Rheological characterization of artificial paenan compositions produced by Paenibacillus polymyxa DSM 365

Christoph Schilling; Moritz Gansbiller; Broder Rühmann; Volker Sieber; Jochen Schmid

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2023.121243

Rheological characterization of artificial paenan compositions produced by Paenibacillus polymyxa DSM 365

Carbohydr Polym. 2023 Nov 15:320:121243. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2023.121243. Epub 2023 Jul 29.

Authors

Christoph Schilling¹, Moritz Gansbiller², Broder Rühmann¹, Volker Sieber³, Jochen Schmid⁴

Affiliations

¹ Chair of Chemistry of Biogenic Resources, Technical University of Munich, TUM Campus Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainability, Schulgasse 16, 94315, Straubing, Germany.
² Chair of Chemistry of Biogenic Resources, Technical University of Munich, TUM Campus Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainability, Schulgasse 16, 94315, Straubing, Germany; Institute for Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Münster, Corrensstrasse 3, 48149 Münster, Germany.
³ Chair of Chemistry of Biogenic Resources, Technical University of Munich, TUM Campus Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainability, Schulgasse 16, 94315, Straubing, Germany; School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, 68 Copper Road, St. Lucia 4072, Australia; TUM Catalysis Research Center, Ernst-Otto-Fischer-Straße1, 85748, Garching, Germany.
⁴ Chair of Chemistry of Biogenic Resources, Technical University of Munich, TUM Campus Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainability, Schulgasse 16, 94315, Straubing, Germany; Institute for Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Münster, Corrensstrasse 3, 48149 Münster, Germany. Electronic address: jochen.schmid@uni-muenster.de.

PMID: 37659800
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2023.121243

Abstract

Microbial exopolysaccharides offer a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based rheological modifiers. Recent studies revealed that the heteroexopolysaccharide produced by Paenibacillus polymyxa is composed of three distinct biopolymers, referred to as paenan I, II and III. Using CRISPR-Cas9 mediated knock-out variants of glycosyltransferases, defined polysaccharide compositions were produced and rheologically characterized in detail. The high viscosity and gel-like character of the wildtype polymer is proposed to originate from the non-covalent interaction between a pyruvate residue of paenan I and the glucuronic acid found in the backbone of paenan III. Paenan II conveys thermostable properties to the exopolysaccharide mixture. In contrast to the wildtype polymer mixture, knock-out variants demonstrated significantly altered rheological behavior. Using the rheological characterization performed in this study, tailor-made paenan variants and mixtures can be generated to be utilized in a wide range of applications including thickening agents, coatings, or high-value biomedical materials.

Keywords: CRISPR-Cas9; Exopolysaccharides; Paenibacillus polymyxa. Paenan.

MeSH terms

Biocompatible Materials
Paenibacillus polymyxa* / genetics
Polymers*
Pyruvic Acid

Substances

Biocompatible Materials
Polymers
Pyruvic Acid