Short Communication: Effect of manganese on polysaccharide production and cellular pigmentation in the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans

Manganese supplementation resulted in higher polysaccharide levels and reduced cellular pigmentation by more than 8- or 17-fold after growth for 7d of the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans ATCC 42023 on sucrose or corn syrup, respectively, as a carbon source. The melanin content of the polysaccharide elaborated by ATCC 42023 cells also decreased if MnCl2 was added to the medium. The pullulan content of the polysaccharide synthesized by ATCC 42023 on sucrose was found to increase with increasing levels of manganese, whereas it was lower during growth on corn syrup if manganese was present.