title: Fructans: beneficial for plants and humans.
abstract: The recent cloning of genes encoding fructosyltransferases and fructan exohydrolases has been a major breakthrough in fructan research. Now, fructan metabolism and fructosyltransferase enzymes can be studied at the molecular level. In addition, fructan synthesis and breakdown can be adapted in such a way that tailor-made fructans are produced in plants for use as healthy food ingredients.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Plant Physiology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands. t.ritsema@bio.uu.nl
authors.forename: Tita
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ritsema
authors.forename: Sjef
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Smeekens
mesh_terms: D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000187:drug effects; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005630:Fructans / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007444:Inulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000187:drug effects; D010802:Phylogeny; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005630:Fructans; D007444:Inulin