Sophorolipid

Sophorolipids are glycolipids consisting of a hydrophobic fatty acid tail of 16 or 18 carbon atoms and a hydrophilic carbohydrate head sophorose, a glucose-derived di-saccharide with an unusual β-1,2 bond and can be acetylated on the 6′- and/or 6′′- positions.

[2] The physicochemical and biological properties of sophorolipids are significantly influenced by the distribution of the lactone vs. acidic forms produced in the fermentative broth.

[3] Sophorolipids are produced by various non pathogenic yeast species such as Candida apicola, Rhodotorula bogoriensis,[5] Wickerhamiella domercqiae,[6] and Starmerella bombicola.

[15] In addition to this, sophorolipids are reported to function under wide ranges of temperatures, pressures and ionic strengths; and they also possess a number of other useful biological activities including Antimicrobial,[5] virucidal,[3] Anticancer, Immuno-modulatory properties.

[25] Recently, researchers demonstrated the possibility of applying sophorolipids as building blocks via ring-opening metathesis polymerization for a new type of polymers, known as polysophorolipids which show promising potentials in biomaterials applications.