Cold induced expression of a novel levansucrase gene sacB1 enhances exopolysaccharide production and stress resilience in Leuconostoc mesenteroides.

ABSTRACT: Exopolysaccharides (EPS) play critical roles in microbial survival, stress adaptation, and biofilm formation across diverse environments. In food-associated bacteria such as Leuconostoc mesenteroides, understanding the regulation of EPS production under environmental stress is important for both spoilage control and industrial applications. However, the mechanisms linking cold stress to EPS biosynthesis remain poorly understood. Here, we show that sucrose and low temperature (8 °C) trigger a metabolic shift from dextran-only to combined dextran and levan biosynthesis in four meat-borne Leuc. mesenteroides strains. Two high EPS-producing strains (HEPRs) possess the sacB_1 gene, which encodes a previously uncharacterized levansucrase absent from low EPS-producing strains (LEPRs) that only ca

SUBMITTER: Fernandez de Ullivarri M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12215647 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature