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Updated: Apr 18, 2026

Determination of the Glycogen Content in Cyanobacteria
Published on: July 17, 2017
Biosynthesis and function of extracellular glycans in cyanobacteria
Jan-Christoph Kehr1, Elke Dittmann2
1University of Potsdam, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, Department of Microbiology, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24/25, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany. jckehr@uni-potsdam.de.
Abstract:
The cell surface of cyanobacteria is covered with glycans that confer versatility and adaptability to a multitude of environmental factors. The complex carbohydrates act as barriers against different types of stress and play a role in intra- as well as inter-species interactions. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the chemical composition, biosynthesis and biological function of exo- and lipo-polysaccharides from cyanobacteria and give an overview of sugar-binding lectins characterized from cyanobacteria. We discuss similarities with well-studied enterobacterial systems and highlight the unique features of cyanobacteria. We pay special attention to colony formation and EPS biosynthesis in the bloom-forming cyanobacterium, Microcystis aeruginosa.
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