Abstract

MICROBIAL PRODUCTION AND NANOENCAPSULATION OF FATTY ACIDS USING LYSINIBACILLUS FUSIFORMIS FROM VARIABLE SOURCES OF DIETARY FIBRES: A POTENTIAL ANTIMICROBIAL AND BIOTHERAPEUTIC AGENT

Sanjana C.*, Preethi Jeyakumar, Priya R. Iyer

Abstract

In recent times, microorganisms are utilised in the eco-friendly production of various biological compounds. One such important compound is Fatty acids (FAs). FAs are presumed to have detrimental effects on human health upon overconsumption. However, specific FAs exhibit significant antimicrobial, antioxidant and anticancer activity, thereby making them promising therapeutic agents. This study explores the microbial synthesis of FAs using the soil-dwelling bacterium Lysinibacillus fusiformis under anaerobic fermentation. Bacteria require dietary fibres to produce the FAs. To optimize production, cellulose, glucose, and orange peel (OP) extract were evaluated as dietary fibre substrates. Post-fermentation, the organic layer was isolated by liquidliquid extraction. The presence of FAs was confirmed and characterized using ATR-FTIR and GC-MS. Cellulose was identified as the most efficient substrate for higher FAs yield. The FAs were stabilized by encapsulating them into Nanoparticles(NP) using sodium alginate and PVA( poly-vinyl alcohol). SEM-EDS and XRD are carried out to confirm the encapsulation of FAs into the NPs. The agar well diffusion method and MTT assay demonstrated that the FA-NPs possess potent antimicrobial and anticancer activities. Therefore, these FA-NPs represent a viable biotherapeutic agent for futureclinical applications.

Keywords: Fatty acids(FAs), dietary fibres, anaerobic fermentation, FTIR-ATR, GC-MC, FAs-NP.