DIFRUCTOSE ANHYDRIDE-FORMING BACTERIAL INULINASE-II AND FRUCTOGENIC FUNGAL INULINASE-I - FREE AND IMMOBILIZED FORMS

The reserve polymeric inulin from dahlia tuber (>12% or >60% yield, we t or dry basis, respectively) follows as an attractive source for both free fructose or difructofuranose anhydride (DFA III). Although DFA b iological activity is not completely understood, there is interest in characterizing other DFA III-producers besides Arthrobacter ureafacien s. The inulinolytic bacterial isolate named ''YLW,'' owing to the yell ow hue in agar slants, is such a producer. Its biochemical characteriz ation showed the presence of galactosylated and mannosylated glycolipi ds associated with the bacterial cells. Immobilization of fungal inuli nase I and bacterial inulinase II, the respective enzymatic catalysts for the production of fructose and DFA III by inulin hydrolysis, was a ttempted using controlled-pore silica (CPS). The effects of pH, temper ature, and incubation time was analyzed and compared for both enzymes in the free and immobilized forms.