The essential role of exopolymers (EPS) in aquatic systems
The essential role of exopolymers (EPS) in aquatic systems
复制标题
外聚合物 (EPS) 在水生系统中的重要作用
DOI：
10.1201/9780203507810.ch3
复制
发表时间：
2005
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
R. Wotton
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
R. Wotton
胞外聚合物（EPS）由单细胞和多细胞生物体渗出。它们主要由与水接触时水合的碳水化合物组成，并且EPS是吸收性的并且通常是触变性的。这些特性导致了大量的用途：用于附着，作为漂浮的辅助，用于运动，用于喂养，用于建筑结构，作为生物膜的基础，用于保护免受许多恶劣环境条件的影响，作为抵抗病原体，寄生生物和捕食者攻击的屏障，以及用于通信。此外，发现EPS在水柱中游离，在那里它们容易形成凝胶，然后形成更大的聚集体，这些聚集体是生物活性和有机物质分解以提供营养物的焦点。EPS确实无处不在，对所有水生生态系统的功能至关重要。
Exopolymers (EPS) are exuded by single-celled and multicellular organisms. They consist mainly of carbohydrates that hydrate on contact with water and EPS are absorbent and often thixotropic. These properties result in a large number of uses: for attachments, as an aid to flotation, in locomotion, in feeding, for building structures, as the basis of biofilms, for protection against a number of harsh environmental conditions, as a barrier against attack by pathogens, parasitic organisms and predators, and in communication. In addition, EPS are found free in the water column where they form readily into gels and then into larger aggregates that are foci for biological activity and the breakdown of organic matter to provide nutrients. EPS are truly ubiquitous and are essential to the functioning of all aquatic ecosystems.