Abstract
Sucrose phosphorylase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides was found to catalyze transglycosylation from sucrose to catechins. All catechins were efficient glycosyl acceptors and their transfer ratios were more than 40%. The acceptor specificity of the enzyme decreased in the following order: (-)-epicatechin gallate=(+)-catechin>(-)-epicatechin>(-)-epigallocatechin gallate>(-)-epigallocatechin. About 150 mg of the purified transfer product was obtained from 100 mg of (+)-catechin. Its structure was identified as (+)-catechin 3'-O-α-D-glucopyranoside (C-G) on the bases of the secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis, the component analyses of its enzymatic hydrolyzates, and the nulcear magnetic resonance analysis. The browning resistance of C-G to light irradiation was greatly increased compared to that of (+)-catechin. The solubility of C-G in water was 50-fold higher than that of (+)-catechin. The antioxidative activity of C-G in the aqueous system with riboflavin was almost equal to that of (+)-catechin. In addition, C-G strongly inhibited tyrosinase, in contrast with (+)-catechin, which is the substrate of tyrosinase. The inhibitory pattern of C-G was competitive using L-β-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine as a substrate.
