Antiviral Potential of Marine Bacteria Polysaccharides

Intensive population interactions between components of plankton and virioplankton of the World Ocean have formed ancient and, at the same time, versatile mechanisms for protecting marine bacteria and archaea from the effects of ocean viruses on them. One of such mechanisms is exopolysaccharides, which are secreted by marine prokaryotes to interact with surface proteins of viral particles and prevent the binding of viral peplomers to receptors of potential target cells. Therefore, antiviral drugs with a wide spectrum of actions, exhibiting also the ability to modulate intercellular interactions, are found in large numbers among exopolysaccharides of marine bacteria. This review analyzes the modern views on exopolysaccharides of marine bacteria, their antiviral potential, and antioxidant and immunomodulatory activity. A brief description of the structural, physical, and chemical properties of such compounds is given and the main mechanisms of antiviral activity of the best-known representatives of this class of organic polymers are disclosed. Exopolysaccharides of marine bacteria are shown to be a promising and extremely rich source of antiviral medicinal substances.