Physicochemical Properties of Glycan Extracted from Swiftlet's Edible Bird Nest (Genus Collocalia) and Its Potential as Prebiotic Component

摘要

One major factor shaping the composition and physiology of colon microbiota is the availability of glycans, most of which cannot be digested by enzymes encoded in the human genome. Gut microbiota can digest the indigestible glycans and further produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which serve as nutrients for colonocytes and other gut epithelial cells. Mucus glycoproteins of swiftlet's edible nest (genus Collocalia) are mainly constituted of sialic acid-rich O-glycosylproteins with numerous monosialyl and disialyl glycans. In this study, the glycans from edible bird nest (EBN) have been extracted from the native glycoprotein by reaction alkaline hydrolysis (beta-elimination). The extracted glycans was tested for its potential as prebiotic for the growth of beneficial bacteria in human colon. Results showed that the glycan of EBN can resist human stomach digestion, thus have a potential to act as prebiotic.