POLYSACCHARIDE PRODUCTION BY AUREOBASIDIUM-PULLULANS - FACTORS AFFECTING POLYSACCHARIDE FORMATION

Aureobasidium pullulans NRRL 6220 synthesized polysaccharide most actively in media containing sucrose, fructose or maltose with (NH4)2SO4 (0.6 g/l) or ammonium acetate giving greatest yields of the polysaccharide. With (NH4)2SO4 at greater-than-or-equal-to 1.2 g/l, production of polysaccharide was decreased considerably. Polysaccharide production was highest with an initial pH of 6.5 while biomass formation was better below an initial pH of 5.5. Optimum phosphate concentration for polysaccharide production was 0.03 M.