Production of exopolysaccharides by Antarctic marine bacterial isolates

Type Article
Date 2004-05
Language English
Author(s) Nichols C, Garon Sandrine, Bowman J, Raguenes Gerard, Guezennec Jean
Affiliation(s) Univ Tasmania, Sch Agr Sci, Hobart, Tas 7000, Australia.
Inst Francais Rech Exploitat Mer, Ctr Brest, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
Source Journal of Applied Microbiology (1364-5072) (Blackwell science), 2004-05 , Vol. 96 , N. 5 , P. 1057-1066
DOI 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2004.02216.x
WOS© Times Cited 146
Keyword(s) Sea ice, Pseudoalteromonas spp., Particulate organic material, Exopolysaccharides, Antarctic marine bacteria
Abstract Aims: This study was undertaken to examine and characterize Antarctic marine bacterial isolates and the exopolysaccharides (EPS) they produce in laboratory culture.

Methods and Results: Two EPS-producing bacterial strains CAM025 and CAM036 were isolated from particulate material sampled from seawater and sea ice in the southern ocean. Analyses of 16S rDNA sequences placed these isolates in the genus Pseudoalteromonas. In batch culture, both strains produced EPS. The yield of EPS produced by CAM025 was 30-fold higher at -2 and 10degreesC than at 20degreesC. Crude chemical analyses showed that these EPS were composed primarily of neutral sugars and uronic acids with sulphates. Gas chromatographic analysis of monosaccharides confirmed these gross compositional findings and molar ratios of monosaccharides revealed differences between the two EPS.

Conclusions: The EPS produced by Antarctic bacterial isolates examined in this study appeared to be polyanionic and, therefore, 'sticky' with respect to cations such as trace metals.

Significance and Impact of the Study: As the availability of iron as a trace metal is of critical importance in the southern ocean where it is know to limit primary production, the role of these bacterial EPS in the Antarctic marine environment has important ecological implications.
Full Text
File Pages Size Access
publication-629.pdf 27 319 KB Open access
Top of the page