title: [Biological functions of microbial exopolysaccharides].
abstract: The review includes literature data and the author's experimental data concerning the role of microbial exopolysaccharides (EPS) in protection of the producer cells from different unfavourable factors (drying, effect of toxic metals, antibiotics, biocydes, etc), participation of EPS in trophic metabolism of microorganisms (use of EPS as a source of carbon supply, role in regulation of cell ion balance), as well as in interaction of producers with other microorganisms, macroorganisms, objects of inorganic nature (EPS as virulence factor, EPS participation in the processes of adhesion, sorption and aggregation, in formation of plant-bacterial symbioses). A question of interrelation of physico-chemical properties of microbial EPS and their biological functions as well as of these data use in biotechnology for production of polysaccharides with preset properties is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology and Virology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 154 Zabolotny St., Kyiv, 03143, Ukraine.
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Pyrog
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods; D008670:Metals / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D010944:Plants / Q000382:microbiology; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013559:Symbiosis; D018523:Tropism / Q000502:physiology; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial
vernacular_title: Biologichni funktsiï mikrobnykh ekzopolisakharydiv.