Industrial Microbiology - Xanthomonas

The genus Xanthomonas consists of 20 plant-associated species, many of which cause important diseases of crops and other plants. Individual species comprise multiple pathovars, characterized by distinctive host specificity or mode of infection. Bacteria of the genus Xanthomonas are able to produce the acidic exopolysaccharide xanthan gum. Because of its physical properties, it is widely used as a viscosifer, thickener, emulsifier or stabilizer in both food and non-food industries.