Cloning, expression and characterization of a novel fructosyltransferase from Aspergillus niger and its application in the synthesis of fructooligosaccharides

Harnessing Prebiotics to Improve Type 2 Diabetes Outcomes

The gut microbiota, a complex ecosystem of microorganisms in the human gastrointestinal tract (GI), plays a crucial role in maintaining metabolic health and influencing disease susceptibility. Dysbiosis, or an imbalance in gut microbiota, has been linked to the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) through mechanisms such as reduced glucose tolerance and increased insulin resistance. A balanced gut microbiota, or eubiosis, is associated with improved glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity, potentially reducing the risk of diabetes-related complications. Various strategies, including the use of prebiotics like inulin, fructooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, resistant starch, pectic oligosaccharides, polyphenols, β-glucan, and Dendrobium officinale have been shown to improve gut microbial composition and support glycemic control in T2DM patients. These prebiotics can directly impact blood sugar levels while promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria, thus enhancing glycemic control. Studies have shown that T2DM patients often exhibit a decrease in beneficial butyrate-producing bacteria, like Roseburia and Faecalibacterium, and an increase in harmful bacteria, such as Escherichia and Prevotella. This review aims to explore the effects of different prebiotics on T2DM, their impact on gut microbiota composition, and the potential for personalized dietary interventions to optimize diabetes management and improve overall health outcomes.

Recent developments in the production of prebiotic fructooligosaccharides using fungal fructosyltransferases

Prebiotic nutritional ingredients have received attention due to their health-promoting potential and related uses in the food and nutraceutical industries. Recent times have witnessed an increasing interest in the use of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) as prebiotics and their generation using microbial enzymes. FOS consumption is known to confer health benefits such as protection against colon cancer, improved mineral absorption, lowering effect on serum lipid and cholesterol concentration, antioxidant properties, favourable dietary modulation of the human colonic microbiota, and immuno-modulatory effects. Comparative analysis of molecular models of various fructosyltransferases (FTases) reveals the mechanism of action and interaction of substrate with the active site. Microbial FTases carry out transfructosylation of sucrose into fructooligosaccharides (kestose, nystose, and fructofuranosylnystose), the most predominantly used prebiotic oligosaccharides. Furthermore, FOS has also been used for other purposes, such as low-calorie sweeteners, dietary fibres, and as the substrates for fermentation. This review highlights the occurrence, characteristics, immobilisation, and potential applications of FOS-generating fungal FTases. Production, heterologous expression, molecular characteristics, and modelling of fungal FTases underpinning their biotechnological prospects are also discussed.

Expression and characterization of a protease-resistant β-d-fructofuranosidase BbFFase9 gene suitable for preparing invert sugars from soybean meal

A novel gene (BbFFase9), with an ORF of 1557 bp that encodes β-d-fructofuranosidase from Bifidobacteriaceae bacterium, was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant protein (BbFFase9) was successfully purified and showed a single band with a molecular mass of 66.2 kDa. This was confirmed as a β-d-fructofuranosidase and exhibited a high specific activity of 209.2 U/mg. Although BbFFase9 was a soluble protein, it exhibited excellent tolerance to proteases such as pepsin, trypsin, acidic protease, neutral protease and Flavourzyme®, indicating its potential applicability in different fields. BbFFase9 exhibited typical invertase activity, and highly catalyzed the hydrolysis of the α1↔2β glycosidic linkage in molecules containing fructosyl moieties but with no detectable fructosyltransferase activity. It was optimally active at pH 6.5 and 50 °C and stable between pH 6.0 and 9.0 at a temperature of up to 45 °C for 30 min BbFFase9 could also effectively hydrolyze galacto-oligosaccharides, which are a flatulence factor in soybean meal, thus releasing new types of product such as melibiose and mannotriose, or degrading them into invert sugars, the sweeter fructose and glucose. This study is the first to report the application of this type of β-d-fructofuranosidase.

Enzymatic synthesis of fructooligosaccharides: From carrot discards to prebiotic juice

A great volume of carrots is discarded daily worldwide because they do not meet the required shape and size standards. However, they have the same nutritional characteristics as those commercialized, and can be used in different food products. Carrot juice is an excellent matrix for the development of functional foods with prebiotic compounds, such as fructooligosaccharides (FOS). In this work, the production of FOS in situ in carrot juice was evaluated using a fructosyltransferase from Aspergillus niger, produced by solid-state fermentation on carrot bagasse. The enzyme was partially purified 12.5-fold with a total yield of 93 %, and specific activity of 59 U/mg of protein by Sephadex G-105 molecular exclusion chromatography. It was identified by nano LC-MS/MS as a β-fructofuranosidase with a 63.6 kDa MW and it allowed obtaining a FOS yield of 31.6 % in carrot juice. The result was a prebiotic juice with a final concentration of 32.4 mg/mL of FOS. Using the commercial enzyme Viscozyme L a higher yield of FOS (39.8 %) was obtained in carrot juice, corresponding to a total amount of FOS of 54.6 mg/mL. This circular economy scheme allowed the obtention of a functional juice, that may contribute to improve health of consumers.

A Strategy for Rapid Acquisition of the β-D-Fructofuranosidase Gene through Chemical Synthesis and New Function of Its Encoded Enzyme to Improve Gel Properties during Yogurt Processing

A chemical gene synthesis strategy was developed in order to obtain β-D-fructofuranosidase, and a novel gene, AlFFase3, was characterized from Aspergillus luchuensis and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant protein was purified, showing a molecular mass of 68.0 kDa on SDS-PAGE, and displaying a specific activity towards sucrose of up to 771.2 U mg^-1, indicating its exceptional enzymatic capacity. AlFFase3 exhibited stability between pH 5.5 and 7.5, with maximal activity at pH 6.5 and 40 °C. Impressively, AlFFase3, as a soluble protein, was resistant to digestion by various common proteases, including Flavourzyme, acidic protease, pepsin, neutral protease, Proteinase K, alkaline proteinase, and trypsin. AlFFase3 also demonstrated significant transfructosylation activity, with a yield of various fructooligosaccharides up to 67%, higher than almost all other reports. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the addition of AlFFase3 enhanced the growth of probiotics in yogurt, thereby increasing its nutritional value. AlFFase3 also improved the formation of yogurt gel, reducing the gel formation time and lowering the elasticity while increasing its viscosity, thereby improving the palatability of yogurt and reducing production costs.

Efficient Degradation for Raffinose and Stachyose of a β-D-Fructofuranosidase and Its New Function to Improve Gel Properties of Coagulated Fermented-Soymilk

A novel β-D-fructofuranosidase gene was identified via database mining from Leptothrix cholodnii. The gene was chemically synthesized and expressed in Escherichia coli, resulting in the production of a highly efficient enzyme known as LcFFase1s. The enzyme exhibited optimal activity at pH 6.5 and a temperature of 50 °C while maintaining stability at pH 5.5-8.0 and a temperature below 50 °C. Furthermore, LcFFase1s exhibited remarkable resistance to commercial proteases and various metal ions that could interfere with its activity. This study also revealed a new hydrolysis function of LcFFase1s, which could completely hydrolyze 2% raffinose and stachyose within 8 h and 24 h, respectively, effectively reducing the flatulence factor in legumes. This discovery expands the potential applications of LcFFase1s. Additionally, the incorporation of LcFFase1s significantly reduced the particle size of coagulated fermented-soymilk gel, resulting in a smoother texture while maintaining the gel hardness and viscosity formed during fermentation. This represents the first report of β-D-fructofuranosidase enhancing coagulated fermented-soymilk gel properties, highlighting promising possibilities for future applications of LcFFase1s. Overall, the exceptional enzymatic properties and unique functions of LcFFase1s render it a valuable tool for numerous applications.

Significant Improvement of Both Catalytic Efficiency and Stability of Fructosyltransferase from Aspergillus niger by Structure-Guided Engineering of Key Residues in the Conserved Sequence of the Catalytic Domain

Fructosyltransferase is a key enzyme in fructo-oligosaccharide production, while the highly demanding conditions of industrial processes may reduce its stability and activity. This study employs sequence alignment and structural analysis to target three potential residues (Gln38, Ile39, and Cys43) around the active center of FruSG from Aspergillus niger, and mutants with greatly improved activity and stability were obtained through site-directed mutagenesis. The K_m values of C43N and Q38Y were, respectively, reduced to 60.8 and 93.1% compared to those of WT. Meanwhile, the k_cat of C43N was increased by 21.2-fold compared to that of WT. These imply that both the affinity and catalytic efficiency of C43N were significantly enhanced compared to WT. The Glide docking score of sucrose inside C43N was calculated to be -5.980, which was lower than that of WT (-4.887). What is more, the proposed general acid/base catalyst Glu273 with a lower pK_a value of C43N calculated by PROPKA might contribute to an easier catalytic reaction compared to that of WT. The thermal stability and pH stability of the mutant C43N were significantly enhanced compared to those of WT, and more hydrogen bonds formed during molecular dynamics simulations might contribute to the improved stability of C43N.

Engineering a heterologously expressed fructosyltransferase from Aspergillus oryzae N74 in Komagataella phaffii (Pichia pastoris) for kestose production

Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) are one of the most well-studied and commercialized prebiotics. FOS can be obtained either by controlled hydrolysis of inulin or by sucrose transfructosylation. FOS produced from sucrose are typically classified as short-chain FOS (scFOS), of which the best known are 1-kestotriose (GF₂), 1,1-kestotetraose (GF₃), and 1,1,1-kestopentaose (GF₄), produced by fructosyltransferases (FTases) or β-fructofuranosidases. In previous work, FOS production was studied using the Aspergillus oryzae N74 strain, its ftase gene was heterologously expressed in Komagataella phaffii (Pichia pastoris), and the enzyme's tertiary structure modeled. More recently, residues that may be involved in protein-substrate interactions were predicted. In this study, the aim was to experimentally validate previous in silico results by independently producing recombinant wild-type A. oryzae N74 FTase and three single-point mutations in Komagataella phaffii (Pichia pastoris). The R163A mutation virtually abolished the transfructosylating activity, indicating a requirement for the positively charged arginine residue in the catalytic domain D. In contrast, transfructosylating activity was improved by introducing the mutations V242E or F254H, with V242E resulting in higher production of GF₂ without affecting that of GF₃. Interestingly, initial sucrose concentration, reaction temperature and the presence of metal cofactors did not affect the enhanced activity of mutant V242E. Overall, these results shed light on the mechanism of transfructosylation of the FTase from A. oryzae and expand considerations regarding the design of biotechnological processes for specific FOS production.

A Comprehensive Insight into Fungal Enzymes: Structure, Classification, and Their Role in Mankind's Challenges

Enzymes have played a crucial role in mankind's challenges to use different types of biological systems for a diversity of applications. They are proteins that break down and convert complicated compounds to produce simple products. Fungal enzymes are compatible, efficient, and proper products for many uses in medicinal requests, industrial processing, bioremediation purposes, and agricultural applications. Fungal enzymes have appropriate stability to give manufactured products suitable shelf life, affordable cost, and approved demands. Fungal enzymes have been used from ancient times to today in many industries, including baking, brewing, cheese making, antibiotics production, and commodities manufacturing, such as linen and leather. Furthermore, they also are used in other fields such as paper production, detergent, the textile industry, and in drinks and food technology in products manufacturing ranging from tea and coffee to fruit juice and wine. Recently, fungi have been used for the production of more than 50% of the needed enzymes. Fungi can produce different types of enzymes extracellularly, which gives a great chance for producing in large amounts with low cost and easy viability in purified forms using simple purification methods. In the present review, a comprehensive trial has been advanced to elaborate on the different types and structures of fungal enzymes as well as the current status of the uses of fungal enzymes in various applications.

Production, properties, and applications of fructosyltransferase: a current appraisal

BACKGROUND

Fructosyltransferases (FTases) are drawing increasing attention due to their application in prebiotic fructooligosaccharide (FOS) generation. FTases have been reported to occur in a variety of microorganisms but are predominantly found in filamentous fungi. These are employed at the industrial scale for generating FOS which make the key ingredient in functional food supplements and nutraceuticals due to their bifidogenic and various other health-promoting properties.

SCOPE AND APPROACH

This review is aimed to discuss recent developments made in the area of FTase production, characterization, and application in order to present a comprehensive account of their present status to the reader. Structural features, catalytic mechanisms, and FTase improvement strategies have also been discussed in order to provide insight into these aspects.

KEY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS

Although FTases occur in several plants and microorganisms, fungal FTases are being exploited commercially for industrial-scale FOS generation. Several fungal FTases have been characterized and heterologously expressed. However, considerable scope exists for improved production and application of FTases for cost-effective production of prebiotic FOS.HIGHLIGHTSFructosyltrasferase (FTase) is a key enzyme in fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) generationDevelopments in the production, properties, and functional aspects of FTasesMolecular modification and immobilization strategies for improved FOS generationFructosyltransferases are innovation hotspots in the food and nutraceutical industries.