Summary
Polysaccharide formation by Rhodococcus erythropolis was studied using lower mono-, di-and trihydric alcohols, sugars and n-alkanes as carbon sources. Cultural conditions of the organism were examined with regard to polysaccharide production. It was demonstrated that a glycerol substrate, an 30°C incubation temperature and a pH of 7.5 were optimal cultural conditions for polysaccharide formation. Addition of penicillin G in the decelerating growth phase increased the polysaccharide concentration in the culture filtrate to 3.1 g/l. One of the main extracellular heteropolysaccharides formed by Rhodococcus erythropolis consisted of glucose and mannose in the molar ratio 1∶1, a small portion of protein and a trace of glucosamine. The molecular weight was to be 1·14×106.
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Rapp, P., Beck, C.H. & Wagner, F. Formation of exopolysaccharides by Rhodococcus erythropolis and partial characterization of a heteropolysaccharide of high molecular weight. European J. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 7, 67–78 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00522480
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00522480