IRANIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, cilt.43, sa.1, ss.1-7, 2024 (SCI-Expanded)
Microbial chondroitin sulfate (CS), possessing biocompatible, antiallergic, and non-toxic properties due to its polyanionic structure, holds potential as an antifungal agent. This study investigated the effectiveness of microbial CS generated from recombinant Escherichia coli C2987 by biotechnological techniques as an antifungal product for treating Candida infections. Chondroitin biosynthesis was conducted utilizing a recombinant non-pathogenic E. coli, generated through the transformation of plasmid pETM6-PACF-vgb, which carries genes (kfoA, kfoC, and kfoF) responsible for chondroitin synthesis, along with the Vitreoscilla hemoglobin gene (vgb). The broth microdilution and agar dilution assays were employed to assess the antifungal activity of microbial CS and commercial CS against predominant Candida strains comparatively. The inhibitory effect of microbial CS against Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida parapsilosis, and Candida krusei was greater than that of commercial CS. This study demonstrates the antifungal activity of microbial CS, a pharmacological agent produced from a recombinant source (vegan-halal). Microbial CS can be a potential supportive treatment not only for vaginal candidiasis but also for other Candida infections that may cause skin and mucosal infections, with its supportive effect on connective tissues and its therapeutic-preventive effect on possible Candida infections.