• KSBB Journal
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.137-141
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• 2002

Levan oligosaccoharides and low molecular weight levin were produced from levin by acid hydrolysis and following column chromatography. Levan hydrolysis was progressed proportionally as increased incubation time. In terms of levan hydrolysis reaction, no differences were found from the sources of levan. Optimum hydrolysis conditions for the formation of levan oligosaccharides were, 0.38 M H$_2$S0$_4$; and incubation at 95$\^{C}$ for 4 min. The purified products were determined as the mixture of oligosaccharides (degree of polymerization (DP) of 3-6), Two of lactic acid-producing bacteria, Lactobacillus plantarum KCTC 3104 and Pediococcus pentosaceus KCTC 3507, were studied in vitro for their ability to metabolize levin oligosaccharides. Apparently, the growth of both cells were increased by levin oligosaccharide diet, compared with those of levan diets, suggesting that levan oligosaccharides may be beneficial in selectively growth of lactic acid-producing bacteria.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.582-586
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• 2005

In this Study, we have attempted to determine the effects of dietary fructose polymers (fructan), high molecular-weight ${\beta}-(2,6)-linked$ levan, and low-molecular-weight ${\beta}-(2,1)-linked$ inulin, on two intestinal enzymes $({\beta}-glucuronidase\;and\;{\beta}-glucosidase)$. As a preliminary experiment, when intestinal microflora were cultured in anaerobic media harboring levan or its oligosaccharides, bacterial cell growth was observed in the levanoligosaccharide-supplemented media, but not in the levan-supplemented media, indicating that levan's size is important for the utilization by intestinal bacteria of levan as an energy Source. In our animal study, the intake of a levan-rich diet was determined to significantly attenuate the activity of the harmful enzyme $({\beta}-glucuronidase$, but d id not affect the activity of ${\beta}-glucosidase$.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.1232-1238
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• 2004

To investigate the production and characteristics of thermostable levan sucrase from Rahnella aquatilis ATCC 33071, the levan sucrase gene from R. aquatilis was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli without induction system. Expression of levansucrase gene in E. coli had no notable or detrimental effect on the growth of host strain, and the recombinant levan sucrase exhibited levan synthesis activity. Levansucrase was secreted to the periplasm in E. coli, and addition of $0.5\%$ glycine yielded further secretion of levansucrase to the growth medium and resulted in an increase of total levansucrase activity. Furthermore, the cellular levansucrase was evaluated for the production of levan by using toluene­permeabilized whole-cells. The levansucrase was thermostable at $37^{\circ}C$. The molecular size oflevan was $1{\times}\;10^{6}$ Da, as determined by HPLC, and the degree of polymerization of levan varied with incubation temperatures: Low incubation temperature was preferable for the production of high-molecular size levan. The present study demonstrated that the mass production of levan and levan oligosaccharides can be achieved by glycine supplementation to the growth medium or by toluene­permeabilized whole-cells.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.34 no.1_2
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• pp.37-42
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• 1998

The microorganisms degrading levan were screened from soil. The isolated strain produced levanase releasing single oligosacchride from levan. The optimum cultural medium for levanase production (g/l) was composed of 0.5% levan, 0.1% $K_2HPO_4$, 0.05% NaCl, 0.3% $NaNO_3$, 0.3% yeast extract (pH 8.0). The cultivation for levanase production was carried out in 500 ml shaking flask containing 50 ml of the optimum medium at $30^{\circ}C$ on a reciprocal shaker, and the highest levanase production was observed after 54 hours of cultivation. The levanase hydrolyzed levan into single oligosaccharide. The product purified by chilled EtOH precipitation and gel filtration was detected as a single peak on HPLC analysis. The oligosaccharides formed by enzyme reaction was identified as levanheptaose (DP7) by HPLC and by ESI-MASS.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.1373-1381
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• 2022

Fructan is a polysaccharide composed of fructose and can be classified into several types, such as inulin, levan, and fructo-oligosaccharides, based on their linkage patterns and degree of polymerization. Owing to its structural and functional diversity, fructan has been used in various fields including prebiotics, foods and beverages, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical applications. With increasing interest in fructans, efficient and straightforward production methods have been explored. Since the 1990s, yeast cells have been employed as producers of recombinant enzymes for enzymatic conversion of fructans including fructosyltransferases derived from various microbes and plants. More recently, yeast cell factories are highlighted as efficient workhorses for fructan production by direct fermentation. In this review, recent advances and strategies for fructan biosynthesis by yeast cell factories are discussed.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.339-344
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• 2004

A method for synthesizing branched fructo-oligosaccharides (BFOS) with a high concentration of sucrose ($1{\~}3$ M) was developed using levansucrase prepared from Leuconortoc mesenteroides B-1355C. The degree of polymerization of oligosaccharides synthesized according to the present method ranged from 2 to over 15. The synthesized BFOS were stable at a pH ranges of 2 to 4 under $120^{\circ}C$. The percentage of BFOS in the reaction digest was $95.7\%$ (excluding monosaccharides; $4.3\%$ was levan). BFOS reduced the insoluble glucan formation by Streptococcus sobrinus on the surfaces of glass vials or stainless steel wires in the presence of sucrose. They also reduced the growth and acid productions of S, sobrinus. Oligosaccharides can be used as sweeteners for foods such as beverages requiring thermo- and acid-stable properties and 3s potential inhibitors of dental caries.