title: Production of tailor-made fructans in sugar beet by expression of onion fructosyltransferase genes.
abstract: The consumption of fructans as a low caloric food ingredient or dietary fibre is rapidly increasing due to health benefits. Presently, the most important fructan source is chicory, but these fructans have a simple linear structure and are prone to degradation. Additional sources of high-quality tailor-made fructans would provide novel opportunities for their use as food ingredients. Sugar beet is a highly productive crop that does not normally synthesize fructans. We have introduced specific onion fructosyltransferases into sugar beet. This resulted in an efficient conversion of sucrose into complex, onion-type fructans, without the loss of storage carbohydrate content.
authors.affiliation: Advanta Biotechnology Department, SES Europe N.V./S.A., Industriepark, Soldatenplein Z2 no. 15, B-3300 Tienen, Belgium. guy.weyens@ses-europe.be
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Weyens
authors.forename: Tita
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ritsema
authors.forename: Kees
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Van Dun
authors.forename: Diederick
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Murielle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lommel
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lathouwers
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rosquin
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Denys
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tossens
authors.forename: Marleen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nijs
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turk
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gerrits
authors.forename: Sjak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bink
authors.forename: Bas
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Walraven
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lefèbvre
authors.forename: Sjef
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Smeekens