Extracellular Polysaccharide Formed byPseudomonas hydrogenovorain Autotrophic Culture and Its Physiological Activities

Gram negative hydrogen bacterium Pseudomonas hydrogenovora was found to excrete an anthrone-H2SO4 positive viscous polysaccharide. About 12 g/liter of the polysaccharide was produced autotrophically on gaseous hydrogen at the stationary phase of growth. Biosynthesis of the polysaccharide occurred under nitrogen-deficient condition. Its elementary composition was C: 39.29%, H: 6.23%, O: 49.67%, N: 0.21% and ash 4.6%. The polysaccharide contained galactose, glucose, mannose and rhamnose as its main components. The polysaccharide had anti-tobacco mosaic virus and anti-tumor activities.