Method Of Production

Abstract

The present invention in the field of oligosaccharide production provides a method of producing oligosaccharides of useful lengths without producing substantial amounts of monosaccharides and disaccharides (illustrated by FIG. 1). There is provided a method for producing an ingredient suitable for incorporation into a foodstuff, cosmetic, or nutraceutical, said ingredient comprising one or more oligosaccharides, wherein the oligosaccharides are produced in an enzymatic reaction, said enzymatic reaction comprising the step of contacting, in a solution or suspension, a polysaccharide-cleaving enzyme and a polysaccharide-containing feedstock, wherein said enzymatic reaction produces substantially no monosaccharides or disaccharides.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE

[0001] This application is a continuation application of International Application Serial No. PCT/EP2019/054380, filed Feb. 21, 2019, which claims priority to European Application Serial No. 18157957.4, filed Feb. 21, 2018, all of which each application is incorporated by referenced in their entirety.

SEQUENCE LISTING

[0002] The instant application contains a Sequence Listing which has been submitted in ASCII format via EFS-Web and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Said ASCII copy, created on Aug. 18, 2020, is named 56406_704_301_ST25.txt and is 41.6 kilobytes in size.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The invention relates to the enzymatic production of oligosaccharides and their use in foodstuffs, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Sugary foods and drinks are an important part of culture and lifestyle habits across the world, but the sugar they contain has been linked to obesity, diabetes, poor dental health, and disruptive behaviour in people. Because of this, consumer preferences have been shifting away from sugar-containing foods, and governments are increasingly implementing regulation to encourage the consumption of less sugar.

[0005] As such, industry has been searching for appropriate low-calorie sweeteners for many decades to substitute for sugar in food and beverages. Unfortunately, many sugar substitutes are produced from non-natural resources, and often offer bitter undertones or other unpleasant tastes along with their sweetness, both of which consumers find unappealing. Moreover, while sweeteners are able to mimic the sweetness of sugar in food and drinks, few are able to mimic the other aspects of sugar such as adding bulk, modulating texture, providing structure, acting as a preservative, and modulating colour and flavour through caramelisation and Maillard reactions.

[0006] Dietary fibre is an important part of a positive diet, and helps maintain digestive health and a well-regulated gut flora. Such fibre comprises polysaccharides of varying chain lengths and saccharide types. In addition to being found naturally in a wide spectrum of foods, fibre can also be produced separately and added to other foods during their manufacture.

[0007] Methods of industrially producing dietary oligosaccharides may involve chemically or enzymatically cleaving long polysaccharides into shorter chains. However, in addition to chains of the desired length, mono- and di-saccharides are liberated by this cleaving action. Because mono- and di-saccharides are classed as `sugar` in nutritional labelling, and because they cause the negative effects on human health described above, they are undesirable in many food uses for oligosaccharides. Glucose, galactose, fructose, maltose, sucrose and lactose in particular are undesired, as they are calorific. However, despite the negative associations with excess mono- and di-saccharides on human health, compositions comprising high levels of mono- and di-saccharides, such as 100%, are abundantly used in the food industry.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present inventor has found that sugar compositions comprising longer chained saccharides (oligosaccharides), which replace substantial amounts of the mono- and di-saccharides in the presently used compositions, still provide the desired sweetness and texture properties in a foodstuff. However, the negative effects that are associated with the current sugar compositions on human health are significantly improved; for example, the compositions of the present invention contain far fewer calories and have less impact on dental health.

[0009] Furthermore, the present inventor has discovered enzymatic methods of producing oligosaccharides of useful lengths without producing substantial amounts of monosaccharides and disaccharides, and has found that foodstuffs derived from these oligosaccharides have improved characteristics. Monosaccharides and disaccharides are often removed from oligosaccharide compositions, adding time, complexity, energy, and expense to the manufacturing process. As a result, the inventor's novel methods are useful in manufacturing foodstuffs, nutraceuticals, and cosmetic products.

[0010] Further, the inventor has found that when the enzyme is a Lytic Polysaccharide Monooxygenase (LPMO), some of the oligosaccharide chains produced have chemical modifications at one or both termini which may modulate the flavour, colour, caramelisation, and other properties of the oligosaccharide in such ways as are useful in the food industry.

[0011] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for producing an ingredient suitable for incorporation into a foodstuff, cosmetic, or nutraceutical, said ingredient comprising one or more oligosaccharides, wherein the oligosaccharides are produced in an enzymatic reaction, said enzymatic reaction comprising the step of contacting, in a solution or suspension, a polysaccharide-cleaving enzyme and a polysaccharide-containing feedstock, wherein said enzymatic reaction produces substantially no monosaccharides or disaccharides.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an ingredient for incorporation into a foodstuff, cosmetic, or nutraceutical, comprising .beta.-1,4-glucan oligosaccharides, wherein one or more terminal saccharide residues are oxidised to a lactone, a 4-ketoaldose, an aldonic acid or a geminal diol, and wherein the ingredient comprises substantially no monosaccharides or disaccharides.

[0013] According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided an ingredient for incorporation into a foodstuff, cosmetic, or nutraceutical, comprising .beta.-1,4-glucan oligosaccharides and another oligosaccharide.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0014] FIG. 1: PACE gel showing products of incubation of phosphoric acid-swollen cellulose with a buffered solution of PaLPMO9E and/or ascorbate, as per example 1.

[0015] FIG. 2: PACE gel showing products of incubation of washed oats with a solution of GH16 lichenase from Bacillus subtilis, as per example 2.

[0016] FIG. 3: Photo of cakes made by incorporating into the cake batter sugar, mixed-linkage glucan oligosaccharides or neither sugar nor oligosaccharide, as per example 2.

[0017] FIG. 4: PACE gel showing products of incubation of spruce wood chips with a buffered solution of GH30 xylanase from Ruminiclostridium thermocellum, as per example 3.

[0018] FIG. 5: PACE gel showing products of incubation of tamarind xyloglucan with a buffered solution of GH5 xyloglucanase from Paenibacillus sp, as per example 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The inventor has discovered enzymatic methods of producing oligosaccharides of lengths useful in foodstuff, cosmetic, or nutraceutical products without also producing substantial amounts of monosaccharides and disaccharides. Some embodiments additionally offer products with novel properties.

[0020] As used herein, "food" and "foodstuff" refer to any item destined for consumption, which may be consumption by a human, or by any other animal. It may be food, feed, a beverage, or an ingredient to be used in the production of any of the above.

[0021] As used herein, "nutraceutical" refers to any composition introduced into a human or other animal, whether by ingestion, injection, absorption, or any other method, for the purpose of providing nutrition to the human or other animal. Use in such a nutraceutical may take the form of a drink with added dietary fibre, a prebiotic additive, a pill or other capsule, tablet binding agent; or any other suitable use.

[0022] As used herein, "cosmetic" refers to any composition which is intended for use on humans or other animals to increase their aesthetic appeal or prevent future loss of aesthetic appeal, as well as any other compositions known in general parlance as cosmetics. Aesthetic appeal is not limited to visual aesthetics but applies as well to textural or any other appeal. The cosmetic may be mascara, foundation, lip gloss, eyeshadow, eyeliner, primer, lipstick blush, nail polish, bronzer, or any other makeup; shampoo, conditioner, styling mousse, styling gel, hairspray, hair dye, hair wax, or any other hair product; moisturiser, exfoliant, suncream, cleanser, toothpaste, or a cream, a lotion, ointment or any other composition effective in modifying teeth, skin, hair or other parts of the body in some aesthetic way. Or it may be a composition used as a component of a face mask, brush, hair roller, other styling device, or other solid structure, or any other suitable composition.

[0023] One step of the method of the current invention is an enzymatic reaction, in which one or more enzymes are placed in a suitable reaction vessel together with one or more feedstocks, which may be soluble or insoluble in water, and a suitable solvent.

[0024] A variety of enzymes are suitable for use in the enzymatic reaction of the current invention. Any enzyme which, when acting on a polysaccharide-containing feedstock, produces oligosaccharides while producing substantially no monosaccharides or disaccharides may be appropriate. Preferably, the enzymatic reaction comprises a lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase (LPMO), a lichenase, a xyloglucan endoglucanase (XEG), a mannanase, and/or a xylanase, such as a GH5, GH8, GH10, GH11 and/or GH30 xylanase. More preferably, the enzymatic reaction comprises an LPMO. Even more preferably, the enzymatic reaction comprises a mannanase. Yet more preferably, the enzymatic reaction comprises a xylanase, such as GH5, GH8, GH10, GH11 or GH30 xylanase. Enzyme cocktails comprising numerous enzymes are also envisaged, for example those comprising an LPMO and a xylanase, or those comprising an LPMO, a xylanase, and a lichenase or those comprising a xylanase and a mannanase. Each enzyme may be provided to the enzymatic reaction as a purified enzyme, a semi-purified mixture derived from some natural source or lab-grown culture, in the form of a microbial strain engineered to produce the enzyme, or in any other way. Fusions of these enzymes either with other enzymes or with non-enzymatic modules such as carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs) are also envisaged within each respective term, for example an LPMO fused to a CBM, a xylanase fused to a CBM, or a xylanase fused to an LPMO.

[0025] As used herein, "lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase" and "LPMO" refer to a class of enzymes able to oxidatively cleave polysaccharides using a copper-comprising moiety and using an oxygen source, such as a molecule of dioxygen, peroxide, or any other oxygen source; and a suitable reducing agent. As such, when an LPMO is used, the enzymatic reaction may be carried out under aerobic conditions. Suitable reducing agents are not particularly limited, but examples include ascorbic acid, gallic acid, cysteine, NADH, NADPH, pyrogallol, dithiothreitol, cyanoborohydrides, borohydrides, photosynthetic pigments, lignin, lignols, and a combination of cellobiose and cellobiose dehydrogenase. While the skilled person knows a wide variety of photosynthetic pigments which may be used, thylakoids and purified fractions, or chlorophyllin, are preferred, and light may be supplied.

[0026] The reducing agent is added to the enzymatic reaction at a certain molar concentration ratio to the enzyme or enzyme cocktail. This ratio may be any suitable ratio, for example from about 10.sup.1:1 to about 10.sup.8:1, preferably from about 10.sup.3:1 to about 10.sup.6:1, more preferably from about 10.sup.4:1 to about 10.sup.5:1.

[0027] Aerobic conditions may comprise the addition of oxygen, which may be provided by aeration of the substrate mixture with an oxygen-comprising gas, such as air. Aeration may be conducted by the introduction of oxygen-comprising air bubbles into the aqueous substrate mixtures by various systems, such as an air-injector, an aeration frit, a membrane system, or an internal-loop airlift reactor. Preferably the concentration of molecular oxygen in the enzymatic reaction is from about 4 to about 14 mg/I.

[0028] As the oxidising activity of LPMOs is particularly powerful, they can oxidatively cleave even very recalcitrant polymers such as cellulose. This makes production of useful oligosaccharides possible even from feedstocks which are seen traditionally as poor source materials for food and are therefore very cheap. Examples of such feedstocks include plant biomass such as grain, grain chaff, bean pods, seed-coats, and/or other seed materials; seaweeds; corn stover, corn cob, straw, bagasse, miscanthus, sorghum residue, switch grass, bamboo, and/or other monocotyledonous tissue; water hyacinth, leaf tissue, roots, and/or other vegetative matter; hardwood, hardwood chips, hardwood pulp, softwood, softwood chips, softwood pulp, paper, paper pulp, cardboard, and/or other wood-based feedstocks; crab shells, squid biomass, shrimp shells, and/or other marine biomass; and/or any combination of appropriate feedstocks. Feedstocks suitable for producing the oligosaccharide profile of the current invention when acted on by LPMOs may comprise, for example, cellulose, chitin, chitosan, xylan and/or mannan, but any feedstock which can be suitably acted upon is envisaged.

[0029] Preferably, LPMOs are selected from the following families: AA9, AA10, AA11, AA13, AA14 and AA15. More preferably, the LPMO is PaLPMO9E (SEQ ID NO:1), an AA9 LPMO originally isolated from the ascomycete fungus Podospora anserina which produces particularly low levels of monosaccharides and disaccharides.

[0030] When LPMOs act on a substrate, of the two new terminal residues generated in any given cleavage reaction, one is oxidised. When LPMOs are used, cellulose, chitin, and chitosan are preferred substrates. If cellulose, for example, is the substrate, when the .beta.-1,4 glycosidic bond is cleaved, the residue attached to the C1 carbon is converted into a lactone and the residue attached to the C4 carbon into a 4-ketoaldose. The two moieties may then spontaneously react with water to form an aldonic acid and geminal diol respectively. The resulting oligosaccharides are thus largely equivalent to .beta.-glucans generated in any other fashion, but differ subtly in some regards. Preferably the resulting oligosaccharides comprise .beta.-glucans and/or polymers of glucosamine.

[0031] In the case of glucans generated by LPMOs, the products may have different caramelisation properties, flavour, colour, and other properties compared to equivalents generated via non-oxidising means. As such, while they can be used in the same applications as other glucans, they provide a subtle refinement in terms of these properties which may be preferred to other sources of glucan in some applications. Similarly, use of different LPMOs yields different proportions of the different types of oxidised ends and so use of different LPMOs can enable the tailoring of oxidation to suit different food, nutraceutical and cosmetic applications.

[0032] Another exemplary enzyme useful in the invention is a lichenase, which may be selected from the GHS, GH7, GH8, GH9, GH12, GH16, GH17, or GH26 families, preferably a GH16 enzyme, more preferably a GH16 enzyme derived from Bacillus subtilis (SEQ ID NO:2). Claimed herein is a lichenase which produces substantially no monosaccharides or disaccharides when acting on an appropriate polysaccharide substrate such as lichenin or other mixed-linkage glucan. The enzyme is able to act on, for example, mixed linkage glucans, which are glucans comprising a mixture of .beta.-1,3 and .beta.-1,4 linkages, and may cleave them at .beta.-1,4 glycosidic bonds. In the preferable case in which the lichenase acts on a mixed linkage glucan, the .beta.-glucans produced may fall largely within the size range of from about 3 to about 7 residues, so they are particularly useful in the food, cosmetics and nutraceutical industries.

[0033] Mixed linkage glucans are abundant in members of the grass and horsetail families, and as such, grass-based feedstocks such as straw have high levels of it, and may be acted upon usefully with lichenases.

[0034] Another alternative enzyme useful in the invention is a xylanase of the GHS, GH8, GH10, GH11 and/or GH30 family, which may act on, for example, feedstocks comprising a xylan backbone. The xylanase may be, for example, a glucuronoxylanase, an arabinoxylanase, or a glucuronoarabinoxylanase. The enzyme may be active on a variety of polymers having a xylan backbone, such as glucuronoxylan, arabinoxylan, and glucuronoarabinoxylan. These polymers are abundant in various plant-derived feedstocks, for example both hardwood and softwood may comprise appropriate polysaccharides, with hardwood often comprising glucuronoxylan and softwood often arabinoglucuronoxylan. Preferred xylanases include GH5 xylanases from Ruminiclostridium thermocellum (SEQ ID NO:3) and Gonapodya prolifera (SEQ ID NO:4), and GH30 xylanases from Dickeya chrysanthemi (SEQ ID NO:5), Bacillus subtilis (SEQ ID NO:6) and Bacteroides ovatus (SEQ ID NO:7).

[0035] Feedstocks comprising softwood arabinoglucuronoxylan are preferred feedstocks, and when digested with GH30 xylanases the products comprise oligosaccharides having a main chain of a length useful in the foodstuff, cosmetics, and nutraceutical industries. These oligosaccharides may comprise more than about five main chain residues and substantially no monosaccharides or disaccharides.

[0036] Feedstocks comprising hardwood glucuronoxylan are another preferred feedstock, and when digested with GH30 xylanases the products comprise glucuronoxylan chains largely comprising from about 5 to about 30 main chain residues.

[0037] Other enzymes useful in the invention include xyloglucanases and xyloglucan endoglucanases (XEGs), which are produced by numerous organisms, including plant-pathogenic microbes. They are able to act on xyloglucan, a hemicellulosic .beta.-1,4 glucan chain abundant in the primary cell wall of higher plants, which is decorated with xylose, some of the xylose residues being further decorated with other residues, such as galactose. When appropriate xyloglucanases or XEGs act on xyloglucan, the products comprise xyloglucan oligosaccharides having a main chain of a length useful in the foodstuff, cosmetics, and nutraceutical industries, and comprise substantially no monosaccharides or disaccharides. One preferable xyloglucanase is a GH5 xyloglucanase from Bacteroides ovatus (SEQ ID NO:8).

[0038] The enzymatic reaction may take place in solution and/or suspension, in a suitable reaction vessel. At a temperature or temperature protocol appropriate for the particular combination of enzyme and feedstock, the reaction may be allowed to progress for a certain amount of time, or until the products have reached a desired concentration, or until some other requirement has been met.

[0039] As used herein, "suspension" refers to a composition comprising at least two immiscible phases, for example, a solid and a liquid phase, wherein the weight of the solid phase may be, as a percentage of the weight of the composition, in the range of from about 0.5% to about 30%, preferably 1% to about 10%, more preferably from about 2% to about 7%, yet more preferably from about 3% to about 5%. The suspension may comprise a suitable solvent, which is preferably water. It may be particularly beneficial to use a slightly higher concentration, for instance to improve process time, of from about 1% to about 35%, preferably 5% to about 30%, more preferably from about 8% to about 25%, yet more preferably from about 10% to about 20%.

[0040] In order to ensure optimal contact between the enzymes and feedstock, the reaction mixture may be agitated, either constantly or at intervals. The agitation may take the form of rhythmically moving the entire reaction vessel, of a fan or other stirring device, of a bubble sparging, or any other method of agitation.

[0041] The enzymatic reaction may be a microbial fermentation. The temperature and reaction time will be suitable for the growth of the microbial organism used. The microbial organism may be genetically altered to produce an enzyme suitable for the production of an oligosaccharide of the present invention, while producing substantially no monosaccharides or disaccharides. The microbe may be, for example, a bacterium, for example Escherichia coli, or a fungus, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

[0042] Further embodied in the present invention is an expression vector suitable for modifying the subject microorganism such that it produces an enzyme or mixture of enzymes of the current invention. Where desired, the expression vector, which may be a plasmid or any other nucleic acid able to induce production of the enzyme, may comprise one or more of the following regulatory sequences so as to control the expression of the exogenous enzyme: regulatory sequences of a heat shock gene, regulatory sequences of a toxicity gene, and regulatory sequences of a spore formation gene.

[0043] The enzymatic reaction is carried out at a temperature or temperature protocol appropriate to the enzymes and substrates used. For example, it may be carried out at a constant temperature in the range of from about 10.degree. C. to about 80.degree. C., preferably about 20.degree. C. to about 60.degree. C., more preferably from about 30.degree. C. to about 40.degree. C. It may be particularly beneficial to use a slightly higher temperature, for instance to improve process time, of about 30.degree. C. to about 70.degree. C., preferably from about 40.degree. C. to about 60.degree. C. If the enzymatic reaction takes the form of a microbial fermentation the temperature may be appropriate for such, for example the enzymatic reaction may comprise the growth of E. coli and/or the temperature may be constant and approximately 37.degree. C.

[0044] The pH of the solution or suspension may affect the activity of the enzymes. Control of pH may be important in assuring that an enzymatic reaction proceeds at a suitable rate. The enzymatic reaction of the present invention may take place at a pH in the range of from about 2 to about 10, preferably about 3 to about 8, more preferably about 4 to about 6.

[0045] The enzymatic reaction is allowed to continue for a certain time period before optionally being quenched, and the products isolated or otherwise collected. This time period may be from about 1 minute to about 5 days, and is preferably from about 0.5 days to about 3 days, more preferably from about 16 hours to about 48 hours. The reaction may alternatively be allowed to proceed until completion or approximate completion of the reaction. If the reaction is allowed to continue until completion or approximate completion of the reaction, this may be longer than 5 days.

[0046] The one or more feedstocks added to the enzymatic reaction comprise polysaccharides. Such polysaccharides may have been produced by a separate reaction proceeding simultaneously in the reaction vessel. The polysaccharides present in the enzymatic reaction are cleaved by enzymes into useful oligosaccharides.

[0047] Any substance which comprises appropriate polysaccharides may form part of the feedstock. As the foodstuff, cosmetic, and nutraceutical industries use a broad variety of oligosaccharides, the polysaccharides appropriate for taking part in the enzymatic reaction are not particularly limited. Preferably, the feedstock comprises one or more polysaccharide selected from cellulose, chitin, chitosan, mixed-linkage glucan, xylan, and xyloglucan. If xylans are present, they preferably comprise glucuronoxylan, arabinoxylan, and/or glucuronoarabinoxylan.

[0048] The feedstocks comprising such polysaccharides are also not particularly limited, as most plant matter is rich in such polymers. As such, the feedstock may comprise plant biomass such as grain, grain chaff, bean pods, seed-coats, and/or other seed materials; seaweeds; corn stover, corn cob, straw, bagasse, miscanthus, sorghum residue, switch grass, bamboo, and/or other monocotyledonous tissue; water hyacinth, leaf tissue, roots, and/or other vegetative matter; hardwood, hardwood chips, hardwood pulp, softwood, softwood chips, softwood pulp, paper, paper pulp, cardboard, and/or other wood-based feedstocks; crab shells, squid biomass, shrimp shells, and/or other marine biomass, and/or any combination of appropriate feedstocks. Preferably, the feedstock comprises wheat straw or wood. As any given natural feedstock is likely to comprise a mixture of different polysaccharides, it will sometimes be the case that a cocktail of different enzymes is beneficial. Such a cocktail may comprise any other enzyme. For example, such a cocktail might comprise a cellulase with a xylanase, a cellulase with a mannanase, a xylanase with a mannanase, an LPMO with a xylanase, an LPMO with a lichenase, an LPMO with a mannanase, or an LPMO with a different LPMO in which the enzyme partners are present in molar ratios preferably between 1:10 and 10:1. In addition, as many appropriate feedstocks are recalcitrant, pre-treatment of the feedstock is envisaged.

[0049] As used herein, "pre-treatment" is any process which makes a feedstock more easily acted upon by the enzymes inherent in the enzymatic reaction step of the current invention. The pre-treatment occurs before the enzymatic reaction, and may comprise acid treatment by, for example, sulphuric acid, phosphoric acid, or trifluoroacetic acid; alkali treatment by, for example, sodium hydroxide, or ammonia fibre expansion; heat treatment by, for example, hot water, hot steam, or hot acid; and/or enzyme treatment by, for example, a hydrolase, lyase, or LPMO, or any mixture of the above processes.

[0050] As used herein, "polysaccharide" refers to a saccharide polymer of any length greater than two residues. Polysaccharides may be highly branched, lightly branched, or unbranched, may comprise any manner of glycosidic bond in any combination, any number of, for example, .alpha. or .beta. linkages, and any combination of monomer types, such as glucose, glucosamine, mannose, xylose, galactose, fucose, fructose, glucuronic acid, arabinose, or derivatives thereof such as any combination of the above monomers decorated with acetyl or other groups. The polysaccharide may be a cellulosic or hemicellulosic polymer, hemicellulosic polymers envisaged including xylan, glucuronoxylan, arabinoxylan, glucomannan, and xyloglucan. Cellulose is the preferred cellulosic polymer. Mannan is preferred even more so. Xylan is preferred yet more still.

[0051] As used herein "highly branched", "lightly branched", and "unbranched" refer to the number of side-chains per stretch of main chain in a saccharide. Highly branched saccharides have on average from 4 to 10 side chains per 10 main-chain residues, slightly branched saccharides have on average from 1 to 3 side chains per 10 main-chain residues, and unbranched saccharides have only one main chain and no side chains. The average is calculated by dividing the number of side chains in a saccharide by the number of main-chain residues.

[0052] As used herein, "saccharide" refers to any polysaccharide, oligosaccharide, monosaccharide, or disaccharide.

[0053] As used herein, "oligosaccharide" refers to saccharide polymers having chain lengths generally within the range which is useful in the context of a foodstuff, cosmetic, or nutraceutical product. They are comprised at least within the products of the enzymatic reaction. Typical chain lengths may be from about 3 to about 16 saccharide residues. Oligosaccharides may be highly branched, lightly branched, or unbranched, may comprise glycosidic bonds in any combination, any number of .alpha. or .beta. linkages, and any combination of monomer types, such as glucose, glucosamine, mannose, xylose, galactose, fucose, fructose, glucuronic acid, arabinose, or derivatives thereof. Suitable derivatives include the above monomers comprising acetyl or other groups.

[0054] The oligosaccharides produced in the process of the present invention fall within an upper and a lower size limit. The lower size limit is that substantially no monosaccharides or disaccharides are produced.

[0055] As used herein, "substantially no" monosaccharides or disaccharides refers to a set of products in which by weight less than about 60%, preferably less than about 50%, preferably less than about 40%, more preferably less than about 30%, even more preferably less than about 20%, even more preferably less than about 15%, even more preferably less than about 10%, even more preferably less than about 5%, even more preferably less than about 2%, yet more preferably less than about 1%, most preferably less than about 0.1%, of the imageable saccharides are monosaccharides or disaccharides.

[0056] As described herein, the enzymatic reaction of the invention is useful to produce oligosaccharides whilst producing substantially no monosaccharides and disaccharides. However, it is envisaged that the reaction will take place in a large vessel with other reactions (e.g. enzymatic) taking place at the same time. These other enzymatic reactions will also be breaking down polysaccharides into smaller saccharides, including oligosaccharides, but may also produce monosaccharides and disaccharides. Thus, the method further comprises a second enzymatic reaction comprising contacting a second polysaccharide-cleaving enzyme to the one or more polysaccharide-containing feedstocks, which may produce one or more disaccharides. In some instances monosaccharides may also be produced. These monosaccharides and disaccharides may be included in the ingredient, thus in a specific feature, suitably the amount of disaccharides in the produced ingredient is less than about 50%, preferably less than about 40%, more preferably less than about 35%, more preferably less than about 30%, even more preferably less than about 25%, even more preferably less than about 20%, even more preferably less than about 15%, even more preferably less than about 10%, yet even more preferably less than about 5% of the imageable saccharides.

[0057] Suitably the amount of monosaccharides in the produced ingredient is less than about 25%, preferably less than about 20%, more preferably less than about 15%, even more preferably less than about 10%, even more preferably less than about 5%, yet even more preferably less than about 3%, yet even more preferably less than about 1% of the imageable saccharides.

[0058] As used herein, "imageable polysaccharides" are those which are visible in the gel or spectrum when one of the following imaging protocols is carried out.

[0059] One way of assessing the percentages by weight of different polysaccharides produced by the current invention is processing a sample of the enzymatic reaction products to derivatise their reducing ends with a fluorophore followed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, before imaging the resulting polyacrylamide gel, for example by fluorescence imaging, and conducting optical density analysis on each band, the resulting value to be adjusted by residue-count to give an indication of mass. The skilled person will be able to carry this out with the information inside this application, in conjunction with Goubet et al. (2002). This is the method envisaged for calculating percentage values by weight of imageable polysaccharides.

[0060] Another way of assessing the percentages by weight of different polysaccharides produced by the current invention is to analyse by high-throughput liquid chromatography, for example using an anion exchange chromatography column in an alkaline solution, followed by pulsed amperometric detection. The resulting data can be adjusted by residue-count to give an indication of mass. The skilled person will be able to carry this out with the information inside this application, in conjunction with Simmons et al. (2013).

[0061] As used herein "monosaccharide" and "disaccharide" refer to saccharide compounds consisting respectively of one or two residues. Monosaccharides are compounds such as glucose, glucosamine, xylose, galactose, fucose, fructose, glucuronic acid, arabinose, galacturonic acid; or epimers or other derivatives thereof. Suitable derivatives include acetyl or other groups. Disaccharides are compounds consisting of two monosaccharides joined via any glycosidic bond. Envisaged herein are enzymes or combinations of enzymes producing substantially no monosaccharides or disaccharides in such a reaction.

[0062] The upper size limit of the oligosaccharides depends on the enzymes, feedstock, and reaction conditions used, and may be that the weight of products comprising 16 or more residues in their main chain is below a certain percentage of the weight of imageable polysaccharides.

[0063] This percentage may be about 15%, preferably less than about 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, even more preferably less than about 2%, most preferably less than about 1%; or, it may be that the weight of products comprising 15 or more residues in their main chain is below about 15%, preferably less than about 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, even more preferably less than about 2%, most preferably less than about 1%, of the weight of imageable polysaccharides; or it may be that the weight of products comprising 14 or more residues in their main chain is below about 15%, preferably less than about 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, even more preferably less than about 2%, most preferably less than about 1%, of the weight of imageable polysaccharides, or, in increasing order of preference, that this is the case with products comprising 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, or 7 residues.

[0064] The feedstock may comprise cellulose, and when acted on by LPMOs or other enzymes, the weight of products comprising 7 or more residues in their main chain may be below about 15%, preferably less than about 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, even more preferably less than about 2%, most preferably less than about 1%, of the weight of imageable polysaccharides. Or it may be that the weight of products comprising 8 or more residues in their main chain may be below about 15%, preferably less than about 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, even more preferably less than about 2%, most preferably less than about 1%, of the weight of imageable polysaccharides.

[0065] The feedstock may comprise chitin, and when acted on by LPMOs or other enzymes, the weight of products comprising 11 or more residues in their main chain may be below about 15%, preferably less than about 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, even more preferably less than about 2%, most preferably less than about 1%, of the weight of imageable polysaccharides. Or it may be that the weight of products comprising 12 or more residues in their main chain may be below about 15%, preferably less than about 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, even more preferably less than about 2%, most preferably less than about 1%, of the weight of imageable polysaccharides.

[0066] The feedstock may comprise chitin, and when acted on by LPMOs or other enzymes, the weight of products having only 3 or fewer residues in their main chain may be below about 15%, preferably less than about 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, even more preferably less than about 2%, most preferably less than about 1%, of the weight of imageable polysaccharides.

[0067] The feedstock may comprise mixed-linkage glucan, and when acted on by lichenase or other enzymes, the weight of products comprising 6 or more residues in their main chain may be below about 15%, preferably less than about 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, even more preferably less than about 2%, most preferably less than about 1%, of the weight of imageable polysaccharides. Or it may be that the weight of products comprising 7 or more residues in their main chain may be below about 15%, preferably less than about 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, even more preferably less than about 2%, most preferably less than about 1%, of the weight of imageable polysaccharides.

[0068] The feedstock may comprise xylan, preferably glucuronoxylan, arabinoxylan, or arabinoglucuronoxylan, more preferably hardwood glucuronoxylan or softwood arabinoglucuronoxylan.

[0069] The xylan may comprise arabinoglucuronoxylan, preferably softwood arabinoglucuronoxylan, and when acted on by a xylanase, such as a GH30 xylanase, or other enzyme, the weight of products comprising 9 or more residues in their main chain may be below about 15%, preferably less than about 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, even more preferably less than about 2%, most preferably less than about 1%, of the weight of imageable polysaccharides. Or it may be that the weight of products comprising 10 or more residues in their main chain may be below about 15%, preferably less than about 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, even more preferably less than about 2%, most preferably less than about 1%, of the weight of imageable polysaccharides.

[0070] The xylan may comprise arabinoglucuronoxylan, preferably softwood arabinoglucuronoxylan, and when acted on by a xylanase, such as a GH30 xylanase, or other enzyme, the weight of products having only 5 or fewer residues in their main chain may be below about 15%, preferably less than about 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, even more preferably less than about 2%, most preferably less than about 1%, of the weight of imageable polysaccharides.

[0071] The feedstock may comprise glucuronoxylan, preferably hardwood glucuronoxylan, and when acted on by xylanase, such as a GH30 xylanase, or another enzyme, the weight of products comprising 31 or more residues in their main chain may be below about 15%, preferably less than about 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, even more preferably less than about 2%, most preferably less than about 1%, of the weight of imageable polysaccharides.

[0072] The feedstock may comprise hardwood glucuronoxylan, preferably hardwood glucuronoxylan, and when acted on by xylanase, such as a GH30 xylanase, or another enzyme, the weight of products having only 4 or fewer residues in their main chain may be below about 15%, preferably less than about 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, even more preferably less than about 2%, most preferably less than about 1%, of the weight of imageable polysaccharides.

[0073] The feedstock may comprise xyloglucan, and when acted on by XEG or other enzymes, the weight of products comprising 6 or more residues in their main chain may be below about 15%, preferably less than about 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, even more preferably less than about 2%, most preferably less than about 1%, of the weight of imageable polysaccharides. Or it may be that the weight of products comprising 7 or more residues in their main chain may be below about 15%, preferably less than about 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, even more preferably less than about 2%, most preferably less than about 1%, of the weight of imageable polysaccharides

[0074] Where branched polymers are being described in terms of residue count, the number of residues refers only to the longest chain of residues, and does not include any side chains.

[0075] After the enzymatic reaction has progressed to a desired point, the products may be handled in a variety of ways. As the reaction mixture will often comprise a mixture of soluble and insoluble products, with at least some of the original feedstock often also remaining, the reaction mixture may be filtered to remove insoluble matter and prepare the soluble products for further processing.

[0076] When used herein and otherwise unqualified, "soluble", "solubility" and grammatical variants refer to solubility in water.

[0077] The desired oligosaccharides may also be isolated from the enzymatic reaction mixture in a number of ways. They may be isolated based on solubility, so that a composition of soluble saccharides only is extracted for further processing, and/or isolated chromatographically to produce a composition with a narrower band of oligosaccharide chain lengths. Isolation may for example be based on precipitation, size-exclusion chromatography, ion-exchange chromatography, or filtration, including ultrafiltration and nanofiltration. In the case that isolation based on solubility is carried out, the profile of saccharides present in the isolated composition will depend on the original enzymatic reaction, as different polysaccharides decrease in solubility with length at different rates.

[0078] Also envisaged in the scope of the invention is the further treatment of the produced oligosaccharides to produce further products before incorporation into a foodstuff, cosmetic, or nutraceutical. This further treatment may comprise any chemical, physical, or enzymatic step, such as reduction, preferably reductive amination where appropriate; oxidation, caramelisation, modification with a Schiff base, or via the Maillard reaction, or by any combination of such steps, and may provide different products having properties which are improved for the desired purpose. For example the caramelisation properties, calorific value, flavour, and colour may be modified.

[0079] The products of the one or more enzymatic reactions may be deemed an ingredient suitable for incorporation into a foodstuff, cosmetic, or nutraceutical at any stage of this process. For example, the reaction mixture itself, after the desired time limit or other condition for completion has been met, may directly be deemed the ingredient, or either the solid or liquid component of the filtered products may be the ingredient, or the composition of isolated oligosaccharides may be the ingredient, or the oligosaccharides having undergone further treatment may be the ingredient.

[0080] As used herein, "ingredient" is any composition suitable for incorporation into a foodstuff, cosmetic, or nutraceutical product, which may include those which are used directly as the product itself.

[0081] The present ingredient suitable for incorporation into a foodstuff, cosmetic, or nutraceutical may be usable directly as a foodstuff, cosmetic, or nutraceutical product, or it may be mixed with other ingredients to form a foodstuff, cosmetic, or nutraceutical. The ingredient may also be treated in some physical or chemical way before or during incorporation into a foodstuff, cosmetic, or nutraceutical. It may be directly incorporated into a product, or it may be incorporated into, for example, a dough, cake mixture, chocolate mixture or other food precursor; a cosmetic base composition; or a nutraceutical, and be optionally cooked or otherwise treated in a way which may cause chemical modification, a change of texture, a change of colour, or other modification.

[0082] Once a composition of the oligosaccharide products suitable for the application being considered is obtained, and further treatment and/or isolation is optionally carried out, the derivation of a foodstuff, cosmetic, or nutraceutical from the composition furnishes a very broad array of potential uses. The ingredients of the current invention are useful in applications in which oligosaccharides are conventionally used. They are particularly useful in applications in which monosaccharides and disaccharides are detrimental and would otherwise be considered for removal.

[0083] The invention includes a foodstuff, cosmetic, or nutraceutical comprising or produced from the ingredient of the current invention.

[0084] For example, in the food industry oligosaccharides produced by the current method may be used as sweeteners, bulking agents, added dietary fibre, or humectants. They may be incorporated into cakes, bread, or other baked goods, or into chocolate or other confectionery such as toffee, fudge, meringue, or caramel; or drinks, for example to provide favourable taste or colour characteristics or to increase dietary fibre content. Or they may be incorporated into animal feed, for example either as an isolated ingredient or by utilising the enzymatic reaction mixture directly as feed.

[0085] Of particular note is the use as a sweetening agent. As monosaccharides and disaccharides contribute to dental disease, calorific excess, obesity, and diabetes, and potentially behavioural issues, in certain applications food manufacturers would prefer not to include monosaccharides and disaccharides in their products. The oligosaccharides of the current invention, as their production method produces substantially no monosaccharides or disaccharides, may be used as sweetening agents, allowing foodstuffs to be sweet without exerting the detrimental effects of monosaccharides and disaccharides.

[0086] In the cosmetics industry, monosaccharides and disaccharides may contribute to spoilage if not removed at some stage of manufacture, while oligosaccharides are useful as ingredients, as they may improve texture and moisture retention, act as UV-absorbing molecules, maintain a gel or cream structure, and/or serve as bulking agents. Thus, the present invention includes a foodstuff, cosmetic, or nutraceutical comprising the oligosaccharide-containing ingredient obtainable by the method of the invention.

[0087] The oligosaccharides of the present invention are useful when incorporated into nutraceutical compositions, as the dietary fibre they provide without substantial concomitant provision of dietary sugar has been shown to encourage digestive health, well-regulated gut flora, and other benefits to wellbeing. In this context they may also function as an ingredient in a probiotic drink or other prebiotic or probiotic formulation.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

Manufacturing Oligosaccharides from Cellulose Using an LPMO

[0088] 1. Phosphoric acid-swollen cellulose (PASO) was prepared by making a slurry of 1 g Avicel cellulose (Sigma-Aldrich) with 3 ml H.sub.2O before adding 30 ml ice-cold phosphoric acid and incubating at 0.degree. C. for 1 h. The cellulose was then washed numerous times with water until the flowthrough had a neutral pH before use in reactions.

[0089] 2. Apo-PaLPMO9E (SEQ ID NO:1) was pre-incubated for 0.5-1 h at 5.degree. C. in 0.9 stoichiometric Cu(II)(NO.sub.3).sub.2 immediately before enzyme reactions.

[0090] 3. 25 .mu.g PASO, 30 .mu.g PaLPMO9E (pre-loaded with copper) and 500 nmol ascorbate were incubated in 100 .mu.l 100 mM ammonium acetate pH 6 for 32 hours at 50.degree. C. with intermittent shaking.

[0091] 4. Samples were centrifuged and supernatants were dried in vacuo.

[0092] 5. Supernatants were reductively labelled with ANTS and analysed by PACE (as per Goubet et al. 2002). FIG. 1 shows the resulting gel.

Example 2

Manufacturing Oligosaccharides from Mixed-Linkage Glucan Using a Lichenase and Incorporation of Said Oligosaccharides into a Cake

[0093] 1. 250 g ground porridge oat powder was boiled in 2 I water for 30 min.

[0094] 2. Once cooled, 2 I ice-cold 96% (v/v) ethanol was added and the suspension was allowed to sit overnight at 5.degree. C. The suspension was filter through miracloth until dry, resuspended in 50% (v/v) ethanol and again filtered through miracloth.

[0095] 3. The remaining mass was boiled in 1 I water and incubated for 16 h at 30.degree. C. with 2000 U of lichenase from Bacillus subtilis (SEQ ID NO:2, Megazyme).

[0096] 4. Once cooled, 2 I ice-cold 96% (v/v) ethanol was added and the suspension was allowed to sit overnight.

[0097] 5. The supernatant was collected by centrifugation and dried in vacuo, yielding 5.2 g mixed-linkage glucan oligosaccharides. An aliquot was reductively labelled with ANTS and analysed by PACE. FIG. 2 shows the resulting gel.

[0098] 6. One medium egg was beaten with 50 g butter and 50 g plain flour.

[0099] 7. 3 g of the mixture was taken and mixed with 1 g of sugar.

[0100] 8. 3 g of the mixture was taken and mixed with 1 g of mixed-linkage glucan oligosaccharides.

[0101] 9. 4 g of the mixture was taken and not mixed further with anything.

[0102] 10. All three batter mixtures were baked on a baking tray in a pre-heated oven at 180.degree. C. for 5 min.

[0103] 11. After baking, the cakes were cooled, photographed and tasted. FIG. 3 shows the photograph.

[0104] 12. The cake without added sugar or oligosaccharide was unable to hold the butter inside, which instead leaked out during baking. It has a smooth surface and doughy texture similar to pie pastry, and had a savoury flavour.

[0105] The cake containing sugar held butter well and had a more crumbly and spongy texture and surface, characteristic of cakes. It also became brown and crisp at the edges. It had a very sweet taste.

[0106] Similar to the sugar-containing cake, the cake containing mixed linkage glucan oligosaccharides held butter well and had a characteristically cake-like texture and surface. It also became brown and crisp at the edges like the sugar-containing cake. It was sweeter than the cake without added sugar or oligosaccharides, but not as sweet as the cake containing sugar.

Example 3

Manufacturing Oligosaccharides from Xylan Using a GH30 Xylanase

[0107] 1. Spruce wood chips were blended in suspension in a food blender until they broke into small particles, and then ball-milled.

[0108] 2. 100 .mu.l reaction mixtures containing 3.3 mg ball-milled spruce wood chips and 100 mM ammonium acetate pH6 were incubated for 16 h at 30.degree. C. with (or without) 5 .mu.g Ruminiclostridium thermocellum GH30 (sourced from NZYTech).

[0109] 3. Reaction products were reductively labelled with ANTS and analysed by PACE. FIG. 4 shows the resulting gel.

Example 4

Manufacturing Oligosaccharides from Xyloglucan Using a Xyloglucanase

[0110] 1. 100 .mu.l reaction mixtures containing 1% (w/v) tamarind xyloglucan and 100 mM ammonium acetate pH6 were incubated for 16 h at 30.degree. C. with (or without) 0.1 U xyloglucanase (GHS, CAS: 76901-10-5) from Paenibacillus sp. (Megazyme).

[0111] 2. Reaction products were reductively labelled with ANTS and analysed by PACE. FIG. 5 shows the resulting gel.

Prophetic Example 5

Banana Bread Baked Using the Disclosed Foodstuff Ingredient

[0112] A basic banana bread recipe making 10 servings, consists of one cup (US) (192 g) of sugar (i.e. granulated pure cane sugar for drinks and cereal, such as that provided by Tate and Lyle), 113.5 g of butter, three ripe bananas, three eggs, two cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tea spoon of baking soda and 1/2 tea spoon of salt.

[0113] An oven is preheated to 190.degree. C. The bananas are mashed in a bowl using a fork. In a separate bowl, the flour, baking soda and salt are mixed. The butter and sugar are whisked until combined and creamed. The mashed bananas are added and mixed well followed gradually by the whisked eggs until well blended. Then, the flour mixture is folded in. The mixture is poured into a greased baking loaf tin and baked for 45 mins, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. The basic bread is cooled on a cooling rack. The bread is cut into 10 portions.

[0114] Banana bread A is prepared using the same recipe as the basic banana bread, except 30% of the sugar is replaced with the disclosed ingredient of the invention, so 134 g of cane sugar and 58 g of the disclosed ingredient of the invention are used.

[0115] Banana bread B is prepared using the same recipe as the basic banana bread, except 50% of the sugar is replaced with the disclosed ingredient of the invention, so 96 g of cane sugar and 96 g of the disclosed ingredient of the invention are used.

[0116] Banana bread C is prepared using the same recipe as the basic banana bread, except 100% of the sugar is replaced with the disclosed ingredient of the invention, so 0 g of cane sugar and 192 g of the disclosed ingredient of the invention are used.

[0117] Results

[0118] The nutritional values of the banana breads are shown in Table 1. These are calculated using USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Legacy Release, April 2018 (https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list?home=true) using the following records: eggs (NDB Id 01123), cane sugar (NDB Id 45167812), butter (NDB Id 01145), bananas (NDB Id 09040), all-purpose flour (NDB Id 45054364), baking soda (NDB Id 18372), table salt (NDB Id 02047) and considering the whole recipe making 10 servings.

[0119] There is an 8% calorie reduction for bread A compared to the basic bread, a 30% reduction of added sugar and a 24% reduction in total sugar. There is a 12% calorie reduction for bread B compared to the basic bread, a 50% reduction of added sugar and a 39% reduction in total sugar. There is a 25% calorie reduction for bread C compared to the basic bread, a 100% reduction of added sugar and a 79% reduction in total sugar.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Nutritional value of one portion of each of the banana breads described. Basic bread Bread A (one Bread B (one Bread C (one (one portion) portion) portion) portion) Protein (g) 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 Fat (g) 10.5 10.5 10.5 10.5 Carbohydrate 45.8 45.8 45.8 45.8 (g) Fiber (g) 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 Sugar (g) 24.4 18.6 14.8 5.2 Calories 291.5 269.9 255.5 219.5 (kcal)

REFERENCES

[0120] Goubet F, Jackson P, Deery M J, Dupree P. Polysaccharide analysis using carbohydrate gel electrophoresis: a method to study plant cell wall polysaccharides and polysaccharide hydrolases. Anal Biochem. 2002, 53-68

[0121] Simmons T J, Uhrin D, Gregson T, Murray L, Sadler I H, Fry S C. An unexpectedly lichenase-stable hexasaccharide from cereal, horsetail and lichen mixed-linkage .beta.-glucans (MLGs): Implications for MLG subunit distribution Phytochemistry. 2013, 322-332

TABLE-US-00002 Enzyme Sequences LPMO AA9 LPMO from Podospora anserine Genbank ID CAP67740 (SEQ ID NO: 1) 1 mkgllsvaal slaysevsah yifqqlstgs tkhgvfqyir qntnynspvt dlssndlrcn 61 eggasgantq tvtvragdsf tfhldtpvyh qgpvsvylsk apgsassydg sgtwfkikdw 121 gptfpggqwt lagsytaqlp scitdgeyll riqslgihnp ypagtpqfyi scaqikvtgg 181 gsvnpsgvai pgafkatdpg ytaniysnfn sytvpgpsvf scgsngggss pvepqpqptt 241 tivtstrapv atqpagcava kwgqcggngw tgcttcaags tcntqnayyh qcv. Lichenase GH16 Lichenase from Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis str. 168 GenBank ID CAA86922.1 (SEQ ID NO: 2) 1 mpylkrvlll lvtglfmslf avtatasaqt ggsffdpfng ynsgfwqkad gysngnmfnc 61 twrannvsmt slgemrlalt spaynkfdcg enrsvqtygy glyevrmkpa kntgivssff 121 tytgptdgtp wdeidieflg kdttkvqfny ytngagnhek ivdlgfdaan ayhtyafdwq 181 pnsikwyvdg qlkhtatnqi pttpgkimmn lwngtgvdew lgsyngvnpl yahydwvryt 241 kk. Xylanase GH5 Arabinoxylanase from Ruminiclostridium thermocellum GenBank ID ABN53395.1 (SEQ ID NO: 3) 1 mgasiktsik irtvafvsii aialsilsfi pnrayaspqr grprinaart tfvgdngqpl 61 rgpytstewt aaapydqiar vkelgfnavh lyaecfdpry papgskapgy avneidkive 121 rtrelglylv itignganng nhnaqwardf wkfyapryak ethvlyeihn epvawgppys 181 sstanppgav dmeidvyrii rtyapetpvl lfsyavfggk ggaaealkdi rafnkavign 241 enavwtneav afhgyagwqe ttiaveellk agypcfmtey aggawgsgmg gldveltyel 301 erlgvswltf qyipptgvsd dvtkpeyfsa lvensglswt pdygnwpaar gvygngglar 361 etatwinnfl tgttrieaed fdwggngvsy ydtdsvnvgg qyrpdegvdi ektsdtgggy 421 nvgwisegew leytirvrnp gyynlslrva gisgsrvqvs fgnqdktgvw elpatggfqt 481 wttatrqvfl gaglqklrin alsggfnlnw ielspistgt ipdgtykfln rangktlqev 541 tgnnsiitad ykgiteqhwk iqhigggqyr issagrgwnw nwwmgfgtvg wwgtgsstcf 601 iisptgdgyy rivlvgdgtn lqissgdpsk iegkafhgga nqqwailpvs apafptglsa 661 vldssgntan ltwnaapgan synvkrstks ggpyttiatn itstnytdtg vatgtkyyyv 721 vsaysngvet lnsaeailqy pkltgtvigt qgswnnignt ihkafdgdln tffdgptang 781 cwlgldfgeg vrnvitqikf cprsgyeqrm iggifqgank edfsdavtlf titslpgsgt 841 ltsvdvdnpt gfryvrylsp dgsngniael qffgtpagee nddvhlgdin ddgninstdl 901 qmlkrhllrs irltekqlln adtnrdgrvd stdlallkry ilrvittl. GH5 Xylanase from Gonapodya prolifera GenBank ID KX518720.1 (SEQ ID NO: 4) 1 marlsslial vlafvaysap alaargrprl ngktfvadsg vplrgpftst ewtpavpaan 61 ianmrnynfn aihlyaetfd pnypaagsqk pgyaatrvdq ivaatkaanm yvvivlanga 121 nngkfnlnya kdfwsfyaar yknethviye ihnepvqwgp pyisstqspg aysmnadcyk 181 iiravapdtp vllftyasig ggssaagavk daqsfntavf gnanaqwtne aiaihgywga 241 qgasdaakal naagfsvvlt efaaatspts pnggqdtvlt gfmeqqgvsw ltflhvpptg 301 vsgdvtdpnq ytnrmtaagi gfdrdpglna vgggqaapvp vpapapvpsp vpapvpavpa 361 vrtttarpap spspvpapvp apapvpapvp apvpapvpap vpapvpaspa atttrrhrtr 421 pprtttapav papppaatpk vcg. GH30 xylanase from Dickeya chrysanthemi GenBank ID AAB53151.1 (SEQ ID NO: 5) 1 mngnvslwvr hclhaalfvs atagsfsvya dtvkidanvn yqiiqgfggm sgvgwindlt 61 teqintaygs gvgqiglsim rvridpdssk wniqlpsarq ayslgakima tpwsppaymk 121 snnslinggr llpanysayt shlldfskym qtngaplyai siqnepdwkp dyescewsgd 181 efksylksqg skfgslkviv aeslgfnpal tdpvlkdsda skyvsiiggh lygttpkpyp 241 lagnagkqlw mtehyvdskq sannwtsaie vgtelnasmv snysayvwwy irrsygllte 301 dgkvskrgyv msqyarfvrp galriqaten pqsnvhltay kntdgkmviv avntndsdqm 361 lslnisnanv tkfekystsa slnveyggss qvdssgkatv wlnplsvttf vsk. GH30 xylanase from Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis str. 168 GenBank ID CAA97612.1 (SEQ ID NO: 6) 1 mlprlkktlc vllvcftmls vmlgpgatev laasdvtvnv saekqvlrgf ggmnhpawag 61 dltaagreta fgngqnqlgf sllrlhvden rnnwykevet aksavkhgal vfaspwnpps 121 dmvetfnrng dtsakrlkyn kyaayaqhln dfvtfmknng vnlyalsvqn epdyahewtw 181 wtpqellrfm renagslnar vlapesfqyl knlsdpllnd pqalanmdll gthlygtqvs 241 qfpyplfkqk gagkdlwmte vyypnsdtns adrwpealdv sqhlhnamve gdfqayvwwy 301 lrrsygpmke dgtlskrgyn mahfskfvrp gyvrldatkn pnanvyvsay kgdnkvvlva 361 lnksntgvnq nfvlqngsas nvsrwltsss snlqpgtnlt vsgnhfwahl paqsvttfvv 421 nr. GH30 Xylanase from Bacteroides ovatus GenBank ID 5DY64378.1 (SEQ ID NO: 7) 1 mknltllfcl flanlllgac sggedekkem degkgayalf lkksltystg esqtdvvvew 61 aktsweltlg egdlvksvtp tsggsntgek qytkvrvscg anstmkkrtq tlhlfdktne 121 ttvdllveqe ppfksvtltv dpsvkyqpvv gfggmynpkl wcgdnllsas qldkmygagg 181 lgysllrlml ypnesdwsad veaakaaqan gallfacpwd ctdaladklt vngkemkhlk 241 kenyeayanh llryvtfmke kgvnlyalsv qnepdmefty wtpsevvdfv kqygarlret 301 gvklmspeac gmqpeytdpl lnnaeafaqt dllaghlyqg ftdlssgyvk nrhdylcgvy 361 srlqgktwwm tehlfndgen sddsskwefl kwqyslnhlg kelhmcmegy csaylywylk 421 rfyglmgdtd krsptsegel tkngylmahy aqyatettrl kvvtnneevc ataywdektg 481 evtlvllnln gasqwlelpl aglkkasave tnetknmevl dtglmesaeg ltyllsansl 541 tsvrltf. Xyloglucanase GH5 Xyloglucanase from Bacteroides ovatus GenBank ID ALJ47680.1 (SEQ ID NO: 8) 1 mekqsfsdgl fsplgikrvi fmlvllttsf iscsnsdekg gslevaqeyr nlefdargsr 61 qtiqidgpae whistseswc ksshtigegk qyvnitvean dtqkertatv tvsasgapdi 121 iinvkqslys vpaydeyiap dntgmrdlts mqlsalmkag vnvgntfeav ivgndgslsg 181 detcwgnptp nkvlfegika agfdvvripv ayshqfedaa tykiksawmd kveaavkaal 241 daglyviini hweggwlnhp vdankealde rleamwkqia lrfrdyddrl lfagtnevnn 301 ddangaqpte enyrvqngfn qvfvntvrat ggrnhyrhli vqayntdvak avahftmpld 361 ivqnriflec hyydpydfti mpndenfksq wgaafaggdv satgqegdie atlsslnvfi 421 nnnvpviige ygptlrdqlt gealenhlks rndyieyvvk tcvknklvpl ywdagytekl 481 fdrttgqphn aasiaaimkg ln. GH8 Xylanase from Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis PDB: 2A8Z_A (SEQ ID NO: 9) 1 afnnnpssvg ayssgtyrnl aqemgktniq qkvnstfdnm fgynntqqly ypytengvyk 61 ahyikainpd egddirtegq swgmtaavml nkqeefdnlw rfakayqknp dnhpdakkqg 121 vyawklklnq ngfvykvdeg papageeyfa fallnasarw gnsgefnyyn daitmlntik 181 nklmenqiir fspyidnitd psyhipafyd yfannvtnqa dknywrqvat ksrtllknhf 241 tkvsgsphwn lptflsrldg spvigyifng qanpgqwyef dawrvimnvg ldahlmgaqa 301 whksavnkal gflsyaktnn skncyeqvys yggaqnrgca gegqkaanav allastnagq 361 aneffnefws lsqptgdyry yngslymlam lhvsgnfkfy nntfn GH10 Xylanase from Caldicellulosiruptor owensensis GenBank: ADQ03732.1 (SEQ ID NO: 10) 1 mseyqdktip slaekykeyf kigaavtvkd legvhgeilv khfnsltpen dmkferihpd 61 ehrynfdavd kmkefaiknn mkmrghtfvw hnqtpewvfk dregndvsre llierlrehi 121 ktvcdryrdi vyawdvvnea vedktekllr dsnwrriigd dyikiafeia keyagegklf 181 yndynnempy klektykllk elidketpid gigiqahwni wdknlidnlk raiemyaslg 241 leigiteldm svfefedrrt dllepaeemm elqakvyedv fkvfreykgv itsvtfwgis 301 dkhtwkdnfp vigrkdwpllfdvngkpkea ffrivnf GH11 Xylanase from Thermobifida halotolerans GenBank: AEH04392.1 (SEQ ID NO: 11) 1 mndapahpks rrhgrirlfv grvctalval vtattmlpgv anaavtsnqt gthdgyfysf 61 wtdspgtvsm elgpggnyst swsntgnfvv gkgwstggrr tvtysgsfnp sgnayltlyg 121 wtrnplveyy ivdnwgtyrp tgtykgtvts dggtydiyet trtnapsieg tatfkqywsv 181 rqsrrtggti tagnhfdawa rhgmnlgshd ymimategyq ssgssnitvg gsgggnpggn 241 pggnpggggc tatlsagqqw sdrynlgvsv sgssnwtvtm nvpspakiia twnisasypn 301 aqtltarpng ngnnwgvtiq hngnwtwptv scsan

Sequence CWU 1

1

111293PRTPodospora anserina 1Met Lys Gly Leu Leu Ser Val Ala Ala Leu Ser Leu Ala Val Ser Glu1 5 10 15Val Ser Ala His Tyr Ile Phe Gln Gln Leu Ser Thr Gly Ser Thr Lys 20 25 30His Gly Val Phe Gln Tyr Ile Arg Gln Asn Thr Asn Tyr Asn Ser Pro 35 40 45Val Thr Asp Leu Ser Ser Asn Asp Leu Arg Cys Asn Glu Gly Gly Ala 50 55 60Ser Gly Ala Asn Thr Gln Thr Val Thr Val Arg Ala Gly Asp Ser Phe65 70 75 80Thr Phe His Leu Asp Thr Pro Val Tyr His Gln Gly Pro Val Ser Val 85 90 95Tyr Leu Ser Lys Ala Pro Gly Ser Ala Ser Ser Tyr Asp Gly Ser Gly 100 105 110Thr Trp Phe Lys Ile Lys Asp Trp Gly Pro Thr Phe Pro Gly Gly Gln 115 120 125Trp Thr Leu Ala Gly Ser Tyr Thr Ala Gln Leu Pro Ser Cys Ile Thr 130 135 140Asp Gly Glu Tyr Leu Leu Arg Ile Gln Ser Leu Gly Ile His Asn Pro145 150 155 160Tyr Pro Ala Gly Thr Pro Gln Phe Tyr Ile Ser Cys Ala Gln Ile Lys 165 170 175Val Thr Gly Gly Gly Ser Val Asn Pro Ser Gly Val Ala Ile Pro Gly 180 185 190Ala Phe Lys Ala Thr Asp Pro Gly Tyr Thr Ala Asn Ile Tyr Ser Asn 195 200 205Phe Asn Ser Tyr Thr Val Pro Gly Pro Ser Val Phe Ser Cys Gly Ser 210 215 220Asn Gly Gly Gly Ser Ser Pro Val Glu Pro Gln Pro Gln Pro Thr Thr225 230 235 240Thr Leu Val Thr Ser Thr Arg Ala Pro Val Ala Thr Gln Pro Ala Gly 245 250 255Cys Ala Val Ala Lys Trp Gly Gln Cys Gly Gly Asn Gly Trp Thr Gly 260 265 270Cys Thr Thr Cys Ala Ala Gly Ser Thr Cys Asn Thr Gln Asn Ala Tyr 275 280 285Tyr His Gln Cys Val 2902242PRTBacillus subtilis 2Met Pro Tyr Leu Lys Arg Val Leu Leu Leu Leu Val Thr Gly Leu Phe1 5 10 15Met Ser Leu Phe Ala Val Thr Ala Thr Ala Ser Ala Gln Thr Gly Gly 20 25 30Ser Phe Phe Asp Pro Phe Asn Gly Tyr Asn Ser Gly Phe Trp Gln Lys 35 40 45Ala Asp Gly Tyr Ser Asn Gly Asn Met Phe Asn Cys Thr Trp Arg Ala 50 55 60Asn Asn Val Ser Met Thr Ser Leu Gly Glu Met Arg Leu Ala Leu Thr65 70 75 80Ser Pro Ala Tyr Asn Lys Phe Asp Cys Gly Glu Asn Arg Ser Val Gln 85 90 95Thr Tyr Gly Tyr Gly Leu Tyr Glu Val Arg Met Lys Pro Ala Lys Asn 100 105 110Thr Gly Ile Val Ser Ser Phe Phe Thr Tyr Thr Gly Pro Thr Asp Gly 115 120 125Thr Pro Trp Asp Glu Ile Asp Ile Glu Phe Leu Gly Lys Asp Thr Thr 130 135 140Lys Val Gln Phe Asn Tyr Tyr Thr Asn Gly Ala Gly Asn His Glu Lys145 150 155 160Ile Val Asp Leu Gly Phe Asp Ala Ala Asn Ala Tyr His Thr Tyr Ala 165 170 175Phe Asp Trp Gln Pro Asn Ser Ile Lys Trp Tyr Val Asp Gly Gln Leu 180 185 190Lys His Thr Ala Thr Asn Gln Ile Pro Thr Thr Pro Gly Lys Ile Met 195 200 205Met Asn Leu Trp Asn Gly Thr Gly Val Asp Glu Trp Leu Gly Ser Tyr 210 215 220Asn Gly Val Asn Pro Leu Tyr Ala His Tyr Asp Trp Val Arg Tyr Thr225 230 235 240Lys Lys3948PRTRuminiclostridium thermocellum 3Met Gly Ala Ser Ile Lys Thr Ser Ile Lys Ile Arg Thr Val Ala Phe1 5 10 15Val Ser Ile Ile Ala Ile Ala Leu Ser Ile Leu Ser Phe Ile Pro Asn 20 25 30Arg Ala Tyr Ala Ser Pro Gln Arg Gly Arg Pro Arg Leu Asn Ala Ala 35 40 45Arg Thr Thr Phe Val Gly Asp Asn Gly Gln Pro Leu Arg Gly Pro Tyr 50 55 60Thr Ser Thr Glu Trp Thr Ala Ala Ala Pro Tyr Asp Gln Ile Ala Arg65 70 75 80Val Lys Glu Leu Gly Phe Asn Ala Val His Leu Tyr Ala Glu Cys Phe 85 90 95Asp Pro Arg Tyr Pro Ala Pro Gly Ser Lys Ala Pro Gly Tyr Ala Val 100 105 110Asn Glu Ile Asp Lys Ile Val Glu Arg Thr Arg Glu Leu Gly Leu Tyr 115 120 125Leu Val Ile Thr Ile Gly Asn Gly Ala Asn Asn Gly Asn His Asn Ala 130 135 140Gln Trp Ala Arg Asp Phe Trp Lys Phe Tyr Ala Pro Arg Tyr Ala Lys145 150 155 160Glu Thr His Val Leu Tyr Glu Ile His Asn Glu Pro Val Ala Trp Gly 165 170 175Pro Pro Tyr Ser Ser Ser Thr Ala Asn Pro Pro Gly Ala Val Asp Met 180 185 190Glu Ile Asp Val Tyr Arg Ile Ile Arg Thr Tyr Ala Pro Glu Thr Pro 195 200 205Val Leu Leu Phe Ser Tyr Ala Val Phe Gly Gly Lys Gly Gly Ala Ala 210 215 220Glu Ala Leu Lys Asp Ile Arg Ala Phe Asn Lys Ala Val Phe Gly Asn225 230 235 240Glu Asn Ala Val Trp Thr Asn Glu Ala Val Ala Phe His Gly Tyr Ala 245 250 255Gly Trp Gln Glu Thr Thr Ile Ala Val Glu Glu Leu Leu Lys Ala Gly 260 265 270Tyr Pro Cys Phe Met Thr Glu Tyr Ala Gly Gly Ala Trp Gly Ser Gly 275 280 285Met Gly Gly Leu Asp Val Glu Leu Thr Tyr Glu Leu Glu Arg Leu Gly 290 295 300Val Ser Trp Leu Thr Phe Gln Tyr Ile Pro Pro Thr Gly Val Ser Asp305 310 315 320Asp Val Thr Lys Pro Glu Tyr Phe Ser Ala Leu Val Glu Asn Ser Gly 325 330 335Leu Ser Trp Thr Pro Asp Tyr Gly Asn Trp Pro Ala Ala Arg Gly Val 340 345 350Tyr Gly Asn Gly Gly Leu Ala Arg Glu Thr Ala Thr Trp Ile Asn Asn 355 360 365Phe Leu Thr Gly Thr Thr Arg Ile Glu Ala Glu Asp Phe Asp Trp Gly 370 375 380Gly Asn Gly Val Ser Tyr Tyr Asp Thr Asp Ser Val Asn Val Gly Gly385 390 395 400Gln Tyr Arg Pro Asp Glu Gly Val Asp Ile Glu Lys Thr Ser Asp Thr 405 410 415Gly Gly Gly Tyr Asn Val Gly Trp Ile Ser Glu Gly Glu Trp Leu Glu 420 425 430Tyr Thr Ile Arg Val Arg Asn Pro Gly Tyr Tyr Asn Leu Ser Leu Arg 435 440 445Val Ala Gly Ile Ser Gly Ser Arg Val Gln Val Ser Phe Gly Asn Gln 450 455 460Asp Lys Thr Gly Val Trp Glu Leu Pro Ala Thr Gly Gly Phe Gln Thr465 470 475 480Trp Thr Thr Ala Thr Arg Gln Val Phe Leu Gly Ala Gly Leu Gln Lys 485 490 495Leu Arg Ile Asn Ala Leu Ser Gly Gly Phe Asn Leu Asn Trp Ile Glu 500 505 510Leu Ser Pro Ile Ser Thr Gly Thr Ile Pro Asp Gly Thr Tyr Lys Phe 515 520 525Leu Asn Arg Ala Asn Gly Lys Thr Leu Gln Glu Val Thr Gly Asn Asn 530 535 540Ser Ile Ile Thr Ala Asp Tyr Lys Gly Ile Thr Glu Gln His Trp Lys545 550 555 560Ile Gln His Ile Gly Gly Gly Gln Tyr Arg Ile Ser Ser Ala Gly Arg 565 570 575Gly Trp Asn Trp Asn Trp Trp Met Gly Phe Gly Thr Val Gly Trp Trp 580 585 590Gly Thr Gly Ser Ser Thr Cys Phe Ile Ile Ser Pro Thr Gly Asp Gly 595 600 605Tyr Tyr Arg Ile Val Leu Val Gly Asp Gly Thr Asn Leu Gln Ile Ser 610 615 620Ser Gly Asp Pro Ser Lys Ile Glu Gly Lys Ala Phe His Gly Gly Ala625 630 635 640Asn Gln Gln Trp Ala Ile Leu Pro Val Ser Ala Pro Ala Phe Pro Thr 645 650 655Gly Leu Ser Ala Val Leu Asp Ser Ser Gly Asn Thr Ala Asn Leu Thr 660 665 670Trp Asn Ala Ala Pro Gly Ala Asn Ser Tyr Asn Val Lys Arg Ser Thr 675 680 685Lys Ser Gly Gly Pro Tyr Thr Thr Ile Ala Thr Asn Ile Thr Ser Thr 690 695 700Asn Tyr Thr Asp Thr Gly Val Ala Thr Gly Thr Lys Tyr Tyr Tyr Val705 710 715 720Val Ser Ala Val Ser Asn Gly Val Glu Thr Leu Asn Ser Ala Glu Ala 725 730 735Ile Leu Gln Tyr Pro Lys Leu Thr Gly Thr Val Ile Gly Thr Gln Gly 740 745 750Ser Trp Asn Asn Ile Gly Asn Thr Ile His Lys Ala Phe Asp Gly Asp 755 760 765Leu Asn Thr Phe Phe Asp Gly Pro Thr Ala Asn Gly Cys Trp Leu Gly 770 775 780Leu Asp Phe Gly Glu Gly Val Arg Asn Val Ile Thr Gln Ile Lys Phe785 790 795 800Cys Pro Arg Ser Gly Tyr Glu Gln Arg Met Ile Gly Gly Ile Phe Gln 805 810 815Gly Ala Asn Lys Glu Asp Phe Ser Asp Ala Val Thr Leu Phe Thr Ile 820 825 830Thr Ser Leu Pro Gly Ser Gly Thr Leu Thr Ser Val Asp Val Asp Asn 835 840 845Pro Thr Gly Phe Arg Tyr Val Arg Tyr Leu Ser Pro Asp Gly Ser Asn 850 855 860Gly Asn Ile Ala Glu Leu Gln Phe Phe Gly Thr Pro Ala Gly Glu Glu865 870 875 880Asn Asp Asp Val His Leu Gly Asp Ile Asn Asp Asp Gly Asn Ile Asn 885 890 895Ser Thr Asp Leu Gln Met Leu Lys Arg His Leu Leu Arg Ser Ile Arg 900 905 910Leu Thr Glu Lys Gln Leu Leu Asn Ala Asp Thr Asn Arg Asp Gly Arg 915 920 925Val Asp Ser Thr Asp Leu Ala Leu Leu Lys Arg Tyr Ile Leu Arg Val 930 935 940Ile Thr Thr Leu9454443PRTGonapodya prolifera 4Met Ala Arg Leu Ser Ser Leu Ile Ala Leu Val Leu Ala Phe Val Ala1 5 10 15Val Ser Ala Pro Ala Leu Ala Ala Arg Gly Arg Pro Arg Leu Asn Gly 20 25 30Lys Thr Phe Val Ala Asp Ser Gly Val Pro Leu Arg Gly Pro Phe Thr 35 40 45Ser Thr Glu Trp Thr Pro Ala Val Pro Ala Ala Asn Ile Ala Asn Met 50 55 60Arg Asn Tyr Asn Phe Asn Ala Ile His Leu Tyr Ala Glu Thr Phe Asp65 70 75 80Pro Asn Tyr Pro Ala Ala Gly Ser Gln Lys Pro Gly Tyr Ala Ala Thr 85 90 95Arg Val Asp Gln Ile Val Ala Ala Thr Lys Ala Ala Asn Met Tyr Val 100 105 110Val Ile Val Leu Ala Asn Gly Ala Asn Asn Gly Lys Phe Asn Leu Asn 115 120 125Tyr Ala Lys Asp Phe Trp Ser Phe Tyr Ala Ala Arg Tyr Lys Asn Glu 130 135 140Thr His Val Ile Tyr Glu Ile His Asn Glu Pro Val Gln Trp Gly Pro145 150 155 160Pro Tyr Ile Ser Ser Thr Gln Ser Pro Gly Ala Val Ser Met Asn Ala 165 170 175Asp Cys Tyr Lys Ile Ile Arg Ala Val Ala Pro Asp Thr Pro Val Leu 180 185 190Leu Phe Thr Tyr Ala Ser Ile Gly Gly Gly Ser Ser Ala Ala Gly Ala 195 200 205Val Lys Asp Ala Gln Ser Phe Asn Thr Ala Val Phe Gly Asn Ala Asn 210 215 220Ala Gln Trp Thr Asn Glu Ala Ile Ala Ile His Gly Tyr Trp Gly Ala225 230 235 240Gln Gly Ala Ser Asp Ala Ala Lys Ala Leu Asn Ala Ala Gly Phe Ser 245 250 255Val Val Leu Thr Glu Phe Ala Ala Ala Thr Ser Pro Thr Ser Pro Asn 260 265 270Gly Gly Gln Asp Thr Val Leu Thr Gly Phe Met Glu Gln Gln Gly Val 275 280 285Ser Trp Leu Thr Phe Leu His Val Pro Pro Thr Gly Val Ser Gly Asp 290 295 300Val Thr Asp Pro Asn Gln Tyr Thr Asn Arg Met Thr Ala Ala Gly Ile305 310 315 320Gly Phe Asp Arg Asp Pro Gly Leu Asn Ala Val Gly Gly Gly Gln Ala 325 330 335Ala Pro Val Pro Val Pro Ala Pro Ala Pro Val Pro Ser Pro Val Pro 340 345 350Ala Pro Val Pro Ala Val Pro Ala Val Arg Thr Thr Thr Ala Arg Pro 355 360 365Ala Pro Ser Pro Ser Pro Val Pro Ala Pro Val Pro Ala Pro Ala Pro 370 375 380Val Pro Ala Pro Val Pro Ala Pro Val Pro Ala Pro Val Pro Ala Pro385 390 395 400Val Pro Ala Pro Val Pro Ala Ser Pro Ala Ala Thr Thr Thr Arg Arg 405 410 415His Arg Thr Arg Pro Pro Arg Thr Thr Thr Ala Pro Ala Val Pro Ala 420 425 430Pro Pro Pro Ala Ala Thr Pro Lys Val Cys Gly 435 4405413PRTDickeya chrysanthemi 5Met Asn Gly Asn Val Ser Leu Trp Val Arg His Cys Leu His Ala Ala1 5 10 15Leu Phe Val Ser Ala Thr Ala Gly Ser Phe Ser Val Tyr Ala Asp Thr 20 25 30Val Lys Ile Asp Ala Asn Val Asn Tyr Gln Ile Ile Gln Gly Phe Gly 35 40 45Gly Met Ser Gly Val Gly Trp Ile Asn Asp Leu Thr Thr Glu Gln Ile 50 55 60Asn Thr Ala Tyr Gly Ser Gly Val Gly Gln Ile Gly Leu Ser Ile Met65 70 75 80Arg Val Arg Ile Asp Pro Asp Ser Ser Lys Trp Asn Ile Gln Leu Pro 85 90 95Ser Ala Arg Gln Ala Val Ser Leu Gly Ala Lys Ile Met Ala Thr Pro 100 105 110Trp Ser Pro Pro Ala Tyr Met Lys Ser Asn Asn Ser Leu Ile Asn Gly 115 120 125Gly Arg Leu Leu Pro Ala Asn Tyr Ser Ala Tyr Thr Ser His Leu Leu 130 135 140Asp Phe Ser Lys Tyr Met Gln Thr Asn Gly Ala Pro Leu Tyr Ala Ile145 150 155 160Ser Ile Gln Asn Glu Pro Asp Trp Lys Pro Asp Tyr Glu Ser Cys Glu 165 170 175Trp Ser Gly Asp Glu Phe Lys Ser Tyr Leu Lys Ser Gln Gly Ser Lys 180 185 190Phe Gly Ser Leu Lys Val Ile Val Ala Glu Ser Leu Gly Phe Asn Pro 195 200 205Ala Leu Thr Asp Pro Val Leu Lys Asp Ser Asp Ala Ser Lys Tyr Val 210 215 220Ser Ile Ile Gly Gly His Leu Tyr Gly Thr Thr Pro Lys Pro Tyr Pro225 230 235 240Leu Ala Gln Asn Ala Gly Lys Gln Leu Trp Met Thr Glu His Tyr Val 245 250 255Asp Ser Lys Gln Ser Ala Asn Asn Trp Thr Ser Ala Ile Glu Val Gly 260 265 270Thr Glu Leu Asn Ala Ser Met Val Ser Asn Tyr Ser Ala Tyr Val Trp 275 280 285Trp Tyr Ile Arg Arg Ser Tyr Gly Leu Leu Thr Glu Asp Gly Lys Val 290 295 300Ser Lys Arg Gly Tyr Val Met Ser Gln Tyr Ala Arg Phe Val Arg Pro305 310 315 320Gly Ala Leu Arg Ile Gln Ala Thr Glu Asn Pro Gln Ser Asn Val His 325 330 335Leu Thr Ala Tyr Lys Asn Thr Asp Gly Lys Met Val Ile Val Ala Val 340 345 350Asn Thr Asn Asp Ser Asp Gln Met Leu Ser Leu Asn Ile Ser Asn Ala 355 360 365Asn Val Thr Lys Phe Glu Lys Tyr Ser Thr Ser Ala Ser Leu Asn Val 370 375 380Glu Tyr Gly Gly Ser Ser Gln Val Asp Ser Ser Gly Lys Ala Thr Val385 390 395 400Trp Leu Asn Pro Leu Ser Val Thr Thr Phe Val Ser Lys 405 4106422PRTBacillus subtilis 6Met Ile Pro Arg Ile Lys Lys Thr Ile Cys Val Leu Leu Val Cys Phe1 5 10 15Thr Met Leu Ser Val Met Leu Gly Pro Gly Ala Thr Glu Val Leu Ala 20 25 30Ala Ser Asp Val Thr Val Asn Val Ser Ala Glu Lys Gln Val Ile Arg 35 40 45Gly Phe Gly Gly Met Asn His Pro Ala Trp Ala Gly Asp Leu Thr Ala 50 55 60Ala Gln Arg Glu Thr Ala Phe Gly Asn Gly Gln Asn Gln Leu Gly Phe65 70 75 80Ser Ile Leu Arg Ile His Val Asp Glu Asn Arg Asn Asn Trp Tyr Lys 85 90 95Glu Val Glu Thr Ala Lys Ser Ala Val Lys His Gly Ala Ile Val Phe 100 105 110Ala Ser Pro Trp Asn Pro Pro Ser Asp Met Val Glu

Thr Phe Asn Arg 115 120 125Asn Gly Asp Thr Ser Ala Lys Arg Leu Lys Tyr Asn Lys Tyr Ala Ala 130 135 140Tyr Ala Gln His Leu Asn Asp Phe Val Thr Phe Met Lys Asn Asn Gly145 150 155 160Val Asn Leu Tyr Ala Ile Ser Val Gln Asn Glu Pro Asp Tyr Ala His 165 170 175Glu Trp Thr Trp Trp Thr Pro Gln Glu Ile Leu Arg Phe Met Arg Glu 180 185 190Asn Ala Gly Ser Ile Asn Ala Arg Val Ile Ala Pro Glu Ser Phe Gln 195 200 205Tyr Leu Lys Asn Leu Ser Asp Pro Ile Leu Asn Asp Pro Gln Ala Leu 210 215 220Ala Asn Met Asp Ile Leu Gly Thr His Leu Tyr Gly Thr Gln Val Ser225 230 235 240Gln Phe Pro Tyr Pro Leu Phe Lys Gln Lys Gly Ala Gly Lys Asp Leu 245 250 255Trp Met Thr Glu Val Tyr Tyr Pro Asn Ser Asp Thr Asn Ser Ala Asp 260 265 270Arg Trp Pro Glu Ala Leu Asp Val Ser Gln His Ile His Asn Ala Met 275 280 285Val Glu Gly Asp Phe Gln Ala Tyr Val Trp Trp Tyr Ile Arg Arg Ser 290 295 300Tyr Gly Pro Met Lys Glu Asp Gly Thr Ile Ser Lys Arg Gly Tyr Asn305 310 315 320Met Ala His Phe Ser Lys Phe Val Arg Pro Gly Tyr Val Arg Ile Asp 325 330 335Ala Thr Lys Asn Pro Asn Ala Asn Val Tyr Val Ser Ala Tyr Lys Gly 340 345 350Asp Asn Lys Val Val Ile Val Ala Ile Asn Lys Ser Asn Thr Gly Val 355 360 365Asn Gln Asn Phe Val Leu Gln Asn Gly Ser Ala Ser Asn Val Ser Arg 370 375 380Trp Ile Thr Ser Ser Ser Ser Asn Leu Gln Pro Gly Thr Asn Leu Thr385 390 395 400Val Ser Gly Asn His Phe Trp Ala His Leu Pro Ala Gln Ser Val Thr 405 410 415Thr Phe Val Val Asn Arg 4207547PRTBacteroides ovatus 7Met Lys Asn Ile Thr Leu Leu Phe Cys Leu Phe Leu Ala Asn Ile Leu1 5 10 15Leu Gly Ala Cys Ser Gly Gly Glu Asp Glu Lys Lys Glu Met Asp Glu 20 25 30Gly Lys Gly Ala Tyr Ala Leu Phe Leu Lys Lys Ser Ile Thr Val Ser 35 40 45Thr Gly Glu Ser Gln Thr Asp Val Val Val Glu Trp Ala Lys Thr Ser 50 55 60Trp Glu Ile Thr Leu Gly Glu Gly Asp Ile Val Lys Ser Val Thr Pro65 70 75 80Thr Ser Gly Gly Ser Asn Thr Gly Glu Lys Gln Tyr Thr Lys Val Arg 85 90 95Val Ser Cys Gly Ala Asn Ser Thr Met Lys Lys Arg Thr Gln Thr Ile 100 105 110His Leu Phe Asp Lys Thr Asn Glu Thr Thr Val Asp Leu Leu Val Glu 115 120 125Gln Glu Pro Pro Phe Lys Ser Val Thr Leu Thr Val Asp Pro Ser Val 130 135 140Lys Tyr Gln Pro Val Val Gly Phe Gly Gly Met Tyr Asn Pro Lys Ile145 150 155 160Trp Cys Gly Asp Asn Leu Ile Ser Ala Ser Gln Leu Asp Lys Met Tyr 165 170 175Gly Ala Gly Gly Leu Gly Tyr Ser Ile Leu Arg Leu Met Ile Tyr Pro 180 185 190Asn Glu Ser Asp Trp Ser Ala Asp Val Glu Ala Ala Lys Ala Ala Gln 195 200 205Ala Asn Gly Ala Ile Ile Phe Ala Cys Pro Trp Asp Cys Thr Asp Ala 210 215 220Leu Ala Asp Lys Ile Thr Val Asn Gly Lys Glu Met Lys His Leu Lys225 230 235 240Lys Glu Asn Tyr Glu Ala Tyr Ala Asn His Leu Ile Arg Tyr Val Thr 245 250 255Phe Met Lys Glu Lys Gly Val Asn Leu Tyr Ala Ile Ser Val Gln Asn 260 265 270Glu Pro Asp Met Glu Phe Thr Tyr Trp Thr Pro Ser Glu Val Val Asp 275 280 285Phe Val Lys Gln Tyr Gly Ala Arg Ile Arg Glu Thr Gly Val Lys Leu 290 295 300Met Ser Pro Glu Ala Cys Gly Met Gln Pro Glu Tyr Thr Asp Pro Ile305 310 315 320Ile Asn Asn Ala Glu Ala Phe Ala Gln Thr Asp Ile Leu Ala Gly His 325 330 335Leu Tyr Gln Gly Phe Thr Asp Leu Ser Ser Gly Tyr Val Lys Asn Arg 340 345 350His Asp Tyr Ile Cys Gly Val Tyr Ser Arg Ile Gln Gly Lys Thr Trp 355 360 365Trp Met Thr Glu His Leu Phe Asn Asp Gly Glu Asn Ser Asp Asp Ser 370 375 380Ser Lys Trp Glu Phe Leu Lys Trp Gln Tyr Ser Leu Asn His Leu Gly385 390 395 400Lys Glu Ile His Met Cys Met Glu Gly Tyr Cys Ser Ala Tyr Ile Tyr 405 410 415Trp Tyr Leu Lys Arg Phe Tyr Gly Leu Met Gly Asp Thr Asp Lys Arg 420 425 430Ser Pro Thr Ser Glu Gly Glu Ile Thr Lys Asn Gly Tyr Ile Met Ala 435 440 445His Tyr Ala Gln Tyr Ala Thr Glu Thr Thr Arg Ile Lys Val Val Thr 450 455 460Asn Asn Glu Glu Val Cys Ala Thr Ala Tyr Trp Asp Glu Lys Thr Gly465 470 475 480Glu Val Thr Ile Val Leu Leu Asn Leu Asn Gly Ala Ser Gln Trp Leu 485 490 495Glu Ile Pro Leu Ala Gly Ile Lys Lys Ala Ser Ala Val Glu Thr Asn 500 505 510Glu Thr Lys Asn Met Glu Val Ile Asp Thr Gly Leu Met Glu Ser Ala 515 520 525Glu Gly Ile Thr Val Leu Leu Ser Ala Asn Ser Ile Thr Ser Val Arg 530 535 540Leu Thr Phe5458502PRTBacteroides ovatus 8Met Glu Lys Gln Ser Phe Ser Asp Gly Leu Phe Ser Pro Leu Gly Ile1 5 10 15Lys Arg Val Ile Phe Met Leu Val Leu Leu Thr Thr Ser Phe Ile Ser 20 25 30Cys Ser Asn Ser Asp Glu Lys Gly Gly Ser Leu Glu Val Ala Gln Glu 35 40 45Tyr Arg Asn Leu Glu Phe Asp Ala Arg Gly Ser Arg Gln Thr Ile Gln 50 55 60Ile Asp Gly Pro Ala Glu Trp His Ile Ser Thr Ser Glu Ser Trp Cys65 70 75 80Lys Ser Ser His Thr Ile Gly Glu Gly Lys Gln Tyr Val Asn Ile Thr 85 90 95Val Glu Ala Asn Asp Thr Gln Lys Glu Arg Thr Ala Thr Val Thr Val 100 105 110Ser Ala Ser Gly Ala Pro Asp Ile Ile Ile Asn Val Lys Gln Ser Leu 115 120 125Tyr Ser Val Pro Ala Tyr Asp Glu Tyr Ile Ala Pro Asp Asn Thr Gly 130 135 140Met Arg Asp Leu Thr Ser Met Gln Leu Ser Ala Leu Met Lys Ala Gly145 150 155 160Val Asn Val Gly Asn Thr Phe Glu Ala Val Ile Val Gly Asn Asp Gly 165 170 175Ser Leu Ser Gly Asp Glu Thr Cys Trp Gly Asn Pro Thr Pro Asn Lys 180 185 190Val Leu Phe Glu Gly Ile Lys Ala Ala Gly Phe Asp Val Val Arg Ile 195 200 205Pro Val Ala Tyr Ser His Gln Phe Glu Asp Ala Ala Thr Tyr Lys Ile 210 215 220Lys Ser Ala Trp Met Asp Lys Val Glu Ala Ala Val Lys Ala Ala Leu225 230 235 240Asp Ala Gly Leu Tyr Val Ile Ile Asn Ile His Trp Glu Gly Gly Trp 245 250 255Leu Asn His Pro Val Asp Ala Asn Lys Glu Ala Leu Asp Glu Arg Leu 260 265 270Glu Ala Met Trp Lys Gln Ile Ala Leu Arg Phe Arg Asp Tyr Asp Asp 275 280 285Arg Leu Leu Phe Ala Gly Thr Asn Glu Val Asn Asn Asp Asp Ala Asn 290 295 300Gly Ala Gln Pro Thr Glu Glu Asn Tyr Arg Val Gln Asn Gly Phe Asn305 310 315 320Gln Val Phe Val Asn Thr Val Arg Ala Thr Gly Gly Arg Asn His Tyr 325 330 335Arg His Leu Ile Val Gln Ala Tyr Asn Thr Asp Val Ala Lys Ala Val 340 345 350Ala His Phe Thr Met Pro Leu Asp Ile Val Gln Asn Arg Ile Phe Leu 355 360 365Glu Cys His Tyr Tyr Asp Pro Tyr Asp Phe Thr Ile Met Pro Asn Asp 370 375 380Glu Asn Phe Lys Ser Gln Trp Gly Ala Ala Phe Ala Gly Gly Asp Val385 390 395 400Ser Ala Thr Gly Gln Glu Gly Asp Ile Glu Ala Thr Leu Ser Ser Leu 405 410 415Asn Val Phe Ile Asn Asn Asn Val Pro Val Ile Ile Gly Glu Tyr Gly 420 425 430Pro Thr Leu Arg Asp Gln Leu Thr Gly Glu Ala Leu Glu Asn His Leu 435 440 445Lys Ser Arg Asn Asp Tyr Ile Glu Tyr Val Val Lys Thr Cys Val Lys 450 455 460Asn Lys Leu Val Pro Leu Tyr Trp Asp Ala Gly Tyr Thr Glu Lys Leu465 470 475 480Phe Asp Arg Thr Thr Gly Gln Pro His Asn Ala Ala Ser Ile Ala Ala 485 490 495Ile Met Lys Gly Leu Asn 5009405PRTPseudoalteromonas haloplanktis 9Ala Phe Asn Asn Asn Pro Ser Ser Val Gly Ala Tyr Ser Ser Gly Thr1 5 10 15Tyr Arg Asn Leu Ala Gln Glu Met Gly Lys Thr Asn Ile Gln Gln Lys 20 25 30Val Asn Ser Thr Phe Asp Asn Met Phe Gly Tyr Asn Asn Thr Gln Gln 35 40 45Leu Tyr Tyr Pro Tyr Thr Glu Asn Gly Val Tyr Lys Ala His Tyr Ile 50 55 60Lys Ala Ile Asn Pro Asp Glu Gly Asp Asp Ile Arg Thr Glu Gly Gln65 70 75 80Ser Trp Gly Met Thr Ala Ala Val Met Leu Asn Lys Gln Glu Glu Phe 85 90 95Asp Asn Leu Trp Arg Phe Ala Lys Ala Tyr Gln Lys Asn Pro Asp Asn 100 105 110His Pro Asp Ala Lys Lys Gln Gly Val Tyr Ala Trp Lys Leu Lys Leu 115 120 125Asn Gln Asn Gly Phe Val Tyr Lys Val Asp Glu Gly Pro Ala Pro Ala 130 135 140Gly Glu Glu Tyr Phe Ala Phe Ala Leu Leu Asn Ala Ser Ala Arg Trp145 150 155 160Gly Asn Ser Gly Glu Phe Asn Tyr Tyr Asn Asp Ala Ile Thr Met Leu 165 170 175Asn Thr Ile Lys Asn Lys Leu Met Glu Asn Gln Ile Ile Arg Phe Ser 180 185 190Pro Tyr Ile Asp Asn Leu Thr Asp Pro Ser Tyr His Ile Pro Ala Phe 195 200 205Tyr Asp Tyr Phe Ala Asn Asn Val Thr Asn Gln Ala Asp Lys Asn Tyr 210 215 220Trp Arg Gln Val Ala Thr Lys Ser Arg Thr Leu Leu Lys Asn His Phe225 230 235 240Thr Lys Val Ser Gly Ser Pro His Trp Asn Leu Pro Thr Phe Leu Ser 245 250 255Arg Leu Asp Gly Ser Pro Val Ile Gly Tyr Ile Phe Asn Gly Gln Ala 260 265 270Asn Pro Gly Gln Trp Tyr Glu Phe Asp Ala Trp Arg Val Ile Met Asn 275 280 285Val Gly Leu Asp Ala His Leu Met Gly Ala Gln Ala Trp His Lys Ser 290 295 300Ala Val Asn Lys Ala Leu Gly Phe Leu Ser Tyr Ala Lys Thr Asn Asn305 310 315 320Ser Lys Asn Cys Tyr Glu Gln Val Tyr Ser Tyr Gly Gly Ala Gln Asn 325 330 335Arg Gly Cys Ala Gly Glu Gly Gln Lys Ala Ala Asn Ala Val Ala Leu 340 345 350Leu Ala Ser Thr Asn Ala Gly Gln Ala Asn Glu Phe Phe Asn Glu Phe 355 360 365Trp Ser Leu Ser Gln Pro Thr Gly Asp Tyr Arg Tyr Tyr Asn Gly Ser 370 375 380Leu Tyr Met Leu Ala Met Leu His Val Ser Gly Asn Phe Lys Phe Tyr385 390 395 400Asn Asn Thr Phe Asn 40510337PRTCaldicellulosiruptor owensensis 10Met Ser Glu Tyr Gln Asp Lys Thr Ile Pro Ser Leu Ala Glu Lys Tyr1 5 10 15Lys Glu Tyr Phe Lys Ile Gly Ala Ala Val Thr Val Lys Asp Leu Glu 20 25 30Gly Val His Gly Glu Ile Leu Val Lys His Phe Asn Ser Leu Thr Pro 35 40 45Glu Asn Asp Met Lys Phe Glu Arg Ile His Pro Asp Glu His Arg Tyr 50 55 60Asn Phe Asp Ala Val Asp Lys Met Lys Glu Phe Ala Ile Lys Asn Asn65 70 75 80Met Lys Met Arg Gly His Thr Phe Val Trp His Asn Gln Thr Pro Glu 85 90 95Trp Val Phe Lys Asp Arg Glu Gly Asn Asp Val Ser Arg Glu Leu Leu 100 105 110Ile Glu Arg Leu Arg Glu His Ile Lys Thr Val Cys Asp Arg Tyr Arg 115 120 125Asp Ile Val Tyr Ala Trp Asp Val Val Asn Glu Ala Val Glu Asp Lys 130 135 140Thr Glu Lys Leu Leu Arg Asp Ser Asn Trp Arg Arg Ile Ile Gly Asp145 150 155 160Asp Tyr Ile Lys Ile Ala Phe Glu Ile Ala Lys Glu Tyr Ala Gly Glu 165 170 175Gly Lys Leu Phe Tyr Asn Asp Tyr Asn Asn Glu Met Pro Tyr Lys Leu 180 185 190Glu Lys Thr Tyr Lys Leu Leu Lys Glu Leu Ile Asp Lys Glu Thr Pro 195 200 205Ile Asp Gly Ile Gly Ile Gln Ala His Trp Asn Ile Trp Asp Lys Asn 210 215 220Leu Ile Asp Asn Leu Lys Arg Ala Ile Glu Met Tyr Ala Ser Leu Gly225 230 235 240Leu Glu Ile Gln Ile Thr Glu Leu Asp Met Ser Val Phe Glu Phe Glu 245 250 255Asp Arg Arg Thr Asp Leu Leu Glu Pro Ala Glu Glu Met Met Glu Leu 260 265 270Gln Ala Lys Val Tyr Glu Asp Val Phe Lys Val Phe Arg Glu Tyr Lys 275 280 285Gly Val Ile Thr Ser Val Thr Phe Trp Gly Ile Ser Asp Lys His Thr 290 295 300Trp Lys Asp Asn Phe Pro Val Ile Gly Arg Lys Asp Trp Pro Leu Leu305 310 315 320Phe Asp Val Asn Gly Lys Pro Lys Glu Ala Phe Phe Arg Ile Val Asn 325 330 335Phe11335PRTThermobifida halotolerans 11Met Asn Asp Ala Pro Ala His Pro Lys Ser Arg Arg His Gly Arg Ile1 5 10 15Arg Leu Phe Val Gly Arg Val Cys Thr Ala Leu Val Ala Leu Val Thr 20 25 30Ala Thr Thr Met Leu Pro Gly Val Ala Asn Ala Ala Val Thr Ser Asn 35 40 45Gln Thr Gly Thr His Asp Gly Tyr Phe Tyr Ser Phe Trp Thr Asp Ser 50 55 60Pro Gly Thr Val Ser Met Glu Leu Gly Pro Gly Gly Asn Tyr Ser Thr65 70 75 80Ser Trp Ser Asn Thr Gly Asn Phe Val Val Gly Lys Gly Trp Ser Thr 85 90 95Gly Gly Arg Arg Thr Val Thr Tyr Ser Gly Ser Phe Asn Pro Ser Gly 100 105 110Asn Ala Tyr Leu Thr Leu Tyr Gly Trp Thr Arg Asn Pro Leu Val Glu 115 120 125Tyr Tyr Ile Val Asp Asn Trp Gly Thr Tyr Arg Pro Thr Gly Thr Tyr 130 135 140Lys Gly Thr Val Thr Ser Asp Gly Gly Thr Tyr Asp Ile Tyr Glu Thr145 150 155 160Thr Arg Thr Asn Ala Pro Ser Ile Glu Gly Thr Ala Thr Phe Lys Gln 165 170 175Tyr Trp Ser Val Arg Gln Ser Arg Arg Thr Gly Gly Thr Ile Thr Ala 180 185 190Gly Asn His Phe Asp Ala Trp Ala Arg His Gly Met Asn Leu Gly Ser 195 200 205His Asp Tyr Met Ile Met Ala Thr Glu Gly Tyr Gln Ser Ser Gly Ser 210 215 220Ser Asn Ile Thr Val Gly Gly Ser Gly Gly Gly Asn Pro Gly Gly Asn225 230 235 240Pro Gly Gly Asn Pro Gly Gly Gly Gly Cys Thr Ala Thr Leu Ser Ala 245 250 255Gly Gln Gln Trp Ser Asp Arg Tyr Asn Leu Gly Val Ser Val Ser Gly 260 265 270Ser Ser Asn Trp Thr Val Thr Met Asn Val Pro Ser Pro Ala Lys Ile 275 280 285Ile Ala Thr Trp Asn Ile Ser Ala Ser Tyr Pro Asn Ala Gln Thr Leu 290 295 300Thr Ala Arg Pro Asn Gly Asn Gly Asn Asn Trp Gly Val Thr Ile Gln305 310 315 320His Asn Gly Asn Trp Thr Trp Pro Thr Val Ser Cys Ser Ala Asn 325 330 335

Claims

1.-23. (canceled)

24. A sweetening agent comprising: a first .beta.-glucan oligosaccharide with a degree of polymerization (DP) of 3; a .beta.-glucan disaccharide; and glucose, wherein the glucose is present in an amount less than 10% dry w/w.

25. The sweetening agent of claim 24, wherein the .beta.-glucan disaccharide is present in an amount less than 40% dry w/w.

26. The sweetening agent of claim 24, further comprising a second .beta.-glucan oligosaccharide with a DP of four.

27. The sweetening agent of claim 24, further comprising a second .beta.-glucan oligosaccharide with a DP of three to seven and a third .beta.-glucan oligosaccharide with a DP of three to seven.

28. The sweetening agent of claim 24, the first .beta.-glucan oligosaccharide comprising at least one 1.fwdarw.4-linkage.

29. The sweetening agent of claim 24, the first .beta.-glucan oligosaccharide having only 1.fwdarw.4-linkages.

30. The sweetening agent of claim 24, further comprising .beta.-glucan polysaccharides.

31. The sweetening agent of claim 24, having less than 5% dry w/w glucose and less than 30% dry w/w .beta.-glucan disaccharides.

32. The sweetening agent of claim 24, having less than 20% dry w/w monosaccharides and less than 60% dry w/w disaccharides.

33. The sweetening agent of claim 24, the sweetening agent substantially composed of saccharides.

34. The sweetening agent of claim 24, being a dry solid.

35. The sweetening agent of claim 24, further comprising ascorbic acid, gallic acid, cysteine, NADH, NADPH, pyrogallol, dithiothreitol, cyanoborohydrides, borohydrides, photosynthetic pigments, lignin, lignol, or a combination thereof

36. The sweetening agent of claim 24, further comprising lactone, 4-ketoaldose, aldonic acid, geminal diol, or a combination thereof.

37. The sweetening agent of claim 24, further comprising an oligosaccharide that is not a .beta.-glucan oligosaccharide.

38. The sweetening agent of claim 37, the oligosaccharide that is not a .beta.-glucan oligosaccharide having at least one side chain.

39. The sweetening agent of claim 24, wherein when the sweetening agent is incorporated into a foodstuff, the foodstuff has a comparable texture to a control foodstuff, and wherein the control foodstuff is comparable to the foodstuff except that the control foodstuff comprises sucrose as a sweetener component.

40. The sweetening agent of claim 24, wherein when the sweetening agent is incorporated into a foodstuff, the foodstuff has at least 5% fewer calories than a control foodstuff, and wherein the control foodstuff is comparable to the foodstuff except that the control foodstuff comprises sucrose as a sweetener component.

41. The sweetening agent of claim 24, wherein when the sweetening agent is incorporated into a foodstuff, the foodstuff has a greater fiber content than a control foodstuff, and wherein the control foodstuff is comparable to the foodstuff except that the control foodstuff comprises sucrose as a sweetener component.

42. The sweetening agent of claim 24, wherein the sweetening agent is incorporated into a baked good, a chocolate, a confectionery, or a drink.

43. The sweetening agent of claim 24, wherein when the sweetening agent is incorporated into a foodstuff the first .beta.-glucan oligosaccharide is oxidized or reduced.