Exopolysaccharide Production by Intestinal Lactobacilli

Lactobacillus Genomics and Metabolic Engineering

Edited by: Sandra M. Ruzal

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Exopolysaccharide Production by Intestinal Lactobacilli

Adapted from Michael G. Gänzle and Clarissa Schwab in Probiotics and Prebiotics: Scientific Aspects
Exopolysaccharide Production by Intestinal Lactobacilli: Lactobacilli produce a broad range of homopolysaccharides through the activity of extracellular glycosyltransferases. Polymers from lactobacilli include levan- and inulin-type fructans and the a-glucans dextran, mutan and reuteran. Fructan and glucan production are generally associated with the formation of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and glucose oligosaccharides respectively. In lactobacilli, homopolysaccharide and oligosaccharide production is most frequently found in those species that are associated with gastrointestinal ecosystems, for example Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus johnsonii, Lactobacillus mucosae and Lactobacillus reuteri. In the past years, several glycosyltransferases of lactobacilli were characterized on the molecular and biochemical level. An overview is provided in Chapter 4 of Probiotics and Prebiotics: Scientific Aspects on the genetics and biochemistry of homopolysaccharide production by lactobacilli, and emerging concepts concerning the ecological significance of glucan and fructan production by intestinal lactobacilli are discussed.