Purification, characterization and antitumor activity of an exopolysaccharide produced by Bacillus velezensis SN-1

A capsular polysaccharides (CPS) producer Bacillus velezensis SN-1 (B. velezensis SN-1) was isolated in Da-jiang, China. We used ultrasonic extraction to obtain CPS from a culture of B. velezensis SN-1 at a yield of 755 mg/L. Using gel permeation chromatography (GPC), CPS was separated into a single peak with a molecular weight of 1.46 × 10⁵ Da. Its structures were characterized by gas chromatography (GC), methylation, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The CPS was identified as a polysaccharide with a highly branched main chain of mannose with (1 → 3) connections. Moreover, our results revealed that CPS has the capacity to scavenge DPPH radical, hydroxyl radical, ABTS radical and oxygen radical in a manner that relied on concentration. Anti-neoplastic analysis showed that CPS displayed significant anti-tumor activity towards HepG-2 tumor cells. Above findings indicate that CPS generated by B. velezensis SN-1 may be adapted for use as a natural antioxidant in foodstuffs and as an anti-tumor drug.