Glucosyltransferase enzymes
A process for producing poly alpha-1,3-glucan with reduced molecular weight is disclosed. The process comprises contacting water, sucrose, a polar organic solvent, and a glucosyltransferase enzyme in a solution to produce poly alpha-1,3-glucan. This contacting step results in the production of poly alpha-1,3-glucan having a reduced molecular weight compared to the molecular weight of a poly alpha-1,3-glucan made in the absence of the polar organic solvent.
1. A protein comprising SEQ ID NO:16, wherein said protein has glucosyltransferase activity and produces poly alpha-1,3-glucan having at least 50% alpha-1,3 glycosidic linkages.
2. The protein of claim 1 , consisting of SEQ ID NO:16.
3. A protein that is a fragment of SEQ ID NO:10, wherein said fragment consists of an amino acid sequence that is at least 95% identical with SEQ ID NO:16, and wherein said protein has glucosyltransferase activity and produces poly alpha-1,3-glucan having at least 50% alpha-1,3 glycosidic linkages.
4. The protein of claim 3 , wherein the fragment consists of an amino acid sequence that is at least 97% identical with SEQ ID NO: 16.
5. The protein of claim 4 , wherein the fragment consists of an amino acid sequence that is at least 98% identical with SEQ ID NO: 16.
6. The protein of claim 3 , wherein said poly alpha-1,3-glucan has at least 95% alpha-1,3-glycosidic linkages.
7. A reaction solution comprising water, sucrose and the protein according to claim 1 .
8. The reaction solution according to claim 7 , wherein the protein consists of SEQ ID NO: 16.
9. A reaction solution comprising water, sucrose and the protein according to claim 3 .
10. The reaction solution of claim 9 , wherein the fragment consists of an amino acid sequence that is at least 97% identical with SEQ ID NO: 16.
11. The reaction solution of claim 10 , wherein the fragment consists of an amino acid sequence that is at least 98% identical with SEQ ID NO: 16.
12. The protein of claim 9 , wherein said poly alpha-1,3-glucan has at least 95% alpha-1,3-glycosidic linkages.