Growth of the fungus Paecilomyces lilacinus with n-hexadecane in submerged and solid-state cultures and recovery of hydrophobin proteins

• The fungus Paecilomyces lilacinus grows on n-hexadecane producing hydrophobins.
• Hydrophobins were only produced by P. lilacinus in solid-state cultures.
• The hydrophobins modified the hydrophobicity of Teflon from 130.1 ± 2° to 47 ± 2°.
• The hydrophobins formed films having pores smaller than 1 μm.

The filamentous fungus Paecilomyces lilacinus was grown on n-hexadecane in submerged (SmC) and solid-state (SSC) cultures. The maximum CO2 production rate in SmC (Vmax = 11.7 mg CO2 Lg−1 day−1) was three times lower than in SSC (Vmax = 40.4 mg CO2 Lg−1 day−1). The P. lilacinus hydrophobin (PLHYD) yield from the SSC was 1.3 mg PLHYD g protein−1, but in SmC, this protein was not detected. The PLHYD showed a critical micelle concentration of 0.45 mg mL−1. In addition, the PLHYD modified the hydrophobicity of Teflon from 130.1 ± 2° to 47 ± 2°, forming porous structures with some filaments <1 μm and globular aggregates <0.25 μm diameter. The interfacial studies of this PLHYD could be the basis for the use of the protein to modify surfaces and to stabilize compounds in emulsions.

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