Microbial Hyaluronic Acid Production: A Review

Molecules. 2023 Feb 23;28(5):2084. doi: 10.3390/molecules28052084.

Abstract

Microbial production of hyaluronic acid (HA) is an area of research that has been gaining attention in recent years due to the increasing demand for this biopolymer for several industrial applications. Hyaluronic acid is a linear, non-sulfated glycosaminoglycan that is widely distributed in nature and is mainly composed of repeating units of N-acetylglucosamine and glucuronic acid. It has a wide and unique range of properties such as viscoelasticity, lubrication, and hydration, which makes it an attractive material for several industrial applications such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. This review presents and discusses the available fermentation strategies to produce hyaluronic acid.

Keywords: fermentation; hyaluronic acid; microbial production.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acetylglucosamine*
  • Chemical Phenomena
  • Fermentation
  • Glucuronic Acid
  • Hyaluronic Acid*

Substances

  • Hyaluronic Acid
  • Acetylglucosamine
  • Glucuronic Acid

Grants and funding

This work was supported by National Funds from th FCT-Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under the project UIDB/04033/2020. All authors acknowledge Mesosystem S.A. for the conditions to the elaboration of this paper.