Biosynthesis of Microbial Cellulose from the Antarctic Microorganisms

• Main Authors: Takahashi, Tetsuya, Hoshino, Tamotsu, Kondo, Tetsuo, Imura, Satoshi, Kudoh, Sakae, Yoshino, Katsumi
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 電気材料技術懇談会
• Subjects: Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica; Cryptococcus victoriae
• Online Access: https://ir.library.osaka-u.ac.jp/repo/ouka/all/76890/eme_21_01_005.pdf

Microbial cellulose is characteristic in that it has a much finer structure than plant cellulose and potential as a new material for various applications. However, because it is produced by culture approximately at 30℃, its production requires antifungal measures. Therefore, microbial cellulose-producing microorganisms were collected in Antarctica, an extremely cold region, and cultured at low temperatures. As a result, in Rhodotolura glacialis (No.3), Cryptococcus gastricus (No.4) and Cryptococcus victoriae (No.5), which were collected in Antarctica, the culture at 4℃ clearly formed pellicles. However, the culture at 30℃ did not form any pellicles, showing that this microbe was clearly psychrophilic. As mentioned above, psychrophilic microorganisms have made it possible to produce microbial cellulose in low-temperature culture, which is believed to have big industrial advantages.