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Fructooligosaccharides: Effects, Mechanisms, and Applications

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Research Progress in Oligosaccharins

Abstract

Fructooligosaccharide (FOS) is a generic term for a series of homologous oligosaccharides in plants, composed of linear chains of fructose units, linked by β (2 → 1) bonds. As one of the most widely commercially available prebiotics, the health benefits of dietary FOS have long been appreciated. Numerous experimental studies have demonstrated the roles of FOS in boosting immunity, reducing the risk and severity of gastrointestinal infection, inflammation, diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity related metabolic disorders, and promoting anticancerous effect. However, little is known about their effect on inducing resistance in plants. In this chapter, we mainly introduce the induced resistance of burdock fructooligosaccharide (BFO), which is one of the most intensively studied FOS, in plants and postharvest fruits. As a potential elicitor, BFO could modulate the expression of defense-related genes and accumulation of secondary metabolites, especially salicylic acid-mediated pathway, related with multiple signaling pathways and defense components to enhance host defense responses in plants. A variety of applications in food formulations, medical treatment, and agriculture are also discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shijiazhuang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China

    Moran Guo Ph.D.

  2. School of Life Science and National Glycoengineering Research Center, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, China

    Guochuang Chen Ph.D. & Kaoshan Chen Ph.D.

  3. Department of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241000, China

    Kaoshan Chen Ph.D.

  4. State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, China

    Kaoshan Chen Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Moran Guo Ph.D.
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  2. Guochuang Chen Ph.D.
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  3. Kaoshan Chen Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Kaoshan Chen Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dalin Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian City, China

    Heng Yin

  2. Dalin Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian City, China

    Yuguang Du

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Guo, M., Chen, G., Chen, K. (2016). Fructooligosaccharides: Effects, Mechanisms, and Applications. In: Yin, H., Du, Y. (eds) Research Progress in Oligosaccharins. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3518-5_5

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