BIOSYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF METABOLITES OF Rhodococcus erythropolis AU-1 STRAIN

Abstract

Practically important metabolites of Rhodococcus erythropolis Au-1 strain were obtained: trehalose lipids, exopolysaccharide and cellular polymer – polyhydroxyalkanoate. The structures of the products were established by the methods of TLC, IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The purification of trehalose lipids from crude extract was carried out using silica gel column chromatography, one of the trehalose lipids fractions was identified as a trehalose dimycolate. The presence of (NН) group was detected in the exopolysaccharide. For the first time, a biodegradable polymer was isolated from bacteria cells of the strain R. erythropolis Au-1, іt was identified as the polyhydroxyalkanoate. The physico-chemical properties of the metabolites of the strain R. erythropolis Au-1 were established: the surface tension of trehalose lipids fractions was 30,5-43,2 mN/m; the emulsification activity of the exopolysaccharide solutions (1-10 g/L) with vaseline oil was 42-58%. The differential thermal analysis was used to define starting temperatures of degradation of trehalose dimycolate (130 °C), exopolysaccharide (180 °C) and polyhydroxyalkanoate (164 °C, melting point 42oC). The obtained results expand the possibilities of practical application of trehalose lipids, exopolysaccharide and polyhydroxyalkanoate of the strain R. erythropolis Au-1.