The present invention concerns a new epoxypolysaccharide-producing bacterium, the exopolysaccharide isolated from this bacterium and the use of the exopolysaccharide.
1. A biologically pure culture of microorganism Sphingomonas pituitosa sp. nov. DSM 14559.
2. A method for producing a polysaccharide comprising culturing the microorganism of claim 1 under conditions suitable to produce said polysaccharide.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said polysaccharide is extracellular.
4. The method according to claim 2 wherein said microorganism is cultured in a mineral medium containing sucrose.
5. The method according to claim 2 wherein said microorganism is cultured with perturbation.
6. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said polysaccharide is a sphingan which contains rhamnose and glucose units.