Cyanobacterial Exopolysaccharides: Their Nature and Potential Biotechnological Applications

Isolation, characterization and localization of extracellular polymeric substances from the cyanobacteriumArthrospira platensisstrain MMG-9

“…Because of the large amounts of EPS produced by cyanobacteria and their potential industrial applications, cyanobacterial EPS have been studied extensively (Li et al, 2001). In the present study, EPS from A. platensis strain MMG-9 were the subject of investigation.…”

“…Although a wide range of analytical techniques have been used to study the monosaccharide composition of EPS, including TLC, HPLC, GC and GC-MS, these techniques can only detect four-eight residues in a single run (Saravanan & Jayachandran, 2008;Jindal et al, 2013;Ohki et al, 2014). Glucose is the predominant monosaccharide in the majority of cyanobacterial released polysaccharides (REPS); an exception is the REPS of Anabaena sphaerica which contains galactose as the main sugar (Li et al, 2001). The EPS fractions of A. platensis strain MMG-9 were rich in glucose, galactose and rhamnose, particularly in REPS, confirming the findings of Majdoub et al…”

Characterization of exopolysaccharides produced by seven biofilm-forming cyanobacterial strains for biotechnological applications

“…Yet, it was not until relatively recently that this large and diverse production received significant consideration resulting in their use as industrial gums, bioflocculants, emulsifiers, viscosifiers, medicines, soil conditioners, and biosorbants (Li et al 2001). The sugar compositions of CPSs can be markedly different to those of the RPSs suggesting different biosynthesis mechanisms, that are, in turn, dependent on environmental conditions (Li et al 2001;Micheletti et al 2008). Responses of cyanobacteria to different experimental conditions, however, seem to be species-and/or strain-dependent making more difficult the optimization of exopolysaccharide production (Pereira et al 2009).…”

“…With this in mind, cyanobacteria are of interest as they have long been known to produce large amounts of exopolysaccharides (Pereira et al 2009), which can be attached to the cell surface (capsular/bound polysaccharides, CPS) or be released (released polysaccharides, RPS) into the environment (De Philippis and Vincenzini 2003). It is also known that cyanobacterial exopolysaccharides are more complex than those of other microbes, with many potentially useful physicochemical properties (Li et al 2001;Pereira et al 2009). Yet, it was not until relatively recently that this large and diverse production received significant consideration resulting in their use as industrial gums, bioflocculants, emulsifiers, viscosifiers, medicines, soil conditioners, and biosorbants (Li et al 2001).…”

“…It is also known that cyanobacterial exopolysaccharides are more complex than those of other microbes, with many potentially useful physicochemical properties (Li et al 2001;Pereira et al 2009). Yet, it was not until relatively recently that this large and diverse production received significant consideration resulting in their use as industrial gums, bioflocculants, emulsifiers, viscosifiers, medicines, soil conditioners, and biosorbants (Li et al 2001). The sugar compositions of CPSs can be markedly different to those of the RPSs suggesting different biosynthesis mechanisms, that are, in turn, dependent on environmental conditions (Li et al 2001;Micheletti et al 2008).…”