2,6-β-D-fructan hydrolase enzyme and processes for using the enzyme

An isolated polypeptide having 2,6-β-D-fructan hydrolase activity, selected from one of:

• (a) a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of amino acids 32 to 923 of SEQ ID NO:1, amino acids 25 to 1277 of SEQ ID NO:3, or amino acids 29 to 943 of SEQ ID NO:5;
• (b) an allelic variant of a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence which has at least 90% identity to amino acids 32 to 923 of SEQ ID NO:1, amino acids 25 to 1277 of SEQ ID NO:3, or amino acids 29 to 943 of SEQ ID NO:5;
• (c) a polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid sequence which hybridizes under high stringency conditions with (i) nucleotides 94 to 2769 of SEQ ID NO:2 or 73 to 3824 of SEQ ID NO:4 or 85 to 2832 of SEQ ID NO:6, (ii) the cDNA sequence comprising nucleotides 94 to 2769 of SEQ ID NO:2 or 73 to 3824 of SEQ ID NO:4 or 85 to 2832 of SEQ ID NO:6, or (iii) a complimentary strand of (i) or (ii) wherein the hybridization conditions composes hybridization at 42° C. in a solution comprising 5×SSPE, 200 μg/ml sheared and denatured salmon sperm DNA, and 0.3% SDS followed by washing at 65° C. in a solution comprising 2×SSC and 0.2% SDS;
• and
• (d) a fragment of (a) or (b) that has 2,6-β-D-fructan hydrolases activity.