Open AccessStimulation of exopolysaccharide production by fluorescent pseudomonads in sucrose media due to dehydration and increased osmolarity
Author(s) -
Singh Shrikrishna,
F. Fett William
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1995.tb07735.x
Subject(s) - pseudomonas syringae , sucrose , osmotic concentration , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , sugar , bacteria , pseudomonadaceae , lipopolysaccharide , pseudomonas , dehydration , virulence , biochemistry , food science , pathogen , genetics , endocrinology , gene
Exopolysaccharides produced by plant pathogenic bacteria are thought to play an important role in both the general ecology and the virulence of the producing organism. The environmental factors affecting exopolysaccharide production in planta by Pseudomonas syringae pathovars are not known. We tested the effect of increased medium osmolarity and dehydration on exopolysaccharide production in a sucrose‐containing medium by three P. syringae pathovars, one ( P. syringae pv. phaseolicola ) capable of levan and alginate production and two ( P. syringae pv. papulans and pv. savastanoi ) capable of only alginate production. Addition of NaCl and ethanol to the medium led to increased accumulation of alginate by all three pathovars as well as increased levan production by P. syringae pv. phaseolicola . Culture fluids of the two non‐levan producers also contained increased amounts of neutral carbohydrate which was not levan. Based on sugar compostion this material may have originated from outer membrane lipopolysaccharide. In addition, the ratio of neutral material (levan or not) to alginate varied dependent on culture conditions.