Bacterial exopolysaccharides – a perception
Anita Suresh Kumar, Kalpana Mody, Bhavanath Jha · 1 Apr 2007
Microbial polysaccharides are multifunctional and can be divided into intracellular polysaccharides, structural polysaccharides and extracellular polysaccharides or exopolysaccharides (EPS). Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), produced by both prokaryotes (eubacteria and archaebacteria) and eukaryotes (phytoplankton, fungi, and algae), have been of topical research interest. Newer approaches are carried out today to replace the traditionally used plant gums…
Fungal laccase: properties and activity on lignin
Andrzej Leonowicz, Nam-Seok Cho, Jolanta Luterek et al. · 1 Jul 2001
The sources of ligninocellulose that occur in various forms in nature are so vast that they can only be compared to those of water. The results of several, more recent experiments showed that laccase probably possesses the big ability for "lignin-barrier" breakdown of ligninocellulose. The degradation of this compound is currently understood as an enzymatic…
Flagella and bacterial pathogenicity
Qiangde Duan, Mingxu Zhou, Liqian Zhu et al. · 23 Feb 2012
As locomotive organelles, flagella allow bacteria to move toward favorable environments. A flagellum consists of three parts: the basal structure (rotary motor), the hook (universal joint), and the filament (helical propeller). For ages, flagella have been generally regarded as important virulence factors, mainly because of their motility property. However, flagella are getting recognized to play…
Lignin‐modifying enzymes in filamentous basidiomycetes – ecological, functional and phylogenetic review
Taina Lundell, Miia Mäkelä, Kristiina Hildén · 1 Feb 2010
Filamentous fungi owe powerful abilities for decomposition of the extensive plant material, lignocellulose, and thereby are indispensable for the Earth's carbon cycle, generation of soil humic matter and formation of soil fine structure. The filamentous wood-decaying fungi belong to the phyla Basidiomycota and Ascomycota, and are unique organisms specified to degradation of the xylem cell…
Microbial siderophores: a mini review
Ratul Saha, Nabaneeta Saha, Robert Donofrio et al. · 26 Jun 2012
Iron is one of the major limiting factors and essential nutrients of microbial life. Since in nature it is not readily available in the preferred form, microorganisms produce small high affinity chelating molecules called siderophores for its acquisition. Microorganisms produce a wide variety of siderophores controlled at the molecular level by different genes to accumulate,…
