title: [Advance in glycolipid biosurfactants--mannosylerythritol lipids].
abstract: Mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs), mainly produced by Ustilago and Pseudozyma, are surface active compounds that belong to the glycolipid class of biosurfactants. MELs have potential application in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries due to their excellent surface activities and other peculiar bioactivities. In recent years, the research field of MELs has regained much attention abroad. However, MELs are rarely studied in China. In this review, the producing microorganisms and production conditions, diverse structures, biochemical properties, structure-function relationship and biosynthetic pathways of MELs are described. Some research problems and prospects are summarized and discussed as well.
authors.affiliation: College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Linlin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Yachen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Tengyang
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Guoqing
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Qihe
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D006017:Glycolipids / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways / Q000235:genetics; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D014587:Ustilaginales / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014588:Ustilago / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006017:Glycolipids; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C439671:mannosylerythritol lipid