Fructan based biopolymers have been extensively characterized and explored for their potential applications. Linear chained biopolymers, like levan-type fructan, have gained attention because they have exhibited unconventional stretchable and unbendable properties along with biodegradable and biocompatible nature. Current study deals with the chemical characterization and cytotoxic analysis of fructose based exopolysaccharide that was extracellularly produced by an indigenously isolated bacterial species (Zymomonas mobilis KIBGE-IB14). Maximum yield of exopolysaccharide (44.7 gL-1) was attained after 72 h of incubation at 30 °C under shaking conditions (180 rpm) when the culture medium was supplemented with 150.0 gL-1 of sucrose as a sole carbon source. This exopolysaccharide displayed high water solubility index (96.0%) with low water holding capacity (17.0%) and an intrinsic viscosity of about 0.447 dL g-1. This biopolymer exhibited a characteristic linear homopolysaccharide structure of levan when characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy (1H, 13C, TOCSY and NOESY) while, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) revealed its pointed and thorny structure. The decomposition temperature of levan was approximately 245 °C as revealed by Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA). X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) results revealed its amorphous nature with crystalline phase. Cytotoxicity of different concentrations of levan was investigated against mouse fibroblast cell lines by measuring their cellular metabolic activity and it was noticed that a higher concentration of levan (2.0 mg ml-1) permitted the normal cell growth of NIH/3T3 cell lines. This non-cytotoxic and biocompatible nature suggests that this levan has the capability to be utilized in food and drug-based formulations as it exhibited biomedical potential.
Keywords: Chemical characterization; Cytotoxicity; Exopolysaccharide; Levan; NIH/3T3 Cell line.
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