Microbial production of difructose anhydride III from Jerusalem artichoke tuber powder by recombinant yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kluyveromyces marxianus

Abstract Difructose anhydride III (DFA III), a functional sweetener, is enzymatically produced from inulin by inulin fructotransferase (IFTase; EC 4.2.2.18). Here, a recombinant yeast strain hyper-secreting IFTase from Arthrobacter aurescens was developed by employing the translational fusion partner technique, and the recombinant yeast produced 77.5 g (64.6% yield) of DFA III from 200 g of crude extract of Jerusalem artichoke tuber powder containing 120 g of inulin during direct fermentation. The sugar purity of DFA III was increased up to 95% by additional incubation with Kluyveromyces marxianus . This study is the first report of the secretory production of recombinant IFTase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae , and the direct conversion of DFA III from crude extract of Jerusalem artichoke tuber powder by microbial fermentation.