Title: Exopolysaccharide Production in Rhizobia Is Regulated by Environmental Factors
Abstract: Rhizobia are a unique group of bacteria that can exist as either free-living bacteria or nitrogen-fixing symbionts inside nodules of leguminous plants. The rhizobial outer surface contains several polysaccharides that play an important role in the adaptation of these bacteria to different environments. Among them, exopolysaccharide (EPS) is indispensable for successful infection of a great majority of legumes, which form indeterminate-type nodules. Moreover, this polymer plays several other functions, including nutrient gathering, biofilm formation, and protection against stress factors and the host defence reaction. The synthesis of EPS in rhizobia is a multi-step process regulated at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Several environmental factors such as the type of carbon source, availability of nitrogen and phosphorus, host plant exudates, and stress conditions affect EPS production. This chapter discusses the recent data concerning the synthesis of EPS in rhizobia and regulation of this process by several environmental signals.
Publication Year: 2015
Publication Date: 2015-07-14
Language: en
Type: other
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 4
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