Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of poly- and oligosaccharides and their dietary effects. In particular it relates to a method of producing a branched ?-glucan. Further aspects of the invention are a branched ?-glucan comprising linear segments of (?1?4) linked D-glucose units interspersed with (?1?6) glucosidic linkages and having (?1?4,6) branching points; a food composition; and the use of an ?-glucanotransferase enzyme for reducing the digestible carbohydrates of a starch containing food material.

Abstract: A genetically-modified bacterium, for example of the class Actinobacteria, and the use of such a bacterium in the bioconversion of a steroidal substrate into a steroidal product of interest. A method of converting a steroidal substrate into a steroidal product of interest, wherein the method comprises: inoculating culture medium with genetically-modified bacteria according to any of Claims 1 to 28 and growing the bacterial culture until a target OD600 is reached; adding a steroidal substrate to the bacterial culture when the target OD600 is reached; culturing the bacterial culture so that the steroidal substrate is converted to the steroidal product of interest; and extracting and/or purifying the steroidal product of interest from the bacterial culture.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of poly- and oligosaccharides and their dietary effects. In particular it relates to a method of producing an ?-glucan containing (?1?3) linked D-glucose units. The invention also provides a branched ?-glucan comprising alternating (?1?4) and (?1?3) glucosidic linkages and having (?1?3,4) branching points, a food composition, and the use of an ?-glucanotransferase enzyme for reducing the digestible carbohydrates of a starch containing food material. Further aspects of the invention are a bacteria, an enzyme and an expression vector.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the production of steviol glycosides. Provided is a method for enzymatically providing a modified steviol glycoside, comprising incubating a steviol glycoside substrate in the presence of sucrose and the glucansucrase GTF180 of Lactobacillus reuteri strain 180, or a mutant thereof having the desired transglycosylation activity. Also provided are modified steviol glycosides obtainable by a method of the invention, and the use thereof as low-glycemic sweetener.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the production of steviol glycosides. Provided is a method for enzymatically providing a modified steviol glycoside, comprising incubating a steviol glycoside substrate in the presence of sucrose and the glucansucrase GTF180 of Lactobacillus reuteri strain 180, or a mutant thereof having the desired transglycosylation activity. Also provided are modified steviol glycosides obtainable by a method of the invention, and the use thereof as low-glycemic sweetener.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of poly- and oligosaccharides and their dietary effects. In particular it relates to a method of producing a branched ?-glucan. Further aspects of the invention are a branched ?-glucan comprising linear segments of (?1?4) linked D-glucose units interspersed with (?1?6) glucosidic linkages and having (?1?4,6) branching points; a food composition; and the use of an ?-glucanotransferase enzyme for reducing the digestible carbohydrates of a starch containing food material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of poly- and oligosaccharides and their dietary effects. In particular it relates to a method of producing a branched ?-glucan. Further aspects of the invention are a branched ?-glucan comprising alternating ?(1?4) and ?(1?6) glucosidic linkages and having ?(1?4,6) branching points, a food composition, and the use of an ?-glucanotransferase enzyme for reducing the digestible carbohydrates of a starch containing food material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of poly- and oligosaccharides and their dietary effects. In particular it relates to a method of producing an ?-glucan containing (?1?3) linked D-glucose units. The invention also provides a branched ?-glucan comprising alternating (?1?4) and (?1?3) glucosidic linkages and having (?1?3,4) branching points, a food composition, and the use of an ?-glucanotransferase enzyme for reducing the digestible carbohydrates of a starch containing food material. Further aspects of the invention are a bacteria, an enzyme and an expression vector.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of poly-and oligosaccharides and their dietary effects. In particular it relates to a method of producing a branched ?-glucan. Further aspects of the invention are a branched ?-glucancomprising alternating ?(1?4) and ?(1?6) glucosidic linkages and having ?(1?4,6) branching points, a food composition, and the use of an ?-glucano-transferase enzyme for reducing the digestible carbohydrates of a starch containing food material.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the production of steviol glycosides. Provided is a method for enzymatically providing a modified steviol glycoside, comprising incubating a steviol glycoside substrate in A the presence of sucrose and the glucansucrase GTF180 of Lactobacillus reuteri strain 180, or a mutant thereof having the desired transglycosylation activity. Also provided are modified steviol glycosides obtainable by a method of the invention, and the use thereof as low-glycemic sweetener.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of poly-and oligosaccharides and their nutritional effects. In particular, it relates to the application of ?-glucanotransferases in methods for preparing dietary fibers, including prebiotic oligosaccharides, and to novel oligosaccharides obtainable thereby. Provided is a method for producing a mixture of gluco-oligosaccharides having one or more consecutive (?1?6) glucosidic linkages and one or more consecutive (?1?4) glucosidic linkages, comprising contacting a poly- and/or oligosaccharide substrate comprising at least two (?1?4) linked D-glucose units with an ?-glucanotransferase capable of cleaving (?1?4) glucosidic linkages and making new (?1?4) and (?1?6) glucosidic linkages. Also provided are (isolated) gluco-oligosaccharides obtainable thereby, and their application in nutritional and cosmetic compositions.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a pharmaceutical composition to protect an animal against a disorder arising from an infection with a bacterium that belongs to the group of nocardioform actinomycetes having the ability to survive within macrophages of the animal, comprising live bacteria of a nocardioform actinomycetes species, the live bacteria being attenuated by inactivation of a gene that encodes a protein involved in methylhexahydroindanedione propionate degradation, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for these live bacteria.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of poly- and oligosaccharides and their nutritional effects. In particular, it relates to the application of ?-glucanotransferases in methods for preparing dietary fibers, including prebiotic oligosaccharides, and to novel oligosaccharides obtainable thereby. Provided is a method for producing a mixture of gluco-oligosaccharides having one or more consecutive (?1?6) glucosidic linkages and one or more consecutive (?1?4) glucosidic linkages, comprising contacting a poly- and/or oligosaccharide substrate comprising at least two (?1?4) linked D-glucose units with an ?-glucanotransferase capable of cleaving (?1?4) glucosidic linkages and making new (?1?4) and (?1?6) glucosidic linkages. Also provided are (isolated) gluco-oligosaccharides obtainable thereby, and their application in nutritional and cosmetic compositions.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of a disease caused by a bacterium that belongs to the group of nocardioform actinomycetes, said composition comprising an effective amount of a compound selected from compound I, (+)-compound II, (?)-compound II, compound III, or mixtures thereof.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a pharmaceutical composition to protect an animal against a disorder arising from an infection with a bacterium that belongs to the group of nocardioform actinomycetes having the ability to survive within macrophages of the animal, comprising live bacteria of a nocardioform actinomycetes species, the live bacteria being attenuated by inactivation of a gene that encodes a protein involved in methylhexahydroindanedione propionate degradation, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for these live bacteria.

Abstract: The present invention describes an isolated polypeptide which has glucanotransferase activity, selected from the group consisting of: a) a polypeptide which has an amino acid sequence which has at least 40% amino acid sequence identity with amino acids 1 to 555, 1 to 549 or 1 to 567 of SEQ ID NO: 3 or 6 or a fragment thereof; b) a polypeptide which is encoded by a polynucleotide which hybridizes under low stringency conditions with (i) the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, 4 or 5 which is at least 80% or 90% identical over 60, preferably over 100 nucleotides, more preferably at least 90% identical over 200 nucleotides, or (ii) a nucleic acid sequence complementary to the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, 4 or 5.

Abstract: An enzyme is described which enzyme is derived from family 13 of ?-amylases. The enzyme variant is obtainable by modifying a CGTase or a maltogenic ?-amylase. The enzyme is useful in preparing a food or a food product such as bakery products.

Abstract: A method is described to construct genetically modified strains of steroid degrading micro-organisms wherein the method comprises inactivation of at least one gene involved in methylhexahydroindanedione propionate degradation. Strains with (multiple) inactivated steroid degrading enzyme genes according to the invention can be used in the accumulation of steroid intermediates. Accumulation products are for example 3a?-H-4?(3?-propionic acid)-7a?-methylhexahydro-1,5-indanedione (HIP), 3-hydroxy-9,10-secoandrosta-1,3,5(10)-triene-9,17-dione (3-HSA), 1,4-androstadiene-3,17-dione (ADD) and 3a?-H-4?(3?-propionic acid)-5?-hydroxy-7a?-methylhexahydro-1-indanone-?-lactone (HIL).

Abstract: The invention relates to an isolated polynucleotide sequence comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding the amino acid sequence of KshA protein or of KshB protein, encoded by nucleotides 499-1695 of SEQ ID NO:1 or by nucleotides 387-1427 of SEQ ID NO:2, respectively, and functional homologues thereof. The polynucleotides of the invention can be used to construct genetically modified microorganisms blocked in 3-ketosteroid 9?-hydroxylase activity, which are useful in the microbial degradation of steroids to accumulate certain steroid products.

Abstract: The invention relates to an isolated polynucleotide sequence comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding the amino acid sequence of KshA protein or of KshB protein, encoded by nucleotides 499-1695 of SEQ ID NO:1 or by nucleotides 387-1427 of SEQ ID NO:2, respectively, and functional homologues thereof. The polynucleotides of the invention can be used to construct genetically modified microorganisms blocked in 3-ketosteroid 9?-hydroxylase activity, which are useful in the microbial degradation of steroids to accumulate certain steroid products.