A facile enzymatic synthesis of galβ1,3glucal: a key intermediate for the synthesis of Lea and sialyl Lea

Enzymatic syntheses and selective hydrolysis of O-β-d-galactopyranosides using a marine mollusc β-galactosidase

The use of crude extract of the hepatopancreas of Aplysia fasciata, a large mollusc belonging to the order Anaspidea containing a beta-galactosidase activity, was reported for the synthesis of different galactosides. Good yields with polar acceptors and the uncommon beta-1-3 selectivity in the transgalactosylation reactions with most of the acceptors were observed. A beta-1-2 selectivity in the hydrolytic conditions was also observed and discussed.

Regioselectivity of enzymatic glycosylation of 6-O-acyl glycosides in supersaturated solutions

The regioselectivity of enzymatic transglycosylation of 6-O-acetyl glycosides in supersaturated solutions was investigated using a range of commercially available enzymes, Escherichia coli, barley, and Kluyveromyces spp. beta-galactosidase, green coffee bean alpha-galactosidase, jack bean alpha-mannosidase, rice alpha-glucosidase, and almond beta-glucosidase. It has been shown that 6-O-acetyl glycosides serve as good substrates for these enzymes, which, under the reaction conditions, are "forced" to transfer monosaccharide units to the secondary hydroxyl groups of the acceptors. In a variety of transglycosylations studied the (1-3)-linked disaccharide products were the predominant regioisomers isolated. The selectivity of the reaction varied significantly depending on the acceptor glycosides and the enzyme used. Exquisite specificity was observed in some cases, but in others approximately equal quantities of two disaccharides products were isolated. In the best transfers the yield approached 30%. The methodology described offers a quick and facile route to disaccharides that may be difficult and/or time consuming to make by conventional chemical synthesis.

Regioselectivity of the enzymatic transgalactosidation of D- and L-xylose catalysed by beta-galactosidases

The regioselectivity of enzymatic transgalactosidation depends on the source of the beta-galactosidase used. When the galactosyl acceptor only contains secondary hydroxyl groups, e.g., D- or L-xylose, it is possible to find an enzyme that catalyses preferentially the synthesis of any of the three regioisomers 4-, 3- and 2-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-D-xylose (1, 2 and 3, respectively) or 4-, 3- and 2-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-L-xylose (4, 5 and 6, respectively). Enriched mixtures in 1, 2 or 3 were obtained using beta-galactosidases from Escherichia coli, bovine testes or Aspergillus oryzae, respectively, by transgalactosidation reaction of O-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside and D-xylose, and enriched mixtures in 4, 5 or 6 were obtained in a similar way using beta-galactosidases from Aspergillus oryzae, lamb small-intestine (intestinal lactase-phloridzin hydrolase) or Saccharomyces fragilis, respectively, using L-xylose as acceptor.