Galactose to tagatose isomerization at moderate temperatures with high conversion and productivity

Abstract

Disclosed are components and methods for preparing tagatose from galactose via isomerization reactions using engineered components. The engineered components include microbial cells and methods for preparing microbial cells that have been engineered to catalyze isomerization of galactose to tagatose, in which the microbial cells express cytoplasmically an exogenous L-arabinose isomerase enzyme. The disclosed microbial cells may further be modified for use in methods for preparing tagatose from galactose via isomerization reactions where the microbial cells are treated with reagents that permeabilize the cells. The disclosed methods enable isomerization reactions of galactose to tagatose at relatively high rates, high conversions, and elevated temperatures.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.