Lactosucrose bioconversion from lactose and sucrose by whole cells of Paenibacillus polymyxa harboring levansucrase activity.

Lactosucrose, a functional trisaccharide, was produced from lactose as an acceptor and sucrose as a fructosyl donor by whole cells harboring transfructosylation activity of levansucrase. Levansucrase-induced cells of Paenibacillus polymyxa were obtained in the medium containing sucrose, and the transfructosylation activity in the whole cell was optimized for lactosucrose production. The optimal cell concentration, substrates ratio, temperature, and pH were 2.0% (w/v), 22.5% (w/v) lactose and 22.5% (w/v) sucrose, 55 degrees C, and 6.0, respectively. Under these conditions, the whole cells produced approximately 17.0% (w/v) lactosucrose in 6 h of reaction time with a productivity of 2.8% (w/v)/h.