Enzymes for the biocatalytic production of rare sugars

J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol. 2012 Jun;39(6):823-34. doi: 10.1007/s10295-012-1089-x. Epub 2012 Feb 14.

Abstract

Carbohydrates are much more than just a source of energy as they also mediate a variety of recognition processes that are central to human health. As such, saccharides can be applied in the food and pharmaceutical industries to stimulate our immune system (e.g., prebiotics), to control diabetes (e.g., low-calorie sweeteners), or as building blocks for anticancer and antiviral drugs (e.g., L: -nucleosides). Unfortunately, only a small number of all possible monosaccharides are found in nature in sufficient amounts to allow their commercial exploitation. Consequently, so-called rare sugars have to be produced by (bio)chemical processes starting from cheap and widely available substrates. Three enzyme classes that can be used for rare sugar production are keto-aldol isomerases, epimerases, and oxidoreductases. In this review, the recent developments in rare sugar production with these biocatalysts are discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aldose-Ketose Isomerases / chemistry
  • Aldose-Ketose Isomerases / metabolism*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antiviral Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antiviral Agents / chemistry
  • Biotechnology / methods*
  • Carbohydrates / administration & dosage
  • Carbohydrates / chemical synthesis*
  • Carbohydrates / chemistry
  • Carbohydrates / pharmacology
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Oxidoreductases / chemistry
  • Oxidoreductases / metabolism*
  • Protein Engineering
  • Racemases and Epimerases / chemistry
  • Racemases and Epimerases / metabolism*
  • Sweetening Agents / administration & dosage

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Carbohydrates
  • Sweetening Agents
  • Oxidoreductases
  • Racemases and Epimerases
  • Aldose-Ketose Isomerases