Enzymatic synthesis of phlorizin fructosides

• Published in: Enzyme and microbial technology 2021-06, Vol.147, p.109783-109783, Article 109783
• Main Authors: Herrera-González, Azucena, Núñez-López, Gema, Núñez-Dallos, Nelson, Amaya-Delgado, Lorena, Sandoval, Georgina, Remaud-Simeon, Magali, Morel, Sandrine, Arrizon, Javier, Hernández, Lázaro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biotechnology; Dihydrochalcone; Fructosylation; Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus; Invertase; Levansucrase; Life Sciences; Phlorizin; Sucrose:sucrose 1-fructosyltransferase
• ISSN: 0141-0229; 1879-0909
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enzmictec.2021.109783

[Display omitted] •First report of enzymatic fructosylation of the natural dihydrochalcone phlorizin.•Three enzymes assayed for fructosyl transfer from sucrose to phlorizin in aqueous medium.•Gd_LsdA produced phlorizin mono- di- and tri-fructosides with 73 % conversion.•Gd_LsdA synthesized three positional isomers of phlorizin mono-fructosides.•Enhanced water solubility of β-D-fructofuranosyl-(2→6)-phlorizin (P1a). Phlorizin is a low soluble dihydrochalcone with relevant pharmacological properties. In this study, enzymatic fructosylation was approached to enhance the water solubility of phlorizin, and consequently its bioavailability. Three enzymes were assayed for phlorizin fructosylation in aqueous reactions using sucrose as fructosyl donor. Levansucrase (EC 2.4.1.10) from Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus (Gd_LsdA) was 6.5–fold more efficient than invertase (EC 3.2.1.26) from Rhodotorula mucilaginosa (Rh_Inv), while sucrose:sucrose 1-fructosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.99) from Schedonorus arundinaceus (Sa_1-SST) failed to modify the non-sugar acceptor. Gd_LsdA synthesized series of phlorizin mono- di- and tri-fructosides with maximal conversion efficiency of 73 %. The three most abundant products were identified by ESI-MS and NMR analysis as β-D-fructofuranosyl-(2→6)-phlorizin (P1a), phlorizin-4'-O-β-D-fructofuranosyl-(2→6)-D-fructofuranoside (P2c) and phlorizin-4-O-monofructofuranoside (P1b), respectively. Purified P1a was 16 times (30.57 g L−1 at 25 °C) more soluble in water than natural phlorizin (1.93 g L−1 at 25 °C) and exhibited 44.56 % free radical scavenging activity. Gd_LsdA is an attractive candidate enzyme for the scaled synthesis of phlorizin fructosides in the absence of co-solvent.