α-l-Arabinofuranosidase: A Potential Enzyme for the Food Industry

Abstract

Cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, and lignin are the major components of plant cell wall. Hemicellulose is the second most abundant carbohydrate polymer on the earth. Hemicelluloses are branched, hetero-polysaccharides formed by β-(1 → 4)-linked backbones of hexoses like glucose (xyloglucan), galactose (galactan), mannose (mannan) or pentoses like xylose (xylan), and arabinose (arabinan). Xylan contains the backbone of 1,4-linked-β-d-xylopyranose with various side-chain substitutions such as arabinose, acetic acid, glucuronic acid, ferulic, acid, and p-coumaric acid. l-arabinose side chain is found in hemicelluloses like arabinan, arabinoxylan, oat spelt xylan, and arabinogalactan. The extent of side-chain substitution depends on the source of the xylan, which makes its structure complex and hinders its enzymatic hydrolysis. α-l-arabinofuranosidase hydrolyzes arabinose side chain present at α-1,2-, α-1,3-, and α-1,5-positions in arabinoxylan, thus potentiating other xylanolytic enzymes to act efficiently on the backbone. Therefore, α-l-arabinofuranosidase has potential application in agro-industrial processes because of its functioning synergistically with other hemicellulases. α-l-arabinofuranosidases are used for improving bread quality, for wine flavor, for clarification of fruit juices, as supplement for feedstock for enhancing digestion, in the production of medicinal compounds, and in the production of oligosaccharide and modification of their side chains. This chapter presents a comprehensive overview of α-l-arabinofuranosidase, sources, production, and its applications in food processing.