PhD Oral Defence: Stabilization of levansucrase, modulation of its specificity and a search for the improved synthesis of novel fructooligosaccharides and levans
PhD Oral Defence of Andrea Hill, Food Science
Fructooligosaccharides (FOSs) are proven prebiotics capable of promoting the population of healthy bacteria within the colon. Levansucrase (EC 2.4.1.10, LS) using sucrose as an fructose donor, LS is capable of producing short-chained FOSs to large polysaccharides with specific β(2→6) linkages. LS is limited commercially by low thermal stability and poor product specificity. LS produced from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens was immobilized onto various synthetic and natural supports in order to increase thermal stability. Glyoxyl agarose-IDA-Cu offered a high retention of activity and protein yield with a stabilization factor 14 times higher than that of the native enzyme. Response surface methodology was used to investigate and optimize the immobilization parameters used.
