What is it about?
This study investigates how 2′-fucosyllactose (2′-FL), an important sugar naturally found in human milk, can be produced using enzymes. The process starts with Ishige foliacea, a type of brown seaweed, which is treated with acid to release l-fucose, a key sugar component. A special bifunctional enzyme system (fucokinase/l-fucose 1-phosphate guanyltransferase) is then applied to convert l-fucose into 2′-FL. This provides a novel, enzyme-based way to produce 2′-FL from renewable marine resources.
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Why is it important?
2′-FL is a major human milk oligosaccharide that supports infant gut health, immunity, and development. Because it is difficult and costly to obtain naturally, developing efficient and sustainable production methods is critical for infant formula, functional foods, and health supplements. Using seaweed-derived l-fucose as a raw material creates a renewable and non-animal-based pathway for large-scale production, reducing reliance on chemical synthesis or limited natural sources.
Perspectives
This study highlights the potential of enzymatic synthesis for producing 2′-fucosyllactose from L-fucose derived from acid-hydrolyzed Ishige foliacea. Using a bifunctional fucokinase/L-fucose-1-phosphate guanyltransferase system enables efficient, sustainable production of this valuable human milk oligosaccharide, demonstrating how marine biomass can be converted into high-value bioactive compounds.
Hyeun-Jong Bae
Chonnam National University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Enzymatic production of 2′-fucosyllactose from l-fucose derived from acid-hydrolyzed Ishige foliacea using a bifunctional fucokinase/l-fucose 1-l-P guanyltransferase system, Bioresource Technology, October 2025, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2025.132835.
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