Production, characterization and biological activities of exopolysaccharides from a new cold-adapted yeast: Rhodotorula mucilaginosa sp. GUMS16.

Lately, it has been proved that yeast exopolysaccharides (EPS) are potentially applicable biopolymers, a fact that has led to incremental needs for their assessment. The current study is based on the biochemical and molecular level identification of the novel cold-adapted yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa sp. GUMS16. Possible antioxidant and antiproliferative activities, as well as extraction and characterization of the GUMS16-produced EPS, were assessed during the course of this study. The results indicated that the strain of GUMS16 is a cold-adapted yeast with growth capability at 4 °C and an approximate EPS production yield of 28.5 g/L which are characterized as highly branched beta-D-glucan having glucose and mannose residues (85:15 mol%, respectively) with an average molecular weight of 84 kDa. In comparison to hyaluronic acid, DPPH, and OH, the scavenging activity attributed to the GUMS16-produced EPS was higher alongside being dose-dependent. The biocompatibility profile of the EPS was well-recognized based on its zero-cytotoxicity rate on a normal cell model. Collectively, the favorable properties of the EPS accentuate their potential as biocompatible compound suitable for subsequent pharmaceutical and industrial applications.