in the category Research and Development. The core team was composed by Nuno Faria (MIT Portugal Program graduate), Frederico Ferreira (iBB-IST) and César Fonseca (Invited Researcher at LNEG). This project generated a technology for the production of biosurfactants from lignocellulosic residues (e.g. wheat straw) via biological conversion. These biosurfactants are glycolipids, mannosylerythritol lipids (MEL), produced by yeasts (Pseudozyma spp.). Generally, the use of biosurfactants has significant advantages over synthetic surfactants, like higher biodegradability, less toxicity, milder production conditions and higher molecular complexity, which promotes unique biochemical properties. The properties of these biosurfactants (MEL) are compatible with their use in the following applications: household cleaners/detergents, cosmetics, drug delivery, among others. The technology proposed for MEL production offers advantages over the existent technology used by Asian companies, including the reduction of raw materials costs, independence of the food value-chain and straightforward product purification