METHODS FOR SHIKIMIC ACID ISOLATION AND PURIFICATION

Deliverable 5.1 establishes the framework for the sustainable extraction, isolation, and purification of shikimic acid from fermentative media within the scope of WP5, dedicated to the sustainable exploitation of heterologous bio-based systems for antibiotic adjuvant discovery. Task 5.2 - Shikimic Acid Isolation and Purification, is led by UPORTO in close collaboration with CEA, and represents a critical step in achieving the overall WP5 objective: the production of shikimic acid and its derivatives as promising adjuvant agents to combat biofilm resistance.The InnovAntiBiofilm project, funded under the HORIZON-WIDERA-2023-ACCESS-02-01 Twinning call, focuses on the sustainable development of adjuvant agents to enhance antibiotic efficacy against biofilm infections. The project aims to deliver innovative solutions through the synthesis of plant-based molecules and the rational development of their derivatives with improved effects. Key components of InnovAntiBiofilm include advanced scientific research, capacity building, talent development, networking, inclusiveness, and the enhancement of research management and administration capabilities.The activities carried out under Task 5.2 encompass a multi-stage purification pipeline, including fermentation broth pre-treatment, ion exchange chromatography, dynamic adsorption, elution and crystallization.This deliverable provides a detailed description of the extraction and purification workflow, along with the experimental results. The findings demonstrate a promising recovery of shikimic acid, albeit with relatively low yield, indicating opportunities for optimization in future studies. In particular, recrystallization strategies could be further evaluated to improve purity, in alignment with the sustainability principles of InnovAntiBiofilm.