# Curdlan

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curdlan
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| ImageFile = Curdlan haworth.png
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| CASNo = 54724-00-4
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| UNII = 6930DL209R
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|Section2={{Chembox Properties
| Formula = ([C](/source/Carbon)<sub>6</sub>[H](/source/Hydrogen)<sub>10</sub>[O](/source/Oxygen)<sub>5</sub>)<sub>n</sub>
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| Appearance = odourless white powder
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'''Curdlan''' is a water-insoluble linear [beta-1,3-glucan](/source/beta-glucan), a high-molecular-weight polymer of [glucose](/source/glucose). Curdlan consists of β-(1,3)-linked glucose residues and forms elastic [gels](/source/gels) upon heating in aqueous [suspension](/source/suspension_(chemistry)).

It was initially reported to be produced by "''[Alcaligenes faecalis](/source/Alcaligenes_faecalis)''  var. ''myxogenes''" strain 10C3-K in 1966.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Harada T., Fujimori K., Hirose S., Masada M.|date=1966|title=Growth and Glucan (10C3K) Production by a Mutant of Alcaligenes faecalis var myxogenes in Defined Medium|journal=Agric Biol Chem|volume=30|pages=764–769|doi=10.1271/bbb1961.30.764|doi-access=free}}</ref> This classification for the strain and its descendants is now understood to be inaccurate, giving rise to the new name "''[Agrobacterium fabrum](/source/Agrobacterium_fabrum)''".<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Du |first1=Yuhui |last2=Zou |first2=Jinrong |last3=Yin |first3=Zhiqiu |last4=Chen |first4=Tingjian |title=Pan-Chromosome and Comparative Analysis of Agrobacterium fabrum Reveal Important Traits Concerning the Genetic Diversity, Evolutionary Dynamics, and Niche Adaptation of the Species |journal=Microbiology Spectrum |date=13 April 2023 |volume=11 |issue=2 |article-number=e02924-22 |doi=10.1128/spectrum.02924-22 |doi-access=free |pmid=36853054 |pmc=10100860 }}</ref> The modern industrial strain "''A. fabrum''" ATCC 31749{{efn|ATCC 31749 (KR1) is derived from ATCC 21680 (NTK-u), which is in turn derived from the original mutant K of 10C3. ATCC 31749 gave rise to a mutant ATCC 31750 (KR2).}} had its genome sequenced in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|website=ATCC.org|url=https://www.atcc.org/products/31749|title= Agrobacterium fabrum Lassalle et al. ATCC 31749}}</ref> Some sources prefer the [open nomenclature](/source/open_nomenclature) ''[Agrobacterium](/source/Agrobacterium)'' sp.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Xiao-Bei Zhan, Chi-Chung Lin, Hong-Tao Zhang|date=2012|title=Recent advances in curdlan biosynthesis, biotechnological production, and applications|journal=Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology|volume=93|issue=2|pages=525–531|doi=10.1007/s00253-011-3740-2|pmid=22124723|s2cid=7185132}}</ref>

Extracellular and capsular polysaccharides are produced by a variety of pathogenic and soil-dwelling bacteria. Curdlan is a neutral β-(1,3)-glucan, perhaps with a few intra- or interchain 1,6-linkages, produced as an [exopolysaccharide](/source/exopolysaccharide) by soil bacteria of the family [Rhizobiaceae](/source/Rhizobiaceae). It is also produced by ''[Cellulomonas](/source/Cellulomonas) flavigena'', which belongs to a different phylum.<ref name="pmid15818477">{{cite journal | vauthors = McIntosh M, Stone BA, Stanisich VA | title = Curdlan and other bacterial (1-->3)-beta-D-glucans | journal = Appl Microbiol Biotechnol | volume = 68 | issue = 2 | pages = 163–73 | year = 2005 | pmid = 15818477 | doi = 10.1007/s00253-005-1959-5 | s2cid = 13123359 }}</ref>

== Biosynthesis ==
Four genes required for curdlan production have been identified in "''A. fabrum''" ATCC 31749, which produces curdlan in extraordinary amounts, and the closely related ''[A. tumefaciens](/source/Agrobacterium_tumefaciens)''.<ref name="pmid12851288">{{cite journal | vauthors = Karnezis T, Epa VC, Stone BA, Stanisich VA | title = Topological characterization of an inner membrane (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan (curdlan) synthase from Agrobacterium sp. strain ATCC31749 | journal = Glycobiology | volume = 13 | issue = 10 | pages = 693–706 | year = 2003 | pmid = 12851288 | doi = 10.1093/glycob/cwg093 | doi-access = free }}</ref> A putative [operon](/source/operon) contains crdS ([https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q9X2V0 Q9X2V0], family GT2, {{Pfam|PF13632}}), encoding β-(1,3)-glucan synthase catalytic subunit,<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Karnezis|first=T.|date=2003-06-10|title=Topological characterization of an inner membrane (1->3)- -D-glucan (curdlan) synthase from Agrobacterium sp. strain ATCC31749|journal=Glycobiology|language=en|volume=13|issue=10|pages=693–706|doi=10.1093/glycob/cwg093|pmid=12851288 |issn=1460-2423|doi-access=free}}</ref> flanked by two additional genes. A separate locus contains a putative regulatory gene, {{not a typo|crdR}}. A membrane-bound phosphatidylserine synthase, encoded by {{not a typo|pss<sub>AG</sub>}}, is also necessary for maximal production of curdlan of high molecular mass. Nitrogen starvation upregulates the curdlan operon and increases the rate of curdlan synthesis.<ref name="pmid22305302">{{cite journal | vauthors = Ruffing AM, Chen RR | title = Transcriptome profiling of a curdlan-producing Agrobacterium reveals conserved regulatory mechanisms of exopolysaccharide biosynthesis | journal = Microb Cell Fact | volume = 11 | pages = 17 |date=February 2012 | pmid = 22305302 | doi = 10.1186/1475-2859-11-17 | pmc=3293034 | doi-access = free }}</ref>

== Applications ==
Curdlan has numerous applications as a gelling agent in the food, construction, and pharmaceutical industries and has been approved as a food additive by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration.<ref name="Compendium of Food Additive Specifications">{{cite web | title = Compendium of Food Additive Specifications (Addendum 7) Joint FAO/WHO Expert. Curdlan: New specification prepared at the 53rd JECFA (1999) and published in FNP 52 Add 7 (1999) |url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/X3860E/X3860E12.htm}}</ref> Its use is being evaluated in fat replacement studies in foodstuffs such as sausages, meat patties and other meat products <ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Aquinas|first1=Natasha|last2=Bhat M|first2=Ramananda|last3=Selvaraj|first3=Subbalaxmi|date=2021-08-25|title=A review presenting production, characterization, and applications of biopolymer curdlan in food and pharmaceutical sectors|journal=Polymer Bulletin|volume=79 |issue=9 |pages=6905–6927 |language=en|doi=10.1007/s00289-021-03860-1|s2cid=237299620|issn=1436-2449|doi-access=free}}</ref>

==See also==

* [Callose](/source/Callose)
* [Gellan gum](/source/Gellan_gum)

==References==
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Category:Polysaccharides

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Curdlan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curdlan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curdlan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.