Bacillus spp. as microbial factories for levan and fructooligosaccharide production - Recent trends

Levan is a fructan-type homopolysaccharide that has gained increasing attention due to its unique properties and promising applications. It is a fructose-based polymer produced through microbial fermentation by diverse microorganisms, including bacteria, yeasts and archaea. The ongoing research on levan mainly focuses on optimizing production processes, elucidating its biological functions, and uncover novel applications. Studies on novel microbial producer strains and fermentation conditions have led to advancements in production processes. Remarkably, the production of levan using the native producer Bacillus spp. has shown promising trends in yield and molecular weight distribution of levan and levan-type fructooligosaccharides. Ongoing studies on levan highlight the importance of understanding the complexities of levan production for commercial scalability. The present article explores the potential of Bacillus spp. as native levan producers, presenting insights into synthesis mechanisms, factors influencing the production of levan, and genetic modifications aimed at enhancing production efficiency and altering properties.