Biocatalytic production of novel glycolipids with cellodextrin phosphorylase

Glycolipids have gained increasing attention as natural surfactants with a beneficial environmental profile. They are typically produced by fermentation, which only gives access to a limited number of structures. Here we describe the biocatalytic production of novel glycolipids with the cellodextrin phosphorylase from Clostridium stercorarium. This enzyme was found to display a broad donor and acceptor specificity, allowing the synthesis of five different products. Indeed, using either α-glucose 1-phosphate or α-galactose 1-phosphate as glycosyl donor, sophorolipid as well as glucolipid could be efficiently glycosylated. The transfer of a glucosyl moiety afforded a mixture of products that precipitated from the solution, resulting in near quantitative yields. The transfer of a galactosyl moiety, in contrast, generated a single product that remained in solution at thermodynamic equilibrium. These glycolipids not only serve as a new class of biosurfactants, but could also have applications in the pharmaceutical and nanomaterials industries.