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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, September 2002, p. 4390-4398, Vol. 68, No. 9
0099-2240/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.68.9.4390-4398.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Characterization of a Novel Fructosyltransferase from Lactobacillus reuteri That Synthesizes High-Molecular-Weight Inulin and Inulin Oligosaccharides

S. A. F. T. van Hijum,1,2 G. H. van Geel-Schutten,1,3 H. Rahaoui,4 M. J. E. C. van der Maarel,1,5 and L. Dijkhuizen1,2*

Centre for Carbohydrate Bioengineering, TNO-RUG,1 Department of Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Haren,2 Department of Applied Microbiology and Gene Technology,3 Department of Food Microbiology,4 TNO Nutrition and Food Research, Zeist, and Carbohydrate Technology Department, TNO Nutrition and Food Research, Groningen, The Netherlands5

Received 7 January 2002/ Accepted 14 June 2002

Fructosyltransferase (FTF) enzymes produce fructose polymers (fructans) from sucrose. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of an FTF-encoding gene from Lactobacillus reuteri strain 121. A C-terminally truncated version of the ftf gene was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli. When incubated with sucrose, the purified recombinant FTF enzyme produced large amounts of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) with ß-(2->1)-linked fructosyl units, plus a high-molecular-weight fructan polymer (>107) with ß-(2->1) linkages (an inulin). FOS, but not inulin, was found in supernatants of L. reuteri strain 121 cultures grown on medium containing sucrose. Bacterial inulin production has been reported for only Streptococcus mutans strains. FOS production has been reported for a few bacterial strains. This paper reports the first-time isolation and molecular characterization of (i) a Lactobacillus ftf gene, (ii) an inulosucrase associated with a generally regarded as safe bacterium, (iii) an FTF enzyme synthesizing both a high molecular weight inulin and FOS, and (iv) an FTF protein containing a cell wall-anchoring LPXTG motif. The biological relevance and potential health benefits of an inulosucrase associated with an L. reuteri strain remain to be established.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: University of Groningen, P. O. Box 14, 9750 AA Haren, The Netherlands. Phone: 31.50.3632150. Fax: 31.50.3632154. E-mail: L.Dijkhuizen{at}biol.rug.nl.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, September 2002, p. 4390-4398, Vol. 68, No. 9
0099-2240/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.68.9.4390-4398.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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