Characterization of fructo-oligosacharides and b-fructosidases with biotechnological interest produced by filamentous fungi

• Grant number: 09/01283-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2009
• End date: July 31, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Luis Henrique Souza Guimaraes
• Grantee: Luis Henrique Souza Guimaraes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The enzyme world market is growing up day after day and among these biomolecules, the interest in B-fructosidases as invertase and inulinase has been enhanced in the last 10 years, with more attention towards the enzymes obtained from microorganisms, especially filamentous fungi, which are good sources of molecules with industrial interest. The production of fructosidases by filamentous fungi is very attractive because thermostable enzymes can be obtained. This characteristic is very important for many industrial processes. In addition, microorganisms are able to produce fructo-oligosacharides (FOS), molecules with important functional properties that have attracted the attention primarily from the pharmaceutical sector. Henceforth, the aim of this project is to investigate the production of fructofuranosidases, especially invertases and inulinases, and fructo-oligosacharides by filamentous fungi, purify and characterize biochemically these enzymes. New producer strains of fructosidases and FOS will be studied and the understanding of biochemistry and physiologic implications and potential biotechnological application will be determined. Invertases are enzymes that can catalyze the irreversible hydrolysis of sucrose to monosacharides D-glucose and D-fructose. This mixture is known as invert sugar and it has great applications in the food industries. Despite this, the inulinase (endo and exoinulinase) hydrolyses inulin, the fructan found as reserve in many plants species, obtaining inulo-oligosacharides. The literature on FOS production by filamentous fungi is still scarce, what enhanced the importance of this work. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

RUSTIGUEL, CYNTHIA BARBOSA; JORGE, JOAO ATILIO; SOUZA GUIMARAES, LUIS HENRIQUE. Characterization of a thermo-tolerant mycelial beta-fructofuranosidase from Aspergillus phoenicis under submerged fermentation using wheat bran as carbon source. BIOCATALYSIS AND AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY, v. 4, n. 3, p. 362-369, JUL 2015. (09/01283-0)

GONCALVES, HELOISA BRESSAN; JORGE, JOAO ATILIO; SOUZA GUIMARAES, LUIS HENRIQUE. PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF AN EXTRACELLULAR beta-D-FRUCTOFURANOSIDASE FROM FUSARIUM GRAMINEARUM DURING SOLID-STATE FERMENTATION USING WHEAT BRAN AS A CARBON SOURCE. JOURNAL OF FOOD BIOCHEMISTRY, v. 40, n. 5, p. 655-663, OCT 2016. (09/01283-0)