Monitoring succinoglycan production in single Sinorhizobium meliloti cells by Calcofluor white M2R staining and time-lapse microscopy

Abstract Here, we describe a simple, non-time consuming and inexpensive method for monitoring of Calcofluor white M2R-binding exopolysaccharides in individual bacterial cells. This method was demonstrated by time-lapse microscopy of succinoglycan-producing cells of the plant-symbiotic alpha-proteobacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti . The method is most likely applicable to other bacteria producing β-(1 → 3) and β-(1 → 4) linked polysaccharides.