Isolation and Characterization of Dextrans Produced by Leuconostoc sp. strain JYY4 from Fermented Kimchi

Dextran is a generic term for a bacterial exopolysaccharide synthesized from sucrose and composed of chains of D-glucose units connected by ${\alpha}$-1,6-linkages by using dextransucrases. Dextran could be used as vicosifying, stabilizing, emulsifying, gelling, bulking, dietary fiber, prebiotics, and water holding agents. We isolated new strain capable of producing dextran from Korean traditional kimchi and identified as Leuconostoc sp. strain JYY4. Batch fermentation was conducted in bioreactor with a working volume of 3 L. The media was MMY and 15% (w/v) sucrose. Mineral medium consisted of $3.0g\;KH_2PO_4$, $0.01g\;FeSO_4$, $H_2O$, $0.01g\;MnSO_4$, $4H_2O$, $0.2g\;MgSO_4\;7H_2O$, 0.01 g NaCl, $0.05g\;CaCl_2$ per 1 liter deionized water. The pH of media was initially adjusted to 6.0. The inoculation rate was 1.0% (v/v) of the working volume. Temperature was maintained at $28^{\circ}C$. The agitation rate was 100 rpm. The production pattern of dextran was associated with the cell growth. After 24 hr dextran reached its highest concentration of 59.4 g/L. The sucrose was consumed completely after 40 hr. Growth reached stationery phase when sucrose became limiting, regardless of the presence of fructose or mannitol. When the specific growth rate was 0.54 hr-1, utilization averaged 5.8 g/L-hr. The yield and productivity of dextran were 80% and 2.0 g/L-hr, respectively. Dextrans produced by were separated to two different size by an alcohol fraction method. The size of high molecular weight dextran (45% alcohol, v/v), less soluble dextran, was between MW 500,000 and 2,000,000. Soluble dextran (55% alcohol, v/v) was between 70,000 and 150,000. The molecular weight average of total dextran (70% alcohol, v/v) was between 150,000 to 500,000. The enzymatic hydrolyzates of total dextran of ATCC 13146 showed branched dextrans by Penicillium dextranase contained of glucose, isomaltose, isomaltotriose, and isomaltooligosaccharides greater than DP4 (degree of polymerization) that had branch points. Compounds greater than DP4 were branched isomaltooligosaacharides. Hydrolysates by the Lipomyces dextranase produced the same composition of oligosaccharides as those by Penicillin dextranase.