Journal of Fermentation and Bioengineering, Vol.84, No.2, 119-123, 1997
Production and Some Properties of a Dextrin with a Narrow Size Distribution by the Cyclization Reaction of Branching Enzyme
Branching enzyme (BE, EC 2.4.1.18) catalyzes the cyclization of amylose and amylopectin (Takata et al., J. Bacteriol., 178, 1600-1606, 1996; Takata et al., Carbohydr. Res., 295, 91-101, 1996). Amylopectin was converted to dextrin using the cyclization reaction of BE from Bacillus stearothermophilus TRBE14. The enzyme efficiently degraded amylopectin even when the concentration of substrate was high (20-30% w/w), and the product had a narrow molecular weight distribution compared with those of commercial dextrins. These results suggest that BE may be useful as a new starch-processing enzyme. The product was highly soluble in water to give a highly stable, clear solution. The results also suggest that the product reduces the tendency of other dextrins to undergo retrogradation.