Abstract
Exopolysaccharide produced by the yeast Papiliotrema flavescens, isolated from wine grape berries of Champagne vineyard, was investigated for both chemical and functional characterization. SECMALLS and colorimetric assay analyses showed that the EPS is a high M(W) heteropolymer (2.37 × 10(6) g/mol) majorily consisting of mannose, glucose, xylose and glucuronic acid as monosaccharide constituents, with two substituents (sulphate and phosphate groups), and a minor protein moiety. Structural enchainment of these carbohydrates based on methylation, GC-MS and NMR analyses revealed a linear main backbone built up of α-(1 →3)-D-mannopyranosyl residues on which are branched side chains consisting of a single β-D-glucopyranosyluronic acid residue and β-(1 →2)- xylopyranoses (2-5 residues). Suggestion of some xylopyranose side chains containing a mannose residue at the nonreducing terminal end was also proposed. This is first report on EPSs from the grape P. flavescens yeast with such structural characteristics. Furthermore, investigations for valuating the application performance of these EPS in relation with their structural features were carried out in 8% alcohol experiment solutions. Very exceptional viscosifying and foaming properties were reported by comparison with commercial biopolymers such as Arabic, gellan and xanthan gums. The intrinsic properties of the natural biopolymer from this wild grape-associated P. flavescens yeast make it a potential candidate for use in various biotechnology applications.