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Production of EPS under Cr(VI) challenge in two indigenous bacteria isolated from a tannery effluent

Indigenous Cr(VI) reducing bacterial strains Pseudomonas aeruginosa Rb‐1 and Ochrobactrum intermedium Rb‐2 were evaluated for EPS production under Cr(VI) challenged and free conditions. Strain Rb‐2 was more efficient in total EPS production (13.63 mg g−1) than Rb‐1 (4.15 mg g−1) under Cr(VI) stress. Thick covering of capsular material around the cells of both bacterial strains was detected by electron microscopy. Transmission electron micrographs showed the appearance of pilli like structures under chromium stress by two bacteria suggested the possible involvement of this in exchange of hereditary material to increase their chances of survival under stress conditions. FTIR study showed involvement of sulphonate and hydroxyl groups in the binding with Cr(VI) ions. Solid‐state 13C NMR spectra revealed that EPS produced by both strains exhibited structural similarity with the glucan. The partial psl gene sequences of Rb‐1 and Rb‐2 showed homology with psl gene of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis protein of various strains of Pseudomonas. This is the first report on the identification of psl gene from Ochrobacterum in NCBI GenBank database up to our knowledge.