title: Biocatalytic production of novel glycolipids with cellodextrin phosphorylase.
abstract: Glycolipids have gained increasing attention as natural surfactants with a beneficial environmental profile. They are typically produced by fermentation, which only gives access to a limited number of structures. Here we describe the biocatalytic production of novel glycolipids with the cellodextrin phosphorylase from Clostridium stercorarium. This enzyme was found to display a broad donor and acceptor specificity, allowing the synthesis of five different products. Indeed, using either α-glucose 1-phosphate or α-galactose 1-phosphate as glycosyl donor, sophorolipid as well as glucolipid could be efficiently glycosylated. The transfer of a glucosyl moiety afforded a mixture of products that precipitated from the solution, resulting in near quantitative yields. The transfer of a galactosyl moiety, in contrast, generated a single product that remained in solution at thermodynamic equilibrium. These glycolipids not only serve as a new class of biosurfactants, but could also have applications in the pharmaceutical and nanomaterials industries.
authors: Centre for Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. haigiang.tran@ugent.be
authors: Hai Giang
authors: HG
authors: Tran
authors: Tom
authors: T
authors: Desmet
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Saerens
authors: Hendrik
authors: H
authors: Waegeman
authors: Stéphanie
authors: S
authors: Vandekerckhove
authors: Matthias
authors: M
authors: D'hooghe
authors: Inge
authors: I
authors: Van Bogaert
authors: Wim
authors: W
authors: Soetaert
mesh_terms: D055162:Biocatalysis; D003013:Clostridium / Q000201:enzymology*; D005964:Glucosyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D006017:Glycolipids; D005964:Glucosyltransferases; C105024:cellodextrin phosphorylase