ABSTRACT
Nigerooligosaccharides are a kind of α-D-glucose oligomer (DP 2–6) containing α-1,3 glycosidic bond. It is named because it has a structure similar to that of Aspergillus niger cell wall polysaccharide (Nigeran). Correspondingly, the special type of glycosidic bond contained in kojioligosaccharides is α-1,2-glycosidic bond. Nigerooligosaccharides and kojioligosaccharides have excellent anti-digestion and probiotic functions, and they are a new type of low-calorie functional sugar that meets the needs of the general public for a nutritious and healthy diet. Because these oligosaccharides are very rare in nature, enzyme-catalyzed preparation is a better choice for industrial production of nigerooligosaccharides. It is reported that nigerooligosaccharides and kojioligosaccharides can be prepared mainly by transglycosylation catalyzed by glycosidase or glycoside phosphorylase. Here, we introduce the function and application of nigerooligosaccharides and summarize the research progress in the preparation of nigerooligosaccharides and kojioligosaccharides from α-glucosidases, sucrose phosphorylases, and nigerose/kojibiose phosphorylases with different bond type specificity.
