Tuning the antimicrobial activity of microbial glycolipid biosurfactants through chemical modification.

Sophorolipids, glycolipid biosurfactants derived from microorganisms such as , possess distinctive surface-active and bioactive properties, holding potential applications in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and bioremediation. However, the limited structural variability in wild-type sophorolipids restricts their properties and applications. To address this, metabolic engineering efforts have allowed to create a portfolio of molecules.

Elucidation of the Natural Function of Sophorolipids Produced by .

The yeast distinguishes itself from other yeasts by its potential of producing copious amounts of the secondary metabolites sophorolipids (SLs): these are glycolipid biosurfactants composed out of a(n) (acetylated) sophorose moiety and a lipid tail. Although SLs are the subject of numerous research papers and have been commercialized, e.g.