Exopolysaccharide production using pinewood hydrolysate as a substrate for psychrotrophic bacterium isolated from Svalbard glacier soil

The Arctic region harbors elite extremophiles skilled in producing novel exopolysaccharides (EPS) to cope with extreme environmental conditions. In the present study, psychrotrophic microorganisms isolated from Svalbard glacier soil were investigated for EPS production. Pseudomonas frederiksbergensisBBL-P-9 proved higher EPS production under different substrate-feeding strategies. On feeding with pure glucose (30 g L−1) and xylose (10 g L−1), this bacterium produced 12.67 g L−1and 6.38 g L−1of EPS, respectively. Interestingly, on examining different lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysates as the substrates, P. frederiksbergensisBBL-P-9 produced 9.42 g L−1of EPS using pinewood hydrolysate (glucose content adapted to 30 g L−1). Furthermore, this bacterium evidenced tolerance to the plant biomass pre-treatment-derived side products in the following order: acetate>furfural>vanillin>5-hydroxymethylfurfural. The composition of EPS was altered with the type and concentration of the carbon substrate fed. However, β-D-glucopyranose (20~34%), β-D-mannopyranose (15~22%), and β-D-galactopyranose (17~27%) were the dominant monosaccharides detected in P. frederiksbergensisBBL-P-9 EPS.