Exopolysaccharide Production Is Influenced by Sugars, N-Acylhomoserine Lactone, and Transcriptional Regulators RcsA and RcsB, but Does Not Affect Pathogenicity in the Plant Pathogen Pantoea ananatis

Pantoea ananatis SK-1 produced EPS by AHL-mediated quorum sensing on an LB agar plate containing glucose, fructose, and sucrose. rcsA and rcsB mutants did not produce EPS with or without AHLs and with or without sugars, but they Induced necrotic symptoms in onion leaves. These results indicate that EPS production does not relate to the pathogenicity of SK-1.