Progetto Bilaterale CNR-BAS - Exopolysaccaharide from halophiles: production, chemical characterization and their possible biotechnological applications

Technological advantages of microbial polysaccharides determine the possibility of their application in a number of new products in the field of biomedicine, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Unlike plant polysaccharides, microbial exopolysaccharides (EPSs) show unusual microbial diversity in their structure and properties. Demand for biotechnologically unexplored microorganisms determines the huge interest to scientists in recent decades to the inhabitants of the extreme niches. The presence of microorganisms producing unusual enzymes and exopolysaccharides is expected in these ecosystems. Bulgarian scientists from the lab. "Extremophilic bacteria", Institute of Microbiology and scientists from the Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, of Council of National Research (C.N.R.) Italy, will combine their efforts in studying the exopolysaccharides synthesized from halophilic microorganisms by the current project.