Relationship of Biomass and Xanthan Gum Production by Xanthomonas campestris: Optimization of Parameters

Aims: To determine the relationship of biomass and xanthan gum production by Xanthomonas campestris and to optimize the environmental and nutritional parameters for their production.

Study Design: X. campestris strains were screened for the production of xanthan gum. Thirty eight strains isolated from various districts in Maharashtra were included for this study. Of these thirty eight strains, one is found to be efficient producer of xanthan gum and slight variation among the strains was recorded. The effect of various parameters viz., time, pH, temperature, carbon source and nitrogen source was studied.

Place and Duration of Study: Research laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Yeshwant Mahavidyalaya, Nanded, India.

Methodology: Isolation of desired strain was carried out by using various morphological and biochemical tests. Analysis of functional group of synthesized xanthan gum was determined by FT-IR spectroscopy.

Results: It was found that the maximum production of biomass and xanthan gum was recorded at 96 hrs. The optimum pH was 6.5 for biomass and pH 6 for xanthan gum production whereas 35 °C was optimum temperature for both biomass and xanthan gum production. Sucrose was most preferred carbon source for xanthan gum and biomass production while yeast extract was best nitrogen source for xanthan gum production whereas peptone was most suitable nitrogen source for optimum production of biomass.

Conclusion: the optimized environmental and nutritional parameters obtained from this study will further help to maximize the production of Xanthan gum by X. campestris.