Abstract Continuing efforts have been made to produce functional exopolysaccharides (EPSs) using cheap substrates for valuable applications. Cheese whey is a lactose-rich byproduct of cheese-producing industries. In this research, a one-step bioprocess for the bioconversion of cheese whey to a hetero-exopolysaccharide using a ropy EPS producing strain Lactobacillus plantarum JNULCC001 with high β-galactosidase activity was performed. The prepared hetero-exopolysaccharide is named EPS-001 and composed of galactose, glucose, mannose, and arabinose with several functional groups, including carboxyl, hydroxyl, and amide groups, endowing its thermo-stable and highly negatively charged properties. The rheological analysis of the fermented whey indicates its high viscous and shear thinning (pseudoplastic non-Newtonian fluid) behavior, demonstrating the potential role of EPS-001 as a thickening and gelling agent. Besides, EPS-001 shows an excellent biosorption ability toward methylene blue (MB) and can serve as a stabilizer in the biosynthesis of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs). Our research advances an alternative method for management of cheese whey, which may reduce its impact on the environment, and develops a novel value-added EPS for thickening, bioremediation and stabilizing nanomaterials.

中文翻译：

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通过一步生物过程将奶酪乳清生物转化为杂胞外多糖及其应用

摘要 使用廉价底物生产功能性胞外多糖 (EPSs) 已用于有价值的应用。奶酪乳清是奶酪生产行业富含乳糖的副产品。在这项研究中，使用具有高 β-半乳糖苷酶活性的植物乳杆菌 JNULCC001 生产粘稠 EPS 的菌株，进行了将奶酪乳清生物转化为异胞外多糖的一步生物过程。制备的杂胞外多糖被命名为EPS-001，由半乳糖、葡萄糖、甘露糖和阿拉伯糖组成，具有多个官能团，包括羧基、羟基和酰胺基团，具有热稳定性和高负电荷特性。发酵乳清的流变分析表明其高粘性和剪切稀化（假塑性非牛顿流体）行为，证明了 EPS-001 作为增稠剂和胶凝剂的潜在作用。此外，EPS-001 对亚甲蓝 (MB) 显示出优异的生物吸附能力，可作为硒纳米颗粒 (SeNPs) 生物合成的稳定剂。我们的研究提出了一种管理奶酪乳清的替代方法，这可能会减少其对环境的影响，并开发出一种用于增稠、生物修复和稳定纳米材料的新型增值 EPS。