Unlocking the Potential of Yeast EPS: Optimization Strategies for Industrial Applications

Unlocking the Potential of Yeast EPS: Optimization Strategies for Industrial Applications

Abstrakt

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) have gained significant attention due to their structural diversity, biological activities, and broad applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. The production and composition of these substances protect yeasts from extreme environmental conditions, making EPS properties highly dependent on external factors. Yeast-derived EPS offer advantages over bacterial counterparts, such as higher yields and easier separation from the culture medium. Despite their great potential, the production and structural characterization of yeast EPS remain insufficiently explored. This study aimed to identify the optimal carbon source for EPS production in carotenogenic yeasts and evaluate its effect on the synthesis of different EPS fractions, carotenoids, and lipids. Cultivations were performed under controlled conditions using various carbon sources, and the produced EPS, biomass, and their properties were analyzed using gravimetric, chromatographic, and microscopic methods. The results revealed a strong correlation between the carbon source and EPS yield. The highest biomass increase (18.40 ± 1.62 g/L) was observed in Cystofilobasidium macerans cultivated on a sucrose-based medium, which also supported high EPS (7.17 ± 0.038 g/L) and lipid production (25.52 ± 0.17 %). These findings indicate that medium composition significantly influences both the quantity and composition of yeast EPS, highlighting the potential for targeted optimization. This study emphasizes the importance of selecting appropriate carbon sources to enhance EPS synthesis and overall biomass production in carotenogenic yeasts. Furthermore, optimizing both cultivation parameters and EPS isolation methods could significantly improve their industrial applicability, making yeast EPS a promising alternative to bacterial polysaccharides. Acknowledgement: This research was supported by Project of the Internal Grant Agency of BUT (FCH-S-25-8818).

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) have gained significant attention due to their structural diversity, biological activities, and broad applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. The production and composition of these substances protect yeasts from extreme environmental conditions, making EPS properties highly dependent on external factors. Yeast-derived EPS offer advantages over bacterial counterparts, such as higher yields and easier separation from the culture medium. Despite their great potential, the production and structural characterization of yeast EPS remain insufficiently explored. This study aimed to identify the optimal carbon source for EPS production in carotenogenic yeasts and evaluate its effect on the synthesis of different EPS fractions, carotenoids, and lipids. Cultivations were performed under controlled conditions using various carbon sources, and the produced EPS, biomass, and their properties were analyzed using gravimetric, chromatographic, and microscopic methods. The results revealed a strong correlation between the carbon source and EPS yield. The highest biomass increase (18.40 ± 1.62 g/L) was observed in Cystofilobasidium macerans cultivated on a sucrose-based medium, which also supported high EPS (7.17 ± 0.038 g/L) and lipid production (25.52 ± 0.17 %). These findings indicate that medium composition significantly influences both the quantity and composition of yeast EPS, highlighting the potential for targeted optimization. This study emphasizes the importance of selecting appropriate carbon sources to enhance EPS synthesis and overall biomass production in carotenogenic yeasts. Furthermore, optimizing both cultivation parameters and EPS isolation methods could significantly improve their industrial applicability, making yeast EPS a promising alternative to bacterial polysaccharides. Acknowledgement: This research was supported by Project of the Internal Grant Agency of BUT (FCH-S-25-8818).

ŠPAČKOVÁ, D.; HOLUB, J.; GERSPITZEROVÁ, N.; OBRAČAJ, J.; MIKULÍKOVÁ, R.; MÁROVÁ, I.