Production of Gentiobiose from Hydrothermally Treated Aureobasidium pullulans β-1,3-1,6-Glucan

We report production of the functional disaccharide gentiobiose β-D-Glcp-(1→6)-D-Glc by a hydrolysis reaction of hydrothermally treated Aureobasidium pullulans β-1,3-1,6-glucan as the substrate and Kitalase as the enzyme. Gentiobiose was produced over the pH range 4−6 and the concentration of gentiobiose produced decreased above pH 7. The maximum value of gentiobiose production was unaffected by the enzyme concentration. The maximum concentration of gentiobiose produced was dependent on the substrate concentration whereas the maximum ratio of gentiobiose to glucose was not. The production of gentiobiose from yeast β-1,3-1,6-glucan was lower than that from A. pullulans β-1,3-1,6-glucan.