Skip to main content
Log in

Characterization of exopolysaccharides produced by rhizobacteria

  • Applied Microbial and Cell Physiology
  • Published:
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Bacteria isolated from the rhizosphere, the rhizobacteria, of sorghum, pearl millet, wheat, alfalfa and rice were screened for the production of exopolysaccharide (EPS). Nearly a quarter of the strains produced exopolysaccharides, either capsular or hydrosoluble slime. A majority of the isolates produced slime. Physico-chemical analyses have indicated the ability of certain diazotrophic Pseudomonas paucimobilis isolates from millets and sorghum to produce unique types of EPS, which are highly viscous and thermostable.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anson A, Fisher PJ, Kennedy AFD, Sutherland IW (1987) A bacterium yielding a polysaccharide with unusual properties. J Appl Bacteriol 62:147–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Becking JH (1974) Nitrogen-fixing bacteria of the genus Beijerinckia. Soil Sci 118:196–212

    Google Scholar 

  • Berthellet D, Michel JP, Heyraud A, Rinaudo M (1984) In: Polysaccharides exocellulanes d'origine bacterienne. Cermav and Cirta (eds) Cermav, France, pp 1–450

    Google Scholar 

  • Courtois B, Courtois J, Heyraud A, Rinaudo M (1986) Effect of biosynthesis conditions on the chemical composition of the water soluble polysaccharides of fast-growing rhizobia. J Gen Appl Microbiol 32:519–526

    Google Scholar 

  • Döbereiner J, Day JM (1976) Associative symbiosis in tropical grasses: characterization of microorganisms and dinitrogen fixation in soils. In: Newton WE, Nyman CJ (eds) Nitrogen fixation. Washington State University Press, Pullman, Wash., pp 518–538

    Google Scholar 

  • Heyraud A, Rinaudo M, Courtois B (1986) Comparative studies of extracellular polysaccharide elaborated by Rhizobium meliloti strain M5N1 in defined medium and non-growing cell suspensions. Int J Biol Macromol 8:85–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill S, Postgate JR (1969) Failure of putative nitrogen-fixing bacteria to fix nitrogen. J Gen Microbiol 58:277–285

    Google Scholar 

  • Jansson PE, Kenne L, Lindberg B, Ljunggrenh Lönngren J, Ruden U, Svensson S (1977) Demonstration of an octa-repeating unit in the extracellular polysaccharide of Rhizobium meliloti sequential degradation. J Am Chem Soc 99:3812–3815

    Google Scholar 

  • Kang KS, Cottrell IW (1979) Microbial polysaccharides. In: Peppler HJ, Perlman D (eds) Microbial technology, vol I. Academic Press, New York, pp 417–481

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutherland IW (1985) Biosynthesis and composition of Gram negative bacterial extracellular and wall polysaccharides. Annu Rev Microbiol 39:243–270

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas-Bauzon D, Weinhard P, Villecourt P, Balandreau J (1982) The spermosphere model. I: its use in growing, counting and isolating N2-fixing bacteria from the rhizosphere of rice. Can J Microbiol 28:922–928

    Google Scholar 

  • Watanabe I, Barraquio WL (1979) Low levels of fixed nitrogen required for isolation of free-living N2-fixing organisms from rice roots. Nature 277:565–566

    Google Scholar 

  • Weaver PK, Wall JD, Gest H (1975) Characterization of Rhodopseudomonas capsulata. Arch Microbiol 105:207–216

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitefield C (1988) Bacterial extracellular polysaccharides. Can J Microbiol 34:415–420

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Correspondence to: T. Heulin

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hebbar, K.P., Gueniot, B., Heyraud, A. et al. Characterization of exopolysaccharides produced by rhizobacteria. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 38, 248–253 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00174477

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00174477

Keywords

Navigation