Synonyms
Capsule; Exopolymers; Exopolysaccharide; Microbial secretions; Slime
Definition
Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are molecules having a range of sizes, compositions, and chemical properties that are produced and secreted by bacteria and other microorganisms, and contribute to the cell adaptability, resiliency, and functional roles in environments.
Capsule refers an extracellular matrix that immediately surrounds a cell.
Biofilms refer to attached microbial cells surrounded within a matrix of EPS.
Introduction
It has been realized for a long time that microbial organisms may exist as free-living individuals as well as in groups, attached to surfaces or to each other, and that under many conditions cells often prefer to attach to surfaces. Under the fluctuating, often less-predictable conditions of natural systems, such attachment may confer advantages and a certain degree of stability to cells. It is now realized that most bacteria and other...
Keywords
- Extracellular Polymeric Substance
- Operational Designation
- Gelatinous Matrix
- Global Flux
- Extracellular Polymeric Substance Matrix
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Decho, A.W. (2011). Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS). In: Reitner, J., Thiel, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geobiology. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9212-1_86
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9212-1_86
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