Complexity of cyanobacterial exopolysaccharides: composition, structures, inducing factors and putative genes involved in their biosynthesis and assembly

• Type: Another Publication in an International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2009

Authors

Sara Pereira (Author) Other; Andrea Zille (Author) Other; Ernesto Micheletti (Author) Other; Pedro Moradas Ferreira (Author) ICBAS; Roberto De Philippis (Author) Other; Paula Tamagnini (Author) FCUP

Journal

Title: FEMS Microbiology Reviews

Vol. 33

Pages: 917-941

ISSN: 0168-6445

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 444 Citations

Scopus - 499 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Natural sciences > Biological sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-G3K

DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6976.2009.00183.x

Abstract (EN): Cyanobacterial extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are mainly composed of high-molecular-mass heteropolysaccharides, with variable composition and roles according to the microorganism and the environmental conditions. The number of constituents - both saccharidic and nonsaccharidic - and the complexity of structures give rise to speculations on how intricate their biosynthetic pathways could be, and how many genes may be involved in their production. However, little is known regarding the cyanobacterial EPS biosynthetic pathways and regulating factors. This review organizes available information on cyanobacterial EPS, including their composition, function and factors affecting their synthesis, and from the in silico analysis of available cyanobacterial genome sequences, proposes a putative mechanism for their biosynthesis.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 25