Microbial transformation of functionality of polymer latex by Ustilago maydis

Abstract

There are various kinds of microbes found which are susceptible to one particular type of bond, e.g. Ustilago maydis breaks the S-C bond specifically. The sulfoxidation reaction implies the enzymatic conversion of a divalent sulfur compound to a sulfoxide, and occasionally to sulfone. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) obtained by the ferric-thiourea initiation contains thiouronium groups at the end of polymer chain. These groups being hydrophilic lie on the surface of polymer particles in miceller phase and when treated with Ustilago maydis the S-C bond was specifically broken removing basic amino group from the polymer latex. Polymer isolated after microbial treatment gave the negative dye-partition test with disulfine blue dye. © MD Publications Pvt. Ltd.