The Book of Fructans

1st Edition - March 21, 2023
Imprint: Academic Press
Editors: Wim Van den Ende, Ebru Toksoy Oner
Language: English
Paperback ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 8 5 4 1 0 - 8
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 8 5 8 0 8 - 3

After more than 30 years, The Book of Fructans represents the first and most comprehensive coverage of fructans generated by pioneer glycoscientists from the field. It outlines… Read more

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After more than 30 years, The Book of Fructans represents the first and most comprehensive coverage of fructans generated by pioneer glycoscientists from the field. It outlines the fundamentals of all fructan types, their terminology, chemical and structural-functional features, biosynthetic enzymes that make and break them, their presence and possible roles in nature, their evolutionary aspects and their microbial, enzymatic, and plant-based production. Additional sections cover the applications of fructans, specifically, the agro/chemical and biomedical applications, health, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications, fructans in food and feed, fructan nanotechnology, the immunomodulatory and antiviral effects of fructans and the perspectives for fructans in circular economies and sustainable societies. Intended for scientists, entrepreneurs, academicians and students working in related fields, this book will be a useful resource for all who wish to learn more about these extraordinary carbohydrates.

Cover image
Title page
Table of Contents
Copyright
List of contributors
Preface
Section I. The fundamentals
Chapter 1. Fructans: The Terminology
1. Introduction
2. The history of fructan terminology
3. The fructan definition
4. Specific fructan-related terms
5. The oligofructan nomenclature system
6. Diagrammatic representation of fructans
7. Conclusions
Chapter 2. Chemical and Structural-Functional Features of Fructans
1. Introduction
2. Natural sources of fructans
3. Fructans are unique carbohydrates
4. The building blocks of fructans
5. Fructan structures
6. Fructan extraction
7. Fructan identification and characterization
8. Perspectives
9. Conclusions
Chapter 3. Macromolecular Properties of Fructans
1. Size of fructans
2. Fructan nanoparticles
3. Solubility of fructans
4. Thermal and pH stability
5. Viscous behavior of fructans
6. Viscoelastic behavior of fructans
7. Fructan conformational space
8. Molecular interactions of fructans with biopolymers
9. Conclusions and future perspectives
Chapter 4. Fructan Enzymes in Microbes and Plants: Structure, Function, and Product Formation
1. Introduction
2. Fructosyltransferases (FTs), β-fructofuranosidases (FFases) and fructanases. Position in CAZy, distribution in nature, general fold, and catalytic machinery
3. Microbial fructosyltransferases (FTs)
4. Plant fructosyltransferases (FTs)
5. β-Fructofuranosidases (FFases) and fructanases of CAZy families GH32 and GH68
6. Structure-function relationships in plant GH32 enzymes
Chapter 5. Evolutionary Aspects of the Fructan Syndrome
1. Distribution of the fructan syndrome in the angiosperms
2. Diversity of fructan in the angiosperms
3. Multiple origins of the fructan syndrome
4. A small step for invertase, a big step for a plant
5. Evolution—functions, adaptation, and distribution
6. Distribution of fructans in microorganisms
7. Conclusions
Chapter 6. Fructans: Physiology and Development in Plants
1. General introduction
2. Fructans in the order Asparagales
3. Fructans in the order Poales
4. Conclusions and future perspectives
Chapter 7. The Role of Fructans in Stress Responses
1. Introduction
2. Sugars and abiotic stress
3. Osmotic protection
4. Adhesion
5. Direct protective effects by fructan
6. Importance of water in membrane integrity
7. Sugar-mediated protection of liposomes
8. Membrane protection by polysaccharides
9. Membrane protection by fructan
10. Transgenics
11. Direct physiological effects in transformed plants, or pleiotropy?
12. Transformation of plants with fructosyltransferases
13. Low-temperature response of fructan metabolism and its impact on stress tolerance
14. Microbial fructans as stress response compounds
15. Protection against salinity
16. Potential for the future
Chapter 8. Relation of Plants with Other Kingdoms: the Unique Role of Fructans
1. Introduction
2. Plant fructans as a source of carbon for bacteria, fungi, and animals
3. Microbial fructans as a source of signals for plant-microbe interactions
4. The place of fructans in the ecosystems
5. Conclusion
Chapter 9. Traditional Fermented Foods: Introducing the “Fructan Link”
1. Fructans in history
2. Production of microbial edible fructans
3. Fructans in fermented products
4. Fructan microbiota: FT mining
5. Omics: revealing the richness behind traditional fermented foods and beverages
Section II. Applications
Chapter 10. Agrochemical Applications of Fructans
1. Fructan priming: a sustainable strategy to decrease pathogen-dependent yield losses?
2. Fructan-based abiotic stress resistance in crops
3. Agricultural fructan applications in the soil context
Chapter 11. Fructan Production Processes
1. Introduction
2. Overview of fructan production processes
3. Microbial production of inulin-type fructans
4. Microbial production of levan
5. Economic and market considerations
6. Prospects
Chapter 12. The Fructan Industry
1. First fructan products were for food and nutrition
2. Diversity of applications for fructans
Chapter 13. Health benefits of Inulin and Agavin-type Fructans in Food: Impact on Microbiota, Immune and Gut Barrier Function
1. Introduction
2. Characteristics of plant fructans
3. Health benefits of chicory inulin and agavin from Agave
4. Concluding remarks and future perspectives
Chapter 14. Preclinical and Clinical Fructan Studies
1. Preclinical and clinical fructan studies
2. Preclinical fructan studies (animal models)
3. Clinical fructan studies (human trials)
4. Conclusion
Chapter 15. Levan as a Functional Polymer for Biomedical Applications
1. Introduction
2. Levan as a natural, multifunctional, and bioactive molecule
3. Biomedical applications of levan
4. Conclusions and future perspectives
Chapter 16. Fructans in Personal Care Products
1. History of cosmetics and beauty
2. Cosmeceuticals
3. Skin anatomy and histology
4. Aging
5. Exopolysaccharides as ingredients of skin care products
6. Fructans
7. Fructans in personal care products
8. Conclusion
Section III. Society
Chapter 17. Antiviral Effects of Fructans
1. Introduction: infectious diseases have plagued humanity for centuries
2. Viruses: the hijacking of biochemical machinery and subsequent host immune responses
3. Microbiome independent stimulation of the immune system—immunomodulatory function of fructans: a case of inflammatory (im)balance
4. Microbiome dependent activation of the immune system—prebiotics: how a fructan rich diet could influence the outlook on viral infections
5. The case of SARS-CoV-2: the microbiome, the inflammatory status and an ACE up the sleeve?
6. How antioxidants such as fructans influence viral outcome
7. Fructans and other polysaccharides blocking viral entry
8. Fructans as adjuvants and beyond: a potential for future consideration
9. Closing remarks
Chapter 18. Fructan Accumulators in a Changing World Climate: Chances for New Functional Plants
1. Distribution of fructan accumulating plants across the biogeographical regions
2. Relation of fructan accumulation to extreme climate and soil conditions
3. Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus)
4. Root chicory (Cichorium intybus)
5. Agave species
6. Aloe
7. Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius)
8. Others
9. Potential of “fructan accumulators” as novel resources for fructan-based plant products
10. Biofuel
11. Feed
12. Food processing
13. Functional food
14. Health promotive effects
15. Pharmaceutical and cosmetics
16. Microencapsulation
17. Cosmetic products
18. Plant protection
Chapter 19. Fructans for Life: Conclusions and Perspectives
1. Origin of fructans in life
2. From research to applications: state of the art
3. Future perspectives
4. A place for fructans in circular concepts
Index

Wim Van den Ende

Dr. Wim Van den Ende received his PhD degree in Agronomical Engineering in 1996 and currently he is working as a Professor at the Biology Department of KU Leuven University (Leuven, Belgium). He is the Principal Investigator of the Sugar Metabolism group within the Lab of Molecular Plant Biology. Ongoing research topics are fructan metabolism in plants and microbes, sweet immunity concepts including fructan priming and prebiotic effects for plant protection, role of carbohydrates during plant stress responses and plant development, and structure-function research on carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes from plants and microbes. Recently, Dr. Wim Van den Ende focuses on plant-microbial interactions, providing sustainable alternatives for the widespread use of pesticides for plant protection. He published 200 peer-reviewed research papers and reviews.

Affiliations and expertise

Professor, Biology Department, KU Leuven University, Leuven, Belgium

Ebru Toksoy Oner

Dr. Ebru Toksoy Öner received her PhD degree in Chemical Engineering in 2000 and currently she is working as a Professor at the Bioengineering Department of Marmara University (Istanbul, Turkey). She is the Principal Investigator of the Industrial Biotechnology and Systems Biology (IBSB) research group. Dr. Toksoy Öner’s current research in IBSB focuses on biomaterials, functional foods and systems microbiology. Ongoing research topics are functional biosurfaces, laser-based technologies, extremophiles, fructans, levan polysaccharide, strain improvement for exopolysaccharide production, production of biopolymers form extremophiles, and optimization of fermentation processes to design high-yield production lines. Dr. Toksoy Öner has been the coordinator of several national and international projects and partner in COST Actions. She is the Member of European Federation of Biotechnology (EFB), American Nano Society (ANS), American Chemical Society (ACS), International Society for Extremophiles (ISE), Turkish Biotechnology Society and author of book chapters, reviews and over 100 peer-reviewed research articles.

Affiliations and expertise

Professor, Bioengineering Department, Marmara University, Instanbul, Turkey

Life Sciences

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