Polysaccharide, process for production thereof, use thereof, and

Details Polysaccharide, process for production thereof, use thereof, and Polysaccharide, process for production thereof, use thereof, and

1996-03-12

1998-04-14

Huff, Sheela

Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology

Micro-organism, tissue cell culture or enzyme using process...

Preparing compound containing saccharide radical

536123, 5361231, 435822, 514 54, C12P 1904, C07G 1700, C07H 100, C07H 300

Patent

active

057390142

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF ART

The present invention relates to a novel polysaccharide, a process for the preparation thereof, a use of the novel polysaccharide, and a novel strain having an ability to produce such a polysaccharide. The novel polysaccharide of the present invention can be used in many fields of industry and for various purposes. For instance, it can be used as a gelatinizer, humectant, film forming agent, emulsifier, foam stabilizer, water retaining agent, cement admixture and the like.


BACKGROUND ART

Many polysaccharides such as gellan gum, curdlan, hyaluronic acid, xanthan gum and pullulan, have been produced by use of microorganisms. Of these polysaccharides, only gellan gum and curdlan have been practically utilized as a gelatinizer in the fields of foods and related products.
Japan Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) 63-156707 proposes cosmetics containing hyaluronic acid as humectant. This humectant can serve for protecting the skin from external stimulus or toughening of skin surface and is also instrumental in bettering the feeling of use of cosmetics. It is generally considered desirable that a humectant be contained in cosmetics in such an amount that the cosmetics will have a moisture retention in a range of 10-50% under the ordinary environmental condition with a relative humidity of 40-80%. It is also required of the cosmetic humectant that its moisture retaining ability is little affected by the change of relative humidity in the ambient atmosphere (see Fragrance Journal, extra edition No. 9 "Science of Humectant", 1988, p. 34, etc.).
The gelatinizers comprising gellan gum or curdlan have drawbacks noted as follows. That is, gellan gum decomposes under an alkaline condition, and also gelatinized gellan gum is dissolved and degraded when left under an alkaline condition at room temperature. Curdlan has a problem that its gel tends to release water. Also, the humectants comprising hyaluronic acid have a serious disadvantage that their moisture retainability is unstable as it is susceptible to the ambient humidity.
In the course of researches for a material having excellent gelation characteristics and moisture retainability, the present inventors have found that the novel polysaccharide obtained by use of a newly discovered microorganism has a property of alkali resistance, can form a gel with low water releasing tendency, and also has an excellent moisture retainability which is scarcely affected by relative humidity in the ambient atmosphere. It has also been found that this novel polysaccharide has other useful properties.


DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been attained on the basis of the above finding, and the object of the present invention is to provide a novel polysaccharide and a process for preparing the same.
Another object of the present invention is to provide pertinent uses of the novel polysaccharide.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel microorganism belonging to the genus Agrobacterium.
The above objects can be attained by the following embodiments of the present invention: 5.times.10.sup.3 to 10.times.10.sup.6 as measured by gel permeation chromatography and composed of 5 different saccharides, viz. D-glucose, D-galactose, D-glucuronic acid, D-ribose and D-riburonic acid, in a molar ratio of D-glucose:D-galactose:D-glucuronic acid:D-ribose:D-riburonic acid=10:1.8-2.9:1.8-2.6: 0.5-1.7:0.5-1.7, with the content of o-acetyl groups in the polysaccharide being 0-10% by weight. microorganism belonging to the genus Agrobacterium having an ability to produce a polysaccharide composed of 5 different saccharides, viz. D-glucose, D-galactose, D-glucuronic acid, D-ribose and D-riburonic acid, in a molar ratio of D-glucose:D-galactose:D-glucuronic acid:D-ribose:D-riburonic acid=10:1.8-2.9:1.8-2.6:0.5-1.7:0.5-1.7, with the content of o-acetyl groups being 0-10% by weight, and collecting from the culture the polysaccharide composed of 5 different saccharides, viz. D-glucose, D-galactose, D-glucuronic acid, D-ribose and D-riburonic aci

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Polysaccharide, process for production thereof, use thereof, and does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Polysaccharide, process for production thereof, use thereof, and, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Polysaccharide, process for production thereof, use thereof, and will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-633881