Influence of Glycosidic Linkages and Molecular Weight on the Fermentation of Maltose-Based Oligosaccharides by Human Gut Bacteria

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry Vol. 54; no. 26; pp. 9779 - 9784
• Main Authors: Sanz, María Luz, Côté, Gregory L, Gibson, Glenn R, Rastall, Robert A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 27.12.2006
• Subjects: bacteria; Bacteria - growth & development; Bifidobacteriaceae; Biological and medical sciences; carbohydrate metabolism; carbohydrate structure; degree of polymerization; Feces - microbiology; Fermentation; Fish and seafood industries; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glycosides - chemistry; Humans; intestinal microorganisms; Intestines - microbiology; maltooligosaccharides; maltose; Maltose - analysis; Maltose - chemistry; Molecular Weight; oligosaccharides; Oligosaccharides - chemistry; Oligosaccharides - metabolism; Polymers - chemistry; prebiotics; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; Structure-Activity Relationship; Bass; Human; Edible fish; Maltose-based oligosaccharides; Digestive system; Oligosaccharide; Gut; structure-function relationship; Microflora; molecular weight; Maltose; Fermentation; Structure function relationship; gut microflora; Bacteria; Molecular mass
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf061894v

A structure−function study was carried out to increase knowledge of how glycosidic linkages and molecular weights of carbohydrates contribute toward the selectivity of fermentation by gut bacteria. Oligosaccharides with maltose as the common carbohydrate source were used. Potentially prebiotic alternansucrase and dextransucrase maltose acceptor products were synthesized and separated into different molecular weights using a Bio-gel P2 column. These fractions were characterized by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight. Nonprebiotic maltooligosaccharides with degrees of polymerization (DP) from three to seven were commercially obtained for comparison. Growth selectivity of fecal bacteria on these oligosaccharides was studied using an anaerobic in vitro fermentation method. In general, carbohydrates of DP3 showed the highest selectivity towards bifidobacteria; however, oligosaccharides with a higher molecular weight (DP6−DP7) also resulted in a selective fermentation. Oligosaccharides with DPs above seven did not promote the growth of “beneficial” bacteria. The knowledge of how specific structures modify the gut microflora could help to find new prebiotic oligosaccharides. Keywords: Maltose-based oligosaccharides; molecular weight; structure−function relationship; gut microflora