**5. Inulinase**

Inulinases are fructofuranosyl hydrolases that cleave inulin into fructose moieties. Fructo-sugars, fructooligosaccharides (FOSs), or simply oligofructoses are the fructose oligomers formed after the action of inulinase on inulin [12]. Inulinase is an industrially crucial class of enzyme incorporated into glycoside hydrolase families 32 and 91. Based on their mode of action (**Figure 4**) on inulin, inulinases are alienated into dualistic types: (1) exoinulinase (β-d-fructanfructohydrolase, E.C. 3.2.1.80) and (2) endoinulinase (2, 1-β-dfructanfructanohydrolase, E.C. 3.2.1.7) [13].

### **5.1 Microbial sources of inulinase**

Phylogentically diverse microorganisms comprising bacteria, filamentous fungi, yeasts, and actinomycetes were testified to synthesize inulinase enzyme [14]. Due to

#### **Figure 4.**

*Enzymatic hydrolysis of inulin-rich weed where (\*) signifies site of inulinase activity on repeating β-(1-2)-d-fructosyl units of inulin.*

**247**

**Figure 5.**

*Glance on varied inulinase producing microorganisms [55–78].*

*Bioconversion of Weedy Waste into Sugary Wealth DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.91316*

**5.2 Substrates for inulinase production**

embodied in **Figure 5**.

into desirable products.

*oxysporum* [22].

the easy cultivation and higher enzyme yield, bacterial spp. are being commercially exploited to produce inulin hydrolyzing enzymes. The literature published recently [9, 13, 15–21] regarding the inulinase producers yielding maximum enzyme is

Media complexity and culture conditions influence the enzyme production critically. The morphogenesis and metabolic pathway involved in enzyme induction can be noticeably affected by altering the media components and the growth parameters. Therefore, this substitution may accelerate biocatalysis of substrate

Inulin, starch, sucrose, and inulin-rich plant extracts are been widely utilized as exclusive, cheap, and best carbon source for biosynthesis of inulinase by several microbes. This polyfructan along with naturally occurring inulin-rich material and mixed substrates contributes as potent inducers for inulinase production. This plant-derived abundant storage polysaccharide is also present in roots and tubers of Compositae and Gramineae plants and numerous invader weeds. The review mentions a wide substrate used for inulinase production mutant [9, 19]. Dahlia (*Dahlia pinnata*), rhizosphere of Jerusalem artichoke (*H. tuberosus*), chicory (*C. intybus*) roots, kuth (*Saussurea lappa*) roots, *Allium sativum,* and *Allium cepa* have broadly been exploited for this perseverance. Mature *C. intybus* root was found to be the best substrate for receiving maximum extracellular inulinase from *Fusarium*  *Bioconversion of Weedy Waste into Sugary Wealth DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.91316*

*Microorganisms*

**5. Inulinase**

**4. Weed management strategies**

Control majors like manual irradiation of these inulin-rich weeds are a tough

Thus, the pressure was to lessen herbicide usage and to reevaluate its environmental safety, development of alternative weed-control options was cheered. The best proposed avenue is to use microbial weed treating strategy, where actively propagating microorganism is subjected on target weed to achieve rapid control by its enzymatic hydrolysis into cost-effective product. Thus, exploiting inulinase producing soil microbes has been crucial tool in our efforts to renovate these weeds into fructose: a profitable calorie condensed sweeteners [11]. Microbial bioconver-

Inulinases are fructofuranosyl hydrolases that cleave inulin into fructose moieties. Fructo-sugars, fructooligosaccharides (FOSs), or simply oligofructoses are the fructose oligomers formed after the action of inulinase on inulin [12]. Inulinase is an industrially crucial class of enzyme incorporated into glycoside hydrolase families 32 and 91. Based on their mode of action (**Figure 4**) on inulin, inulinases are alienated into dualistic types: (1) exoinulinase (β-d-fructanfructohydrolase, E.C. 3.2.1.80) and (2) endoinulinase (2, 1-β-d-

Phylogentically diverse microorganisms comprising bacteria, filamentous fungi, yeasts, and actinomycetes were testified to synthesize inulinase enzyme [14]. Due to

*Enzymatic hydrolysis of inulin-rich weed where (\*) signifies site of inulinase activity on repeating* 

job since they induce allergic effects [8]. Chemical practice can be used, but there are reports reviling the incidences of herbicide resistance weed expansion. Additionally, a striking raise in expenditure (>30\$ ha–1) of such weed remedy is too observed [9]. Accumulation of chemical scums in groundwater was another

problem that emerges by the application of herbicides [10].

sion finally is the best defense evident against this invasive attack.

fructanfructanohydrolase, E.C. 3.2.1.7) [13].

**5.1 Microbial sources of inulinase**

**246**

**Figure 4.**

*β-(1-2)-d-fructosyl units of inulin.*

the easy cultivation and higher enzyme yield, bacterial spp. are being commercially exploited to produce inulin hydrolyzing enzymes. The literature published recently [9, 13, 15–21] regarding the inulinase producers yielding maximum enzyme is embodied in **Figure 5**.
