The Engineering, Expression, and Immobilization of Epimerases for <i>D</i>-allulose Production

The rare sugar <i>D</i>-allulose is a potential replacement for sucrose with a wide range of health benefits. Conventional production involves the employment of the Izumoring strategy, which utilises <i>D</i>-allulose 3-epimerase (DAEase) or <i>D</i>-psicose 3-epi...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jin Hao Tan, Anqi Chen, Jiawu Bi, Yee Hwee Lim, Fong Tian Wong, Dave Siak-Wei Ow
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-08-01
Series:International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/16/12703
Description
Summary:The rare sugar <i>D</i>-allulose is a potential replacement for sucrose with a wide range of health benefits. Conventional production involves the employment of the Izumoring strategy, which utilises <i>D</i>-allulose 3-epimerase (DAEase) or <i>D</i>-psicose 3-epimerase (DPEase) to convert <i>D</i>-fructose into <i>D</i>-allulose. Additionally, the process can also utilise <i>D</i>-tagatose 3-epimerase (DTEase). However, the process is not efficient due to the poor thermotolerance of the enzymes and low conversion rates between the sugars. This review describes three newly identified DAEases that possess desirable properties for the industrial-scale manufacturing of <i>D</i>-allulose. Other methods used to enhance process efficiency include the engineering of DAEases for improved thermotolerance or acid resistance, the utilization of <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> for the biosynthesis of <i>D</i>-allulose, and the immobilization of DAEases to enhance its activity, half-life, and stability. All these research advancements improve the yield of <i>D</i>-allulose, hence closing the gap between the small-scale production and industrial-scale manufacturing of <i>D</i>-allulose.
ISSN:1661-6596
1422-0067