Marine Polysaccharides: Occurrence, Enzymatic Degradation and Utilization

Area of Science:

• Marine biotechnology
• Carbohydrate chemistry
• Enzymology

Background:

• Macroalgae are fast-growing and rich in polysaccharides with hydrocolloid and bioactive properties.
• Algal polysaccharides are complex, hindering exploration of their sugar components.
• Accessing rare sugars from these polysaccharides remains a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements in the enzymatic degradation of marine polysaccharides.
• To highlight the discovery of specific carbohydrate-active enzymes for complex marine carbohydrates.
• To discuss potential applications of accessible marine polysaccharides.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent literature on carbohydrate-active enzymes.
• Focus on enzymes targeting specific algal polysaccharides like carrageenan, laminarin, agar, porphyran, and ulvan.
• Summary of enzyme discovery and characterization.

Main Results:

• Significant progress in discovering highly specific enzymes for marine carbohydrate decomposition.
• Enzymes capable of breaking down complex algal polysaccharides have been identified.
• Oligo- and monosaccharides, including rare sugars, are now accessible.

Conclusions:

• Enzymatic degradation offers a viable method to access valuable sugars from marine polysaccharides.
• This research unlocks an abundant, renewable resource for diverse applications.
• Further exploration of enzyme cocktails and applications is warranted.