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Microbial polysaccharides represent an attractive alternative to those from plants or macro algae. They can be produced from renewable sources including lignocellulosic waste streams. Their production does not depend on geographical constraints and/or seasonal limitations. Additionally the manipulation of biosynthetic pathways to enhance productivity or to influence the chemi-cal polysaccharide composition is comparatively easy in bacteria. Microbial exopolysaccharides represents a valuable resource of biogenic and biodegradable polymers, suitable to replace petro based polymers in various technical applications. Furthermore, biocompatible exopolysaccha-rides are very attractive in medical applications, such as drug delivery systems, use as vaccines or nanoparticles. This research topic will depict the status quo, as well as the future needs in the field of EPS and biofilm research. Starting from the unexplored diversity of microbial polysaccharide producers to production processes and possibilities for modifications, to enhance the already high number of functionalities based on the chemical structures. An overview of the recent and future applications will be given, and the necessity in unravelling the biosynthesis of microbial exopolysaccharide producers is depicted, highlighting the future trend of tailor made polymers. Constraints in structure analysis of these highly complex biogenic polymers are described and different approaches to solve the restrictions in imaging and NMR analysis will be given. Therefore; this research topic comprises the whole process from genes to applications.

alginate --- screening for microbial exopolysaccharide producers --- polysaccharide applications --- structural analysis of polysaccharides --- polysaccharide modifying enzymes --- biofilm --- rare sugars --- exopolysaccharide biosynthesis --- Microbial polysaccharides --- tailor made exopolysaccharides

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Microbial polysaccharides represent an attractive alternative to those from plants or macro algae. They can be produced from renewable sources including lignocellulosic waste streams. Their production does not depend on geographical constraints and/or seasonal limitations. Additionally the manipulation of biosynthetic pathways to enhance productivity or to influence the chemi-cal polysaccharide composition is comparatively easy in bacteria. Microbial exopolysaccharides represents a valuable resource of biogenic and biodegradable polymers, suitable to replace petro based polymers in various technical applications. Furthermore, biocompatible exopolysaccha-rides are very attractive in medical applications, such as drug delivery systems, use as vaccines or nanoparticles. This research topic will depict the status quo, as well as the future needs in the field of EPS and biofilm research. Starting from the unexplored diversity of microbial polysaccharide producers to production processes and possibilities for modifications, to enhance the already high number of functionalities based on the chemical structures. An overview of the recent and future applications will be given, and the necessity in unravelling the biosynthesis of microbial exopolysaccharide producers is depicted, highlighting the future trend of tailor made polymers. Constraints in structure analysis of these highly complex biogenic polymers are described and different approaches to solve the restrictions in imaging and NMR analysis will be given. Therefore; this research topic comprises the whole process from genes to applications.

alginate --- screening for microbial exopolysaccharide producers --- polysaccharide applications --- structural analysis of polysaccharides --- polysaccharide modifying enzymes --- biofilm --- rare sugars --- exopolysaccharide biosynthesis --- Microbial polysaccharides --- tailor made exopolysaccharides --- alginate --- screening for microbial exopolysaccharide producers --- polysaccharide applications --- structural analysis of polysaccharides --- polysaccharide modifying enzymes --- biofilm --- rare sugars --- exopolysaccharide biosynthesis --- Microbial polysaccharides --- tailor made exopolysaccharides

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Microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, microeukaryotes) in marine environments secrete a diverse array of exopolymeric substances that facilitate attachment to surfaces, the formation of organic colloids and larger aggregations of cells (marine snow), and that can influence many ocean, as well as global, processes. The aim of this Research Topic is to highlight recent advances in the sources, chemistry and function of these microbial-produced macromolecules. We encouraged original research and reviews on exopolymeric substances, from their sources, chemico-physiological properties, functions and ecosystem effects, and including their role in the Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster.

marine oil snow (MOS) --- exopolymers --- marine environment --- biological pump --- phytoplankton --- marine snow --- oceans --- marine bacteria --- exopolysaccharide substances (EPS) --- organic carbon

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Nowadays, polymer self-assembly has become extremely attractive for both biological (drug delivery, tissue engineering, scaffolds) and non-biological (packaging, semiconductors) applications. In nature, a number of key biological processes are driven by polymer self-assembly, for instance protein folding. Impressive morphologies can be assembled from polymers thanks to a diverse range of interactions involved, e.g., electrostatics, hydrophobic, hots-guest interactions, etc. Both 2D and 3D tailor-made assemblies can be designed through modern powerful techniques and approaches such as the layer-by-layer and the Langmuir-Blodgett deposition, hard and soft templating. This Special Issue highlights contributions (research papers, short communications, review articles) that focus on recent developments in polymer self-assembly for both fundamental understanding the assembly phenomenon and real applications.

evaporative self-assembly --- encapsulation --- n/a --- microstructure --- solvent vapor annealing --- drug delivery --- polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane --- protein adsorption resistance --- photo-sensitive --- calcium carbonate --- fluorescence --- mucin --- polymerisation --- marine exopolysaccharide --- transglutaminases --- porous hydrogel --- adsorption --- aprotinin --- nanoparticle --- calcium alginate --- protamine --- nanocrystalline --- self-assembly --- morphological transformation --- cell culture --- block polymers --- stimuli-responsive polymer --- crosslinking --- mesoporous --- Ti6Al4V --- polymer --- flexible geometric confinement --- layer-by-layer --- surface modification --- co-synthesis --- nanolithography --- CaCO3 --- synthetic polypeptide --- air-liquid interface --- food industry --- stimuli-responsive polymers --- field-effect transistor --- Marangoni convection --- polymer scaffold --- collagen --- biomedicine --- thin films --- controlled release --- tension gradient --- monolayer

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The marine environment is considered one of the most important sources of natural bioactive compounds with extremely rich biodiversity. Marine glycans are remarkable molecules, playing a determinant role in biological processes. Marine сarbohydrate-containing substances have drawn increasing attention in the field of biomedicine for their various biological activities, such as antitumor, antivirus, hypoglycemic, immunomodulatory, and anticoagulant. These compounds obtained from marine sources, such as algae, microbes, and animals, are usually biodegradable and biocompatible, and exhibit biological properties that contribute to the discovery of a wide range of new bioactive substances with special pharmacological properties of interest to medicine. Carbohydrate-based compounds include glycans, glycoproteins, proteoglycans, glycolipids, and low-molecular and complex glycosides of differential origin. Many of the polysaccharides allow for loading lower drug dosages, which may lead to a drastic reduction of the side effects caused by the drugs. In addition, the structure of polysaccharides can be relatively easily modified in order to synthesize derivatives with desirable characteristics for drug delivery. Complexes on the basis of carbohydrates are often prepared to improve their functional properties. In this Special Issue, we seek to contribute to the discussion of various aspects of marine carbohydrate-containing compounds and provide a unique platform for a new concept for their use in medicine in order to continue to facilitate further research in this area.

Medicine --- chitosan-gentamicin conjugate --- antimicrobial --- anti-inflammatory --- scald repair --- sulfated polysaccharides --- galactans --- green seaweed --- NMR --- immunostimulation --- inflammatory mediators --- carrageenan --- lipopolysaccharide --- macromolecular structure --- nonspecific resistance to lipopolysaccharide --- cytokines --- enteric infections --- salmonellosis --- glyceroglycolipid metabolism --- phosphate starvation --- transcriptome --- glyceroglycolipid homeostasis --- chitosan --- polyelectrolyte complex --- cytokine --- nitric oxide --- anti-inflammatory activity --- Ulva pertusa --- polysaccharides --- colitis --- antioxidant --- exopolysaccharide --- structure --- Vibrio alginolyticus --- Epidermist --- chitosan oligosaccharides --- inflammation cytokines --- intestine --- oxidative status --- oxidative stress --- Porphyridium marinum --- high pressure homogenizer --- antibacterial activity --- anti-biofilm activity --- anti-cancer activity --- alginate lyase --- cold-adapted --- exo/endo-type --- Alteromonas portus --- oligosaccharide --- antioxidant activity --- exopolysaccharides --- scandium --- theranostic --- cancer cell lines --- proliferation --- laminarin --- fucoidan --- gastrointestinal tract --- microbiome --- swine --- post-weaning --- antibiotic alternatives --- chitosan-gentamicin conjugate --- antimicrobial --- anti-inflammatory --- scald repair --- sulfated polysaccharides --- galactans --- green seaweed --- NMR --- immunostimulation --- inflammatory mediators --- carrageenan --- lipopolysaccharide --- macromolecular structure --- nonspecific resistance to lipopolysaccharide --- cytokines --- enteric infections --- salmonellosis --- glyceroglycolipid metabolism --- phosphate starvation --- transcriptome --- glyceroglycolipid homeostasis --- chitosan --- polyelectrolyte complex --- cytokine --- nitric oxide --- anti-inflammatory activity --- Ulva pertusa --- polysaccharides --- colitis --- antioxidant --- exopolysaccharide --- structure --- Vibrio alginolyticus --- Epidermist --- chitosan oligosaccharides --- inflammation cytokines --- intestine --- oxidative status --- oxidative stress --- Porphyridium marinum --- high pressure homogenizer --- antibacterial activity --- anti-biofilm activity --- anti-cancer activity --- alginate lyase --- cold-adapted --- exo/endo-type --- Alteromonas portus --- oligosaccharide --- antioxidant activity --- exopolysaccharides --- scandium --- theranostic --- cancer cell lines --- proliferation --- laminarin --- fucoidan --- gastrointestinal tract --- microbiome --- swine --- post-weaning --- antibiotic alternatives