Extracellular polysaccharides produced by marine bacteria.

Extracellular polysaccharides (EPSs) produced by microorganisms are a complex mixture of biopolymers primarily consisting of polysaccharides, as well as proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and humic substances. Microbial polysaccharides are multifunctional and can be divided into intracellular polysaccharides, structural polysaccharides, and extracellular polysaccharides or exopolysaccharides. Recent advances in biological techniques allow high levels of polysaccharides of interest to be produced in vitro. Biotechnology is a powerful tool to obtain polysaccharides from a variety of marine microorganisms, by controlling the growth conditions in a bioreactor while tailoring the production of biologically active compounds. The aim of this chapter is to give an overview of current knowledge on extracellular polysaccharides producing marine bacteria isolated from marine environment.