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Improved Production of Poly-γ-Glutamic Acid by Bacillus subtilis D7 Isolated from Doenjang, a Korean Traditional Fermented Food, and Its Antioxidant Activity

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Abstract

The objectives of this study was to improve poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) production by Bacillus subtilis D7 isolated from a Korean traditional fermented food and to assess its antioxidant activity for applications in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. Strain D7 produced γ-PGA in the absence of l-glutamic acid, indicating l-glutamic acid-independent production. However, the addition of l-glutamic acid increased γ-PGA production. Several tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates and amino acids could serve as the metabolic precursors for γ-PGA production, and the addition of pyruvic acid and d-glutamic acid to culture medium improved the yield of γ-PGA markedly. The maximum yield of γ-PGA obtained was 24.93 ± 0.64 g/l in improved medium, which was about 5.4-fold higher than the yield obtained in basal medium. γ-PGA was found to have 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (46.8 ± 1.5 %), hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (52.0 ± 1.8 %), 2,2′-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate (ABTS) radical scavenging activity (42.1 ± 1.8 %), nitric oxide scavenging activity (35.1 ± 1.3 %), reducing power (0.304 ± 0.008), and metal chelating activity (91.3 ± 3.5 %). These results indicate that γ-PGA has a potential use in the food, cosmetics, and biomedical industries for the development of novel products with radical scavenging activity. As far as we are aware, this is the first report to describe the antioxidant activityof γ-PGA produced by bacteria.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the High Value-added Food Technology Development Program, Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Republic of Korea.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Life and Industry Convergence Institute, Pusan National University, Miryang, 627-706, Republic of Korea

    Na-Ri Lee, Sang-Mee Lee, Kwang-Sik Cho, Dae-Youn Hwang, Dong-Seob Kim, Chang-Oh Hong & Hong-Joo Son

  2. Department of Medical Life Science, Catholic University of Daegu, Daegu, 712-784, Republic of Korea

    Seong-Yun Jeong

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  1. Na-Ri Lee
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Lee, NR., Lee, SM., Cho, KS. et al. Improved Production of Poly-γ-Glutamic Acid by Bacillus subtilis D7 Isolated from Doenjang, a Korean Traditional Fermented Food, and Its Antioxidant Activity. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 173, 918–932 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-014-0908-0

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