Nh. Park et al., A new method for the preparation of crystalline L-arabinose from arabinoxylan by enzymatic hydrolysis and selective fermentation with yeast, BIOTECH LET, 23(5), 2001, pp. 411-416
Arabinoxylan ('Cellace') corn fiber, containing 28.1% (w/w) as L-arabinose
and 32.8% (w/w) as D-xylose, was hydrolyzed by a crude enzyme containing be
ta -xylanase, beta -xylosidase and alpha -L-arabinofuranosidase originating
from the extracellular culture broth of Penicillium funiculosum. The resul
tant hydrolysate contained L-arabinose, D-xylose and small amounts of other
mono- and oligosaccharides. The L-arabinose and D-xylose were 21.3% (w/w)
and 18.7% (w/w), respectively, based on the initial arabinoxylan. Williopsi
s saturnus var. saturnus, which metabolizes D-xylose without using L-arabin
ose, was aerobically cultured in the hydrolysate at 30 degreesC for 96 h. T
he sugar solution after removal of yeast cells contained L-arabinose and D-
xylose which were 20.3% (w/w) and 0.002% (w/w), respectively, of the initia
l arabinoxylan. The solution was decolorized with activated carbon, and dei
onized with cation- and anion-exchange resins. The clear sugar solution thu
s obtained was composed of L-arabinose and D-xylose which were 19.3% (w/w)
and 0.001% (w/w), respectively, of the initial arabinoxylan. After concentr
ation of the sugar solution under reduced pressure, followed by crystalliza
tion of L-arabinose, 16% (w/w) L-arabinose (based on the initial arabinoxyl
an) was obtained as crude crystals. No D-xylose was detected in the final p
reparation.