Fructose-Based Tagatose Production With Mutated Epimerase
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Solution Overview
Problem
The stable supply of lactose, a primary raw material for conventional tagatose production, is limited due to price instability in the international market, necessitating a tagatose production system using generalized saccharides as raw materials.
Innovation Solution
A mutated polynucleotide encoding a variant of fructose-4-epimerase, introduced into a Corynebacterium sp. microorganism, enhances the expression and conversion of fructose to tagatose, using fructose as a substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional methods using galactose as main raw material are used, then tagatose can be produced, but the stable supply is limited due to price instability of lactose in international market
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by enabling the production system to accept multiple types of saccharides (glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, and other disaccharides) as raw materials, not just lactose. This is achieved by introducing fructose-4-epimerase enzyme that can process fructose directly, making the production system adaptable to various sugar sources and eliminating dependence on unstable lactose supply from the dairy industry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of raw material type from lactose-specific to general saccharide acceptance. By using fructose-4-epimerase and optimizing cultivation conditions (temperature, pH, aeration), the system transforms the production pathway to work with alternative sugars, thereby improving reliability through diversification of supply sources.
2Productivity
If fructose is converted to tagatose through cellular reaction, then tagatose production is achieved, but high expression of tagatose-converting enzyme is necessary to increase conversion efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-optimizing the enzyme expression system before actual production. The microorganism is genetically modified to overexpress fructose-4-epimerase, and cultivation conditions are pre-adjusted (temperature cycles, pH control, aeration rates) to maximize enzyme production before the conversion process begins, ensuring high conversion efficiency from the start.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service by using the microorganism itself to produce the required enzyme. The engineered microorganism autonomously synthesizes fructose-4-epimerase when exposed to fructose, eliminating the need for external enzyme addition or complex external expression systems. The cell's own metabolic machinery is harnessed to provide the necessary catalytic activity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The mutated polynucleotide significantly increases the expression level of fructose-4-epimerase, improving the economic efficiency of tagatose production.
Implementation Method 1
fructose is converted into tagatose through a cellular reaction to produce tagatose... increase the amount of tagatose-converting enzyme in the cell... expression level of fructose-4-epimerase
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a composition for tagatose production and a method for preparing tagatose using the same.