More Than Just a Fungus, a Cleanser: Ustilago maydis

 By: Leah Lopez

              

           The figure shows corn smut, a fungus that grows onto the outside of corn. Photo taken by John Cowell/Grant Heilman Photography

Ustilago maydis is typically known as corn smut and is used for dishes in some Mexican cuisines. However, it has been shown to have other beneficial qualities to it that can help industries. Ustilago maydis can create compounds that are surface-active and antimicrobial in nature. Due to these properties, which are derived from the compounds mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) and cellobiose lipids (CBLs), they can be used to make a non-toxic, beneficial, and effective alternative to the harsh antimicrobial cleaners that are used today. In order to obtain the desired amount and effect of the compounds, special steps are taken to get max efficiency and output. To do this, a two strategy growth process was used to help biomass formation in both compounds. The first strategy was to put the samples under neutral pH and nitrogen dense conditions. The second strategy used was to put the same samples under a  glycolipid pandering environment. These strategies had a much better output compared to a single step strategy, helping MELs to a 190% increase and a 108% CBL increase. Something interesting that was discovered is that sugarcane molasses could be used as an alternative carbon source for growth. This further goes to show that there is a possibility that other forms of industrial waste can be used to help aid in the research of using Ustilago maydis as a source needed to create the alternative to harsh cleansers, all the while lowering the build-up of industrial waste. 

Original article:

    

Valkenburg AD, Teke GM, Eugéne van Rensburg, Pott RWM. 2025. Harnessing industrial waste for the co-production of mannosylerythritol and cellobiose lipids by Ustilago maydis. Biomass and Bioenergy. 197:107812–107812. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2025.107812

‌