title: Increased exopolysaccharide production in Lactococcus lactis due to increased levels of expression of the NIZO B40 eps gene cluster.
abstract: Exopolysaccharides (EPS) play an important role in the rheology and texture of fermented food products. This is the first report demonstrating that homologous overexpression of a complete eps gene cluster in Lactococcus lactis leads to increased EPS production levels. A ninefold-elevated EPS plasmid copy number led to an almost threefold increase in the eps expression level, resulting in an almost fourfold increase in the NIZO B40 EPS production level. It was previously reported that increased EPS precursor levels did not influence NIZO B40 EPS production levels. However, the present results indicate that the maximal NIZO B40 EPS production level is limited by the activity level of the expression products of the eps gene cluster rather than by the level of EPS precursors.
authors.affiliation: Wageningen Centre for Food Sciences, Wageningen. NIZO Food Research, Ede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ingeborg C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Boels
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Van Kranenburg
authors.forename: Marja W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Kanning
authors.forename: Barrie Fong
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: Willem M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: De Vos
authors.forename: Michiel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kleerebezem
mesh_terms: D013294:Lactococcus lactis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005810:Multigene Family; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial