Gongi, WejdeneGomez Pinchetti, Juan LuisCordeiro, NereidaOuada, Hatem Ben2022-07-052022-07-052022Gongi, W., Gomez Pinchetti, J. L., Cordeiro, N., & Ouada, H. B. (2022). Extracellular polymeric substances produced by the Thermophilic Cyanobacterium Gloeocapsa gelatinosa: characterization and assessment of their antioxidant and metal-chelating activities. Marine Drugs, 20(4), 227.http://hdl.handle.net/10400.13/4363Cyanobacteria, particularly thermophilic strains, represent an important potential source of EPSs, harboring structural complexity that predicts diverse and specific bioactive potential. The ther mophilic cyanobacteria Gloeocapsa gelatinosa, isolated from a natural hot source in Ain Echfa (Tunisia), was cultivated in a cylindrical reactor, and the production of biomass and EPSs was investigated. Results revealed that the strain is amongst the most efficient EPSs producers (0.89 g L−1 ) and that EPSs production was not correlated with the growth phase. EPSs were sulfated heteropolysaccharides containing carbohydrates (70%) based on nine different monosaccharides, mainly mannose (22%), and with the presence of two uronic acids. EPSs were formed by two polymers moieties with a molecular weight of 598.3 ± 7.2 and 67.2 ± 4.4 kDa. They are thermostable in temperatures exceeding 100 ◦C and have an anionic nature (zeta potential of −40 ± 2 mV). Atomic force microscopy showed that EPSs formed multimodal lumps with 88 nm maximum height. EPSs presented high water holding capacity (70.29 ± 2.36%) and solubility index (97.43 ± 1.24%), and a strong bivalent metal sorption capacity especially for Cu2+ (91.20 ± 1.25%) and Fe2+ (75.51 ± 0.71%). The antioxidant activity of G. gelatinosa EPSs was investigated using four methods: the β-carotene-bleaching activity, DPPH assays, iron-reducing activity, and metal-chelating activity. EPS has shown high potential as free radicals’ scavenger, with an IC50 on DPPH (0.2 g L−1 ) three-fold lower than ascorbic acid (0.6 g L −1 ) and as a metal chelating activity (IC50 = 0.4 g L−1 ) significantly lower than EDTA. The obtained results allow further exploration of the thermophilic G. gelatinosa for several biotechnological and industrial applications.engGloeocapsa gelatinosaExtracellular polymeric substancesPhysicochemical characterizationFunctional propertiesAntioxidant activityExtremophilicCyanobacteria.Faculdade de Ciências Exatas e da Engenhariajournal article10.3390/md20040227