Variation in composition and yield of exopolysaccharides produced by Klebsiella sp. strain K32 and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus BD4.

The exopolysaccharides produced by Klebsiella sp. strain K32 and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus BD4 under different growth conditions have been analyzed for sugar composition. The first use of ion chromatography for the quantitative determination of microbial exopolysaccharide composition is reported. Klebsiella sp. strain K32 produced a polymer composed of rhamnose, galactose, and mannose early in its fermentation. The composition of the polymer varied markedly depending on the growth stage of the organism. Klebsiella sp. strain K32 grown in a fermentor produced a polymer which was rich in mannose during early exponential growth in a complex medium, but in the late stationary phase it did not contain detectable levels of mannose. The rhamnose present in the polymer increased from 12 to 55% over the course of growth, whereas galactose decreased from 63 to 45%. A. calcoaceticus BD4 produced a polymer containing rhamnose, glucose, mannose throughout its growth and stationary phase. Klebsiella sp. strain K32 and A. calcoaceticus BD4 were grown on various carbon sources in shake flasks. The polymer yield and composition from both organisms were found to vary with the carbon source. The exopolysaccharide with the highest mannose composition was obtained by using rhamnose as a carbon source for both organisms. These and other data suggest that regulatory changes caused by growth on different substrates result in either the production of a different distribution of polymers or a change in exopolysaccharide structure.