Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2015) 4(10): 605-622 ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 4 Number 10 (2015) pp. 605-622 http://www.ijcmas.com Review Article Aureobasidium pullulans - An Industrially Important Pullulan Producing Black Yeast Ranjan Singh1*, Rajeeva Gaur2, Shikha Bansal1, Pritha Biswas1, Prabhash K. Pandey3, Farrukh Jamal3, Soni Tiwari2 and Manogya K. Gaur4 1Department of Botany and Microbiology, St. Aloysius College (Autonomous), Jabalpur, M.P., India 2Department of Microbiology (DST-FIST Supported, Center of Excellence), Dr. R. M. L. Avadh University, Faizabad, U.P., India 3Department of Biochemistry, Dr. R. M. L. Avadh University, Faizabad, U.P., India 4D.G.M. Environment (ETP and Biocompost), Balrampur Distillery, Bhabhanan, Basti, U.P., India *Corresponding author A B S T R A C T Aureobasidium pullulans, popularly known as black yeast, is one of the most widespread saprophyte fungus associated with wide range of terrestrial and aquatic habitats, in temperate and tropical environment. It is a polymorphic fungus that is K e y w o r d s able to grow in single yeast-like cells or as septate polykaryotic hyphae showing synchronous conditions, with budding cells. This fungus has been exploited Aureobasidium potentially for commercial production of various enzymes (amylase, xylanase, pullulans, pectinase, etc), single cell protein, alkaloids and polysaccharide, especially Pullulan, pullulan. Pullulan has been considered as one of the important polysaccharide for Single Cell production of biodegradable plastics. The fungus has excellent genetic make-up to Protein, produce various important metabolites at commercial production with limited Agro-Industrial species. Some of the A. pullulans have potential antagonistic activity against a Waste, number of phytopathogenic fungi used as bio-control agents of post-harvest Production diseases. It has been found to be tolerant to many metal ions which are common pollutants of soil and water. Several strains of this fungus have ability to degrade xenobiotic compounds. In the light of the above facts, this review article has emphasized on the orientation, morphology, biochemical characteristics, habitats and economic potentials of this industrially important yeast. Introduction Aureobasidium pullulans (De Bary) G. fluctuating moisture content in phyllospere, Arnoud is a ubiquitous, polymorphic and and also isolated from damp indoor surfaces, oligotrophe black yeast like microfungus food and feed substances (65). It is well that occurs frequently in wide range of known as a naturally occurring epiphyte or tropical and temperate environment with endophyte of a wide range of plant species 605 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2015) 4(10): 605-622 (e.g. apple, grape, cucumber, green beans, include fresh water, estuarine and marine and cabbage) without causing any symptom sediments and sea water. Occurrence and of disease (1). Chronic human exposure to distribution of A. pullulans by fluorescence A. pullulans via humidifiers or air dye and found it frequently on the conditioners can lead to hypersensitivity phylloplane of several plants was studied pneumonitis or humidifier lung . This (47). A. pullulans was isolated from green condition is characterized acutely by and senescent sugar maples, but it did not dyspnea, cough, chest infilterates and acute seem to be inducer and biodeteriorator (36). inflammatory reaction. The strains causing Seasonal occurrence of A. pullulans from infections in humans were reclassified to March to April in river Danube (77). This A.melanogenum (23) fungus has been isolated from several locations of Thailand (56, 57, 58). Pullulan It has also been found in the osmotically producing novel color variant strain of A. stressed environments like hyper saline pullulans was isolated from the phylloplane water in salterns (24) and the rocks (81). of Ficus sp in India (72). Similarly, A. This fungus disperses easily due to pullulans was isolated strain N13D from production of yeast-like propagules in large deep sea sediments of the Pacific Ocean quantity and found globally but rarely (28). A. pullulans was isolated from needles reported in the intense cold environment, as and twigs of pine plantation from northern investigations on fungal diversity are limited Spain (92). The morphological forms of this to frozen Antarctic soils and Siberian fungus are governed by many factors like permafrost where basidiomycetous yeasts temperature, pH, and oxygen concentration. were found (3). Several Aureobasidium like Nutritional factors mainly the source and black yeasts were isolated from glacial and concentration of carbon, nitrogen and sub-glacial ice in the coastal Arctic habitats mineral affect the morphology mainly yeast and the adjacent sea water (91). From the like cells which are responsible for the available records, it is apparent that this production of pullulan, an important fungus is most common in temperate zone polysaccharide. Morphological studies have with numerous records both from the British been well reviewed (17). This review has Isles and the United States including Alaska, concluded that A. pullulans, is an Antarctica, Denmark, Germany, omnipresent fungus which can survive in Netherlands, Poland, Austria, Czech different type of habitat. Some of the recent Republic, Russia and Japan. There are studies on the behavior of this fungus clearly several reports of its occurrence in show two important characteristics of anti- Mediterranean and arid zones including fungal and antibacterial activity along with Italy, France, Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan and pullulan production. This approach makes South Africa. It has also been extensively such strain more economical for industrial isolated from tropical and subtropical region use. Earlier, A. pullulans was identified as namely, Brazil, India, China, Thailand, Dematium pullulans De Bary (1884) and Malaysia, Jamaica (West Indies), etc. An Pullularia pullulans (De Bary) Berkhout extensive list of the habitats and geography (1866). Using the criteria of conidiogenesis from which strains of A. pullulans have been that is, synchronous holoblastic conidial isolated is well documented. (39, 91). The production, A.pullulans was placed fungus has been frequently isolated from previously under Fungi Imperfecti, Order moorland, peat bogs or peat podzol and Moniliales, and Family Dematiaceae. forest soils. Other noteworthy habitats However, further reports included it under 606 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2015) 4(10): 605-622 Ascomycota though; perfect stage has not control and biodeterioration of xenobiotic yet been reported (14). In recent compounds has also been added in this classification, A. pullulans is regarded as review. Although the author has covered Ascomycetous yeast and is placed in the almost all the potential areas in brief, but Order Dothideales, Family Dothideaceae pullulan is little covered. However, after a (90). The fungus was taxonomically long gap, Leathers wrote a review entitled characterized on the basis of its Pullulan in 2002, emphasing on historical morphological and nutritional characteristics outline, chemical structures various comprising single species with three analytical and assay methods of pullulan different varieties such as A. pullulans var. including biosynthesis of pullulan in pullulans, A. pullulans var. melanogenum different nutrient sources. The genetics of A. and A. pullulans var. aubasidani Yurlova pullulans has been extensively covered in (15). Four strains of arctic Aureobasidium this review. Since then several recent reports have been discovered, that is, A. pullulans have come regarding novel method of var. pullulans, A. pullulans var. immobilization, use of cheaper carbon melanogenum, A. pullulans var. subglaciale sources and use of continuous fermentation and A. pullulans var. namibiae (91). for better yield and productivity. A novel fungus Eurotium chevalieri has also been A. pullulans exhibits polymorphism, for reported to produce pullulan which was at it can grow as budding yeast or as mycelia par to A. pullulans, commenced the depending upon environmental conditions. possibility of the isolation of newer strains The life cycle of A. pullulans was from natural ecosystem (20). Moreover, a thoroughly reviewed (15). The formation of review on pullulan emphasing on various dark-coloured chlamydospores is the factors namely; pH, various substrates, characteristic feature of this fungus (59). molecular weight distribution of native Some workers have described the vegetative pullulan along with molecular and cycle of A. pullulans as well as colony hydrodynamic property of pullulan and also characteristics on solid nutrient medium. mentioned, a novel area that is biomedical Colonies are initially smooth and eventually application of pullulan (70). A review become covered with slime. Starting as entitled Bioproducts from A. pullulans, a yellow cream, light pink or light brown, the biotechnologically important yeast has colonies finally become blackish due to been written elaborating some new production of a specific melanin at metabolites like Siderophores production by chlamydospore production stage. When A. pullulans and biocontrol efficiency observed under light microscope, the hyphae against post-harvest diseases. However, they look hyaline, smooth and thin-walled, 2 - 16 have also shown similar beneficial m wide with cells often wider than long metabolites like various enzymes namely; forming rough and compact mycelia. A. protease, amylase, lipase, cellulase, xylanase pullulans can