A functional and genetic overview of exopolysaccharides produced by Lactobacillus plantarum

Lactobacillus plantarum strains have been widely used in food processing and preservation, and capability of their production of exopolysaccharides (EPSs) contributes significantly to the improvement of food quality and function. During the last decade, rapid development and accumulation of data in the research field of EPSs produced by L. plantarum have been observed. Availability of complete genome sequences from forty-three L. plantarum strains to date has provided good basis for deep analysis and understanding of the molecular and functional properties of the EPSs. In this review, an overview of the main insights into the fundamental molecular and genetic aspects of the EPSs produced by L. plantarum was presented. The organization and function of the EPS biosynthesis gene clusters from the forty-three L. plantarum strains were analyzed and compared, including those in both the genomes in thirty-six strains and plasmids in seven strains that were not reported earlier.