Abstract
Rhamnolipids are promising microbial glycolipid biosurfactants that can be used as preparations for soil bioremediation in oil pollution. The expression of the rhamnolipid biosynthesis gene cluster in the main producer, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, is regulated by quorum sensing signals (QS). Complex biosynthesis regulation does not allow achieving high product yields. The production of heterologous rhamnolipid producers is a promising way to overcome the complex QS-dependent regulation of rhamnolipid biosynthesis, and also avoids the use of opportunistic Pseudomonas aeruginosa for the industrial production of rhamnolipids. Heterologous Escherichia coli BLWT-based producers with a transformant E14 productivity of 3.40±0.96 g/L were obtained on the basis of the plasmid vector pAl2–T with a construct from the native promoter and rhlAB genes, and Pseudomonas viridiflava AlC1223-based ones with the productivity of transformants P5, P6, P8 332.00±0.10, 200.00±0.10 and 180.00±0.10 g/L, respectively. The presence of rhlAB genes in the expression vector allows the obtaining monorhamnolipids for further use as an agent for the solubilization of soil hydrophobic pollutant (e. g. petroleum products), which will intensify bioremediation processes.