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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Renewable Product Technology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #291896
Title: Bioproducts and morphological features of diverse isolates of the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans

Author
item MANITCHOTPISIT, PENNAPA - Rangsit University
item Leathers, Timothy
item Peterson, Stephen
item Skory, Christopher - Chris
item Price, Neil
item Rich, Joseph

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/18/2013
Publication Date: 3/18/2013
Citation: Manitchotpisit, P., Leathers, T.D., Peterson, S.W., Skory, C.D., Price, N.P., Rich, J.O. 2013. Bioproducts and morphological features of diverse isolates of the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans [abstract]. Academic Science and Tehcnology. p. 89.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Aureobasidium pullulans is a fungus included among the “black yeasts.” Although many strains are predominantly yeast-like, the species is actually polymorphic, exhibiting a variety of complex forms. The fungus is ubiquitous, routinely found on the surface of leaves, wood, painted walls, etc. We recently developed a multilocus molecular phylogeny for A. pullulans using multilocus sequence analyses. Nearly 100 strains isolated from both tropical and temperate climates have been assigned to 13 phylogenetic clades. Tropical isolates appeared to exhibit the greatest genetic diversity. Many clades exhibit characteristic phenotypic traits, such as colonial and cellular morphologies. Strains in certain clades produce distinctive pigments of pink, red, yellow, purple, olive, or deep black. More importantly, the production of specific valuable bioproducts, such as pullulan, xylanase, poly('-L-malic acid) (PMA), liamocins (heavy oil), laccase, and lipase, is associated with specific phylogenetic clades. Pullulan is a polysaccharide commercially produced for food and pharmaceutical applications. PMA has pharmaceutical applications and potential uses in bioplastics. The liamocins have anticancer and biosurfactant properties. Xylanase, laccase, and lipase are commercially valuable enzymes. Interestingly, high yields of specific bioproducts were obtained from different clades and high enzyme activities were associated with pigment production. These results will be useful in the further development of biotechnological applications from this fungus.