d(GC) - Association of Biotechnology and Pharmacy

Current Trends in Biotechnology and Pharmacy
Vol. 6 (2) 119-144 145-165 April 2012, ISSN 0973-8916 (Print), 2230-7303 (Online)
Advances in Production and Characteristic Features of
Microbial Tannases: An Overview
Dinesh Prasad, R.K. Gupta, G. Mathangi, N.R. Kamini and M.K. Gowthaman*
Department of Biotechnology, Central Leather Research Institute, Adyar, Chennai – 600020, India
*For Correspondence - mkg.clri@gmail.com
Abstract
The enzyme tannase (tannin acyl
hydrolase, E.C.3.1.1.20) has diverse
applications, but are currently limited due to
inadequate information on the basic
characteristics such as physicochemical and
catalytic properties, regulation mechanisms and
high production cost. Tannases are gaining more
scientific relevance because of their hydrolytic
as well as synthetic capability in suitable solvent
systems. Available art on tannases is either
superficial or forms a part of other information.
This review attempts to present a state-of-art and
detailed information on various aspects of
tannases, exploring scientific and technological
facets, emphasizing on substrates, production,
physicochemical properties, effect of inhibitors
and purification strategies.
Keywords: Tannin acyl hydrolase, Tannins,
Purification, Characterization
Introduction
Tannin acyl hydrolases (E.C.3.1.1.20)
commonly referred as tannases are inducible
enzymes, catalyzing the hydrolysis of ester and
depside linkages of gallotannins to give gallic acid
and glucose (1, 2), and other tannins viz.
catechins and ellagicatechins to give respective
products (3, 4). ‘Tannase’ is a generic term that
groups a number of enzymes from different
organisms that are all able to hydrolyze tannins
(5). Tannases are mostly produced by
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microorganisms viz. fungi, mainly Aspergillus and
Penicillium species (6-11), yeasts (12) and
bacteria (13-18), but they have also been
described in plants (19) and animals (20, 21).
Gallotannin-degrading esterase and depsidase
from leaves of pedunculate oak (Quercus ruber)
or fruit pods of divi-divi (Caesalpinia coriaria) are
classified as plant tannase which closely
resemble the properties of fungal tannases (19).
Tannases are either membrane-bound or
extracellular depending upon source and mode
of cultivation, finding extensive use in food, feed,
beverage, brewing, pharmaceutical and chemical
industries for production of gallic acid, pyrogallol,
propyl gallate, methyl gallate, tea and in
clarification of beer and fruit juices (1, 22, 23)
and animal feed manufacture. Tannase also has
potential in the manufacture of coffee flavored
soft drinks, improvement in the flavor of grape
wine, as an analytical probe for determining the
structures of naturally occurring gallic acid esters
(24) and in treatment of industrial effluents
containing tannins such as olive mill (25) and
leather industry waste (26).
Our objectives in this review are to highlight
the current findings on tannase in terms of
production, purification and also to showcase the
salient features and findings of tannases as
evidenced from a growing number of reports.
Interestingly, during the last five years, the
number of publications is almost equal to the total
Overview on production and characterization of tannases