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Review
. 2020 Nov 17;6(4):451-469.
doi: 10.3934/microbiol.2020027. eCollection 2020.

Exopolysaccharide production by lactic acid bacteria: the manipulation of environmental stresses for industrial applications

Phu-Tho Nguyen  1   2   3 , Tho-Thi Nguyen  4 , Duc-Cuong Bui  5 , Phuoc-Toan Hong  6 , Quoc-Khanh Hoang  7 , Huu-Thanh Nguyen  2   3
Affiliations
Review

Exopolysaccharide production by lactic acid bacteria: the manipulation of environmental stresses for industrial applications

Phu-Tho Nguyen et al. AIMS Microbiol. .

Abstract

Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) are biological polymers secreted by microorganisms including Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to cope with harsh environmental conditions. EPSs are one of the main components involved in the formation of extracellular biofilm matrix to protect microorganisms from adverse factors such as temperature, pH, antibiotics, host immune defenses, etc.. In this review, we discuss EPS biosynthesis; the role of EPSs in LAB stress tolerance; the impact of environmental stresses on EPS production and on the expression of genes involved in EPS synthesis. The evaluation results indicated that environmental stresses can alter EPS biosynthesis in LAB. For further studies, environmental stresses may be used to generate a new EPS type with high biological activity for industrial applications.

Keywords: EPS biosynthesis; EPS production; biofilm; environmental stress; exopolysaccharides.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Schematic genetic organization of the eps gene clusters .
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. The steps of biosynthesis of EPS and related enzymes.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.. Fermented system for studying roles of environmental factors on EPS production.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.. The role of EPSs in acid, osmotic, oxidative stress resistance.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.. The mechanism of transcription regulation against environmental stress in LAB.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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