## 1 Introduction  
The Antarctic is among the most scarcely investigated regions of the world. What is more, Antarctica is a niche pressurized microorganisms into a synthesis of unusual molecules for adaptation to extreme environmental conditions such as freezing temperatures, numerous freeze-thaw cycles, strong winds, high sublimation, evaporation, and UV radiation. Several yeast genera such as _Cryptococcus_, _Mrakia_, _Candidia_, _Rhodotorula_, _Leucosporidium_, _Debaryomyces_, and _Vishniacozyma_ have already been described as part of the microbial communities living in Antarctica [1]. In general, different yeast species are applied for the industrial production of wines, spirit drinks, bakery products (_Saccharomyces cerevisiae_), single-cell protein (_Hansenula_ sp. ), biofuels (_S. cerevisiae_), pharmaceuticals (_Pichia methanolica_), enzymes (_Candidia antarctica_), pigments (_Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous_), and aromas (_Zygosaccharomyces rouxii_) [2]. A great biotechnological potential of psychrophilic yeasts is also drawing scientists' attention. Producers of various cold enzymes, including \(\alpha\)-amylases, glucoamylases, \(\beta\)-fructosidases, \(\beta\)-glucosidase, lipases, proteases, xylanashave been reported [3]. Unsaturated and saturated fatty acids, phospholipids, sterols, as well as tocopherols were determined by Antarctic strains of the genera _Cryptococcus_, _Rhodotorula_, and _Sporobolomyces_[4]. The psychrophilic strain _S. salmonicolor_ AL1 is a producer of antioxidant compounds (ergosterol, \(\beta\)-carotene, coenzyme Q\({}_{10}\), torulene, and torularhodin) [5]. On the one hand, there are some research findings on the yeast biosynthetic potential and role of EPSs that have been published. A recent study by [PERSON] et al. emphasized, for example, the leading role of EPSs in yeast physiology as protectors against phagocytosis, drying, freezing, and as a barrier to heavy metal ions, rather than as reserve compounds [6]. Other studies have shown that Antarctic yeasts most often synthesize hetero-PSs composed mainly of mannose, glucose, galactose, arabinose, xylose, etc. [7; 8; 9]. It should be noted that a very diverse chemical composition determines completely different physicochemical, functional, and biological properties of the EPSs. For example, according to previous research, a high molecular weight (gluco)mannan, synthesized by _Rhodotorula_ sp. and _Sporobolomyces_ sp., has demonstrated excellent emulsifying and stabilizing properties [10]. On the other hand, a great diversity of EPSs with promising functional properties is an important prerequisite to successful application in the field of food industry as emulsifiers, stabilizers, flocculants, film-forming, binding, and gelling agents [11; 12]. Interestingly, scientists have attributed antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and immunomododulating properties to EPSs, which are prerequisites to application in cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries [13; 14; 15; 16; 17]. In general, that is the underlying reason for considering the yeast EPSs a good alternative to those isolated from plants and microalgae [12]. Therefore, EPSs from Antarctic yeasts can also find industrially relevant applications. Unfortunately, however, a large number of yeast genera have not been studied for their polysaccharide constituents. Some chemical features are still insufficiently investigated. There is a lack of knowledge about yield, monosaccharide composition, physicochemical, as well as basic spectral characteristics of the EPSs, which are still not revealed. Moreover, even preliminary studies on the biosynthesis and accumulation of polysaccharides by a large number of Antarctic yeast genera have not been conducted yet. Such kind of interesting species could be found in genus _Vishniacozyma_ and class _Tremellomycetes_ based on available information on the biosynthetic potential for the accumulation of other bioactive secondary metabolites. For example, _V.