African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (3), pp. 279-285, March 2005          
ISSN 1684–5315 © 2005 Academic Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Temperature effect on dextransucrase production by Leuconostoc mesenteroides FT 045 B isolated from Alcohol and Sugar Mill Plant

Mariana CORTEZI¹, Rubens MONTI² and Jonas CONTIERO^1*

¹ Departamento de Bioquímica e Microbiologia, Instituto de Biociências de Rio Claro/ UNESP, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.

²Departamento de Alimentos e Nutrição, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas UNESP, Araraquara, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.

**Corresponding author. E-Mail: jconti@rc.unesp.br; Tel.+55-19-
3526-4180, Fax: +55-19 35264176.
  

Accepted 13 August, 2004

Temperature (23 to 31°C) and sucrose concentration (3 and 4%) effects on dextransucrase production by Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B 512 (F) and Leuconostoc mesenteroides FT 045 B were studied. The conditions in all fermentations were:  total reaction volume 2 L, 132 rev. min-1, 0.5 vvm and pH 6.0. The optimum temperature for enzyme yield for strain NRRL B 512 (F) was 23°C, where at 8-h fermentation was possible to achieve 49.3 DSU/mL. When FT 045 B strain was utilized, 3.2 DSU/mL was obtained at temperature 23 to 25 °C.

Key words: Dextran, dextransucrase, Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B512 (F), Leuconostoc mesenteroides FT045 B, temperature, enzyme activity.