Glycosyl hydrolase family 32, such as the putative glycoside hydrolase Escherichia coli Aec43 (FosGH2). This glycosyl hydrolase family 32 (GH32) subgroup includes Escherichia coli strain BEN2908 putative glycoside hydrolase Aec43 (FosGH2). GH32 enzymes cleave sucrose into fructose and glucose via beta-fructofuranosidase activity, producing invert sugar that is a mixture of dextrorotatory D-glucose and levorotatory D-fructose, thus named invertase (EC 3.2.1.26). GH32 family also contains other fructofuranosidases such as inulinase (EC 3.2.1.7), exo-inulinase (EC 3.2.1.80), levanase (EC 3.2.1.65), and transfructosidases such sucrose:sucrose 1-fructosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.99), fructan:fructan 1-fructosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.100), sucrose:fructan 6-fructosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.10), fructan:fructan 6G-fructosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.243) and levan fructosyltransferases (EC 2.4.1.-). These retaining enzymes (i.e. they retain the configuration at anomeric carbon atom of the substrate) catalyze hydrolysis in two steps involving a covalent glycosyl enzyme intermediate: an aspartate located close to the N-terminus acts as the catalytic nucleophile and a glutamate acts as the general acid/base; a conserved aspartate residue in the Arg-Asp-Pro (RDP) motif stabilizes the transition state. These enzymes are predicted to display a 5-fold beta-propeller fold as found for GH43 and CH68. The breakdown of sucrose is widely used as a carbon or energy source by bacteria, fungi, and plants. Invertase is used commercially in the confectionery industry, since fructose has a sweeter taste than sucrose and a lower tendency to crystallize.
