| abstract |
An enzymatic method for the preparation of a fructose-containing oligosaccharide, in which a β-fructofuranosidase obtained by culturing Arthrobacter sp. K-1 (FERM BP-3192) as an enzyme is reacted on sucrose, raffinose or stachyose as the donor in the presence of an aldose or ketose as the receptor. The enzyme is characterized by: n (1) activity on sucrose for the transglycosidation of a fructosyl group to the receptor in the presence of a monosaccharide, sugar alcohol, alkyl alcohol, glycoside or oligosaccharide; n (2) activity for the decomposition of sucrose, elrose, neokestose, xylsucrose, raffinose and stachyose with inactivity on a saccharide selected from the group consisting of 1-kestose, nistose, inulobiose and levan biose; n (3) optimum pH of 6.5 to 6.8 at 40° C. with stability at a pH of 5.5 to 10; n (4) optimum temperature of 55° C. at a pH of 6.5 exhibiting at least 70% of residual activity at 60° C.; n (5) susceptibility to inhibition by the ions of silver, mercury, zinc, copper and tin; n (6) two molecular weights of 52,000±2,500 and 58,000±2,500; and n (7) two isoelectric points of pH 4.3 and pH 4.6. |