Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology

, Volume 97, Issue 5, pp 2163–2172 | Cite as

An integrated high-throughput strategy for rapid screening of poly(γ-glutamic acid)-producing bacteria

  • Wei Zeng
  • Yuanshan Lin
  • Zongxian Qi
  • Yangyang He
  • Dayun Wang
  • Guiguang Chen
  • Zhiqun Liang
Methods and protocols
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Poly(γ-glutamic acid) (γ-PGA) is a promising biomaterial with a wide range of unique applications. To extensively screen γ-PGA-producing bacteria with high yield and different molecular weight, we developed an integrated high-throughput strategy. Firstly, γ-PGA-producing bacteria were selected in a primary screen plate containing a basic dye (neutral red) based on the concentric zone formed through the electrostatic interaction between the dye and the secreted acidic polymer γ-PGA. Then, the isolates were cultured in 50 ml tubes instead of 250 ml flasks. A good correlation of fermentation results in 50 ml tubes and 250 ml flasks was observed. Thirdly, the γ-PGA yield and weight-average molecular weight (M w) were simultaneously determined by spectrophotomic assay (UV assay) and neutral red plate assay. The results showed that the diameter of the concentric zone varied among isolates and was negatively correlated with the weight-average molecular weight of γ-PGA. The accuracy of the methods was comparable to that of high-performance liquid chromatography and gel permeation chromatography assay. Lastly, γ-PGA obtained from the target isolates was rapidly identified using thin layer chromatography assay. With this strategy, 13 bacteria with high yield and various molecular weights of γ-PGA from 500 obvious single colonies on the primary screen plate were obtained.

Keywords

Poly(γ-glutamic acid) Neutral red High-throughput screening Bacteria 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21062001).

Supplementary material

253_2013_4717_MOESM1_ESM.pdf (581 kb)
ESM 1 (PDF 580 kb)

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  • Wei Zeng
    • 1
    • 2
  • Yuanshan Lin
    • 2
  • Zongxian Qi
    • 2
  • Yangyang He
    • 1
    • 2
  • Dayun Wang
    • 1
    • 2
  • Guiguang Chen
    • 2
  • Zhiqun Liang
    • 1
    • 2
  1. 1.State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresourcesGuangxi UniversityNanningChina
  2. 2.College of Life Science and TechnologyGuangxi UniversityNanningChina

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