Characterization of a novel fructosyltransferase from Lactobacillus reuteri that synthesizes high-molecular-weight inulin and inulin oligosaccharides.

ABSTRACT: Fructosyltransferase (FTF) enzymes produce fructose polymers (fructans) from sucrose. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of an FTF-encoding gene from Lactobacillus reuteri strain 121. A C-terminally truncated version of the ftf gene was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli. When incubated with sucrose, the purified recombinant FTF enzyme produced large amounts of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) with beta-(2-->1)-linked fructosyl units, plus a high-molecular-weight fructan polymer (>10(7)) with beta-(2-->1) linkages (an inulin). FOS, but not inulin, was found in supernatants of L. reuteri strain 121 cultures grown on medium containing sucrose. Bacterial inulin production has been reported for only Streptococcus mutans strains. FOS production has been reported for a few b

SUBMITTER: van Hijum SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC124061 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature