The marine bacteria Cobetia marina DSMZ 4741 synthesizes an unexpected K-antigen-like exopolysaccharide

We have studied the exopolysaccharide produced by Cobetia marina DSMZ 4741, a marine bacterium isolated from coastal seawater. This strain is able to produce a polysaccharide in presence of carbon sources as glucose, mannitol and alginate. The maximum production occurs in aerobic condition, during the end of the exponential phase. The polymer is a non-viscous, acidic heteropolysaccharide of 270 kDa constituted of a repeating unit of: →2)-β-D-Ribf-(1→4)-[7,8-O-(Pyr)]-α-D-KDOp-(2→ This kind of chemical structure is generally related to K-antigen polysaccharide of pathogenic Escherichia coli strains. This is the first time this type of EPS is described from a marine bacterium. Moreover the polysaccharide exhibits a pyruvate substitution on its 3-deoxy-D-manno-oct-2-ulosonic acid (KDO) residue never encountered before. The discovery of such an unexpected EPS with high biotechnological potential is a new incentive for a better exploration of bioactive marine resources.