Biotechnological potential of microbial inulinases: Recent perspective

Among microbial enzymes, inulinases or fructo-furanosylhydrolases have received considerable attention in the past decade, and as a result, a variety of applications based on enzymatic hydrolysis of inulin have been documented. Inulinases are employed for generation of fructose and inulo-oligosaccharides (IOS) in a single-step reaction with specificity. The high fructose syrup can be biotransformed into value-added products such as ethanol, single cell protein, while IOS are indicated in nutraceutical industry as prebiotic. Myriad microorganisms produce inulinases, and a number of exo- and endo-inulinases have been characterized and expressed in heterologous hosts. Initially, predominated by Aspergilli, Penicillia, and some yeasts (Kluyveromyces spp.), the list of prominent inulinase producers has gradually expanded and now includes extremophilic prokaryotes and marine-derived microorganisms producing robust inulinases. The present paper summarizes important developments about microbial inulinases and their applications made in the last decade.