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Bioproduction, purification, and application of polysialic acid

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Abstract

Polysialic acid (PSA) is a negatively charged linear homopolymer linked by N-acetylneuraminic acid and widely present in vertebrates and some pathogens. PSA, commonly found on cell surfaces as glycoproteins and glycolipids, plays important roles in intercellular adhesion, cell migration, and formation and remodeling of the neural system by regulating the adhesive property of nerve cell adhesion molecules. PSA with a molecular weight that can reach as high as 260 kDa also belongs to the group II capsule polysaccharide of neonatal meningitis-causing Escherichia coli K1. To date, much effort has been devoted to developing the biotechnological production of PSA. As a non-glycosaminoglycan, PSA is a non-immunogenic and biodegradable polysaccharide that can be used as a biomaterial in protein polysialylation, tissue engineering, and drug delivery. PSA can also combine with other macromolecules to form multifunctional composites. In this mini-review, the production, purification, and application of PSA are summarized to provide a basis for further PSA applications.

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Funding

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21778022), the Program of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities (111-2-06), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (JUSRP51632A), and the National First-class Discipline Program of Light Industry Technology and Engineering (LITE2018-17).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China

    Jianrong Wu, Xiaobei Zhan & Xiaole Xia

  2. State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China

    Liming Liu

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  1. Jianrong Wu
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  2. Xiaobei Zhan
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  3. Liming Liu
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Correspondence to Jianrong Wu or Xiaole Xia.

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Wu, J., Zhan, X., Liu, L. et al. Bioproduction, purification, and application of polysialic acid. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 102, 9403–9409 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-018-9336-3

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