초록

A process for modifying a pectin comprising providing a host having PME activity and PG activity; transforming said host by silencing PG activity thereby to provide an increased PME to PG ratio; preparing a PME extract from the transformed host; using the PME extract to modify pectin.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A process for producing a modified pectin comprising: (i) providing a plant host having Pectin Methyl Esterase (PME) activity and polygalacturonase (PG) activity; (ii) transforming said host by silencing PG activity thereby to provide an increased PME to PG ratio; (iii)

The invention claimed is: 1. A process for producing a modified pectin comprising: (i) providing a plant host having Pectin Methyl Esterase (PME) activity and polygalacturonase (PG) activity; (ii) transforming said host by silencing PG activity thereby to provide an increased PME to PG ratio; (iii) preparing a PME extract from the transformed host; (iv) contacting the PME extract with a pectin to produce the modified pectin, said silencing comprising expression of SEQ ID No: 1 or SEQ ID NO:3 in an antisense orientation. 2. A process according to claim 1 wherein the process includes the further step of isolating the PME modified pectin from the active PME. 3. A process according to claim 1 wherein the PME modified pectin is a high ester pectin. 4. A process according to claim 2 wherein the PME modified pectin contains from about 55% to about 85% ester groups. 5. A process according to claim 1 wherein the process includes the further step of adding the modified pectin to a medium that is suitable for consumption. 6. A process according to claim 5 wherein the medium is an acidic environment. 7. A process according to claim 6, wherein the acidic environment has a pH of from about 3.5 to about 5.5. 8. A process according to claim 7, wherein the acidic environment has a pH of about 4. 9. A process according to claim 6 wherein the medium is a beverage. 10. A process according to claim 9 wherein the beverage is an acidified milk beverage, a drinking yoghurt, a fruit juice, milk beverage or a beverage comprising whey protein or a vegetable protein. 11. A process according to claim 9 wherein the medium comprises a protein. 12. A process for producing a modified pectin comprising: (i) providing a host plant cell having Pectin Methyl Esterase (PME) activity and polygalacturonase (PG) activity; (ii) transforming the host plant cell with a construct comprising a recombinant DNA sequence such that the ratio of PME to PG in said host plant cell is increased; (iii) preparing a PME extract from the transformed host plant cell; and (iv) contacting the PME extract with a pectin to produce the modified pectin, said transforming comprising expression of SEQ ID No: 1 or SEQ ID NO:3 in an antisense orientation. 13. The process of claim 12 wherein said PME extract is produced from a plant comprising said plant cell. 14. The process of claim 12 further comprising isolating said modified pectin from said PME extract to produce isolated modified pectin. 15. The process of claim 12 wherein said isolated modified pectin is high ester pectin. 16. The process of claim 14 wherein said isolated modified pectin contains from about 55% to about 85% ester groups. 17. The process of claim 12 further comprising adding the modified pectin to a medium that is suitable for consumption. 18. The process of claim 17 wherein the medium is an acidic environment. 19. The process of claim 18 wherein the medium is a beverage. 20. The process of claim 19 wherein the beverage is an acidified milk beverage, a drinking yoghurt, a fruit juice, a milk beverage, a beverage comprising whey protein, or a beverage comprising a vegetable protein.