Current advances in obtaining novel cyclodextrin glycosyltransferases for optimizing the synthesis of cyclodextrins

The cyclodextrins (CDs) market has increased due to their numerous applications, especially in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The high cost of synthetizing one unique form of CDs, mainly the α- and γ- forms, hinders their use in certain processes. Since CDs are exclusively produced by the enzymatic conversion of starch or starch derivates using cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase (CGTase), enhancing this enzyme production means feasible CD synthesis. Recent discoveries of novel CGTase producers and strategies for optimizing fermentation processes and immobilization techniques have expanded its applications. However, the low yield arising from wild strains remains an obstacle. Studies focused on overexpressing CGTase through heterologous expression and improving their catalytic properties by altering protein structure using protein engineering approaches have been explored to enable upscaling the applications of CGTase. This review surveys recent approaches employed in CGTases production aiming at industrial scale. Overall, the importance of advances in biotechnology for cost reduction in upscale processes and perspectives for future research were highlighted.