Trehalose Biosurfactants - Biosurfactants: Research Trends and Applications - page 210

a mechanism of membrane permeabilization in which trehalose lipid incorporates
into phosphatidylcholine membranes and segregates within lateral domains that may
constitute membrane defects or “pores.” A recent study on the hemolytic activity of a
succinoyl trehalose lipid, produced by Rhodococcus sp., revealed that the biosurfactant
caused the hemolysis of human erythrocytes by a colloid-osmotic mechanism, most
likely by the formation of enhanced permeability domains, or “pores” enriched in the
biosurfactant within the erythrocyte membrane (Zaragosa et al. 2010).

POTENTIAL APPLICATION OF TREHALOSE LIPIDS
Biosurfactant application in environmental and industrial biotechnologies is very
promising due to their low toxicity, biodegradability, functional stability, and envi-
ronmental compatability. At present, biosurfactants can be used as emulsifiers,
deemulsifiers, wetting and foaming agents, detergents, and food ingredients (Banat
et al. 2000). The main commercial use of biosurfactants is in hydrocarbon bioreme-
diation for enhancement the solubility of hydrophobic compounds and their biodeg-
radation in contaminated soils. Another field of application is the oil industry for
microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR), and oil storage tank cleaning (Singh et al.
2007). Biosurfactants were also found to possess several properties of therapeutic
and biomedical importance (Rodrigues et al. 2006). Furthermore, they have the
potential to be used as anti-adhesive biological coatings for biomaterials, thus reduc-
ing hospital infections and the use of synthetic drugs and chemicals.
Interest in the use of trehalose biosurfactants, like other biosurfactants, in various
fields has been increasing in the past years as a result of their unique multifunctional
features. Their present potential applications have been comprehensively reviewed
by Franzetti et al. (2010) and Kuyukina and Ivshina (2010). The wide diversity of
trehalose biosurfactants makes them an attractive group of compounds for poten-
tial use as green alternatives and eco-friendly methods in a great variety of indus-
trial, biotechnological, and biomedical applications (Figure 8.4). For example, in
remediation technologies, where product purity is of less concern, trehalose lipids
attracted attention as solubilizing agents for different hydrophobic compounds.

Trehalose lipids

Environmental
application

Biomedical/healthcare
application

Cosmetic and
food application

Bioremediation of soil, sands, and
shales, Biodegradation of
PAHs and several chlorinated
pesticides

Antifungal, antiviral, antitumor
agents, adhesive agents,
immunomodulatory molecules,
vaccines

Emulsifier, demulsifier,
solubilizer, suspension,
wetting, foaming agents

FIGURE 8.4 Scheme of potential application of trehalose lipids in environmental and bio-

medical fields.