Assignment of the disulphide bonds in the sweet-tasting protein thaumatin I

The disulphide linkages of the 16 half-cystine residues in the sweet-tasting protein thaumatin have been investigated by enzymatic hydrolysis of the intact molecule. The peptides obtained after proteolytic cleavage with trypsin and pepsin, and in one case with chymotrypsin have been purified by gel filtration, high-performance liquid chromatography and peptide mapping by paper high-voltage electrophoresis in one direction and paper chromatography in the second dimension. Disulphide bonds appeared to be formed by cysteine residues in positions 9-204, 56-66, 71-77, 121-193, 126-177, 134-149, 145-158 and 159-164. The labile disulphide bond responsible for the enzymatic properties of the sweet tasting protein thaumatin appeared to be between Cys-145 and Cys-158.     

Microbial synthesis of the sweet-tasting plant protein thaumatin

Thaumatin, the intensely sweet-tasting protein from the African plant, Thaumatococcus daniellii, is a potential low-caloric substitute for sugar and an attractive compound for studying the structural aspects of sweetness perception. Since thaumatin has other properties, such as flavour enhancement, it could also be used in products other than low-calorie foods. Recombinant DNA techniques could be used to synthesize this protein in quantities sufficient for such applications.     

Cloning of the natural gene for the sweet-tasting plant protein thaumatin

Five different clones, homologous to the structural gene for the sweet-tasting plant protein thaumatin, have been isolated from leaf DNA of Thaumatococcus daniellii Benth. Restriction maps, hybridization studies, S1-nuclease mapping and R-loop formation revealed that the thaumatin genes isolated belong to one multigene family, and have two very small introns situated at different positions in the various structural genes. A similar situation prevails in a number of seed storage genes. This suggests a similarity between the sweet-tasting protein thaumatin and seed storage proteins.     

Secretion of the sweet-tasting plant protein thaumatin byStreptomyces lividans

Summary To produce and direct the export inStreptomyces lividans of the sweet plant protein thaumatin, thaumatin II cDNA was fused in the correct reading frame to the -galactosidase leader peptide, under the control of the -galactosidase promoter and ribosome binding site. The export of the recombinant thaumatin may allow the correct formation of the thaumatin disulfide bonds. The recombinant thaumatin was purified from the medium on an S-Sepharose column and detected with western blots by sheep -thaumatin antibodies. The recombinant thaumatin was the same size as authentic thaumatin and changed position on an acrylamide gel in response to reduction by 2-mercaptoethanol in the same manner.     

Secretion of the sweet-tasting plant protein thaumatin byBacillus subtilis

Summary With the -amylase promoter and ribosome binding site,Bacillis subtilis was used to express the sweet plant protein thaumatin II cDNA fused in the correct reading frame to the -amylase leader peptide. The r-thaumatin was purified from the medium on a S-Sepharose column and detected with western blots by sheep -thaumatin antibodies. The r-thaumatin and authentic thaumatin were the same size when reduced by 2-ME and the same size when not reduced.     

Critical regions for the sweetness of brazzein

Brazzein is a small, heat-stable, intensely sweet protein consisting of 54 amino acid residues. Based on the wild-type brazzein, 25 brazzein mutants have been produced to identify critical regions important for sweetness. To assess their sweetness, psychophysical experiments were carried out with 14 human subjects. First, the results suggest that residues 29-33 and 39-43, plus residue 36 between these stretches, as well as the C-terminus are involved in the sweetness of brazzein. Second, charge plays an important role in the interaction between brazzein and the sweet taste receptor.     

甜味蛋白thaumatin基因转入烟草的研究

利用基因工程技术 ,将分别克隆在两个不同载体上的甜味蛋白 thaum atin c DNA基因片段连接成一个完整的 c DNA基因 ,并将该基因克隆进 p BI12 1,构建成表达载体 p BI12 1- tha.通过冻融法导入农杆菌 ,农杆菌介导叶盘法转入烟草 ,经过组培 ,得到转基因的植株 .提取转基因烟草总 DNA,经 PCR,PCR- Southern和 Southern杂交证实 ,甜味蛋白基因已整合到烟草基因组中 .RT- PCR结果证明 ,thaumatin基因已在转基因烟草中转录成 m RNA,但SDS- PAGE和甜味尝试都表明 thaumatin基因在转基因烟草中没有表达出甜味蛋白     

Crystal structure of the sweet-tasting protein thaumatin II at 1.27 Å

Thaumatin, an intensely sweet-tasting protein, elicits a sweet taste sensation at 50 nM. Here the X-ray crystallographic structure of one of its variants, thaumatin II, was determined at a resolution of 1.27 Å. Overall structure of thaumatin II is similar to thaumatin I, but a slight shift of the Cα atom of G96 in thaumatin II was observed. Furthermore, the side chain of residue 67 in thaumatin II is highly disordered. Since residue 67 is one of two residues critical to the sweetness of thaumatin, the present results suggested that the critical positive charges at positions 67 and 82 are disordered and the flexibility and fluctuation of these side chains would be suitable for interaction of thaumatin molecules with sweet receptors.     

Cloning of cDNA encoding the sweet-tasting plant protein thaumatin and its expression in Escherichia coli

The structural gene of the sweet-tasting plant protein (prepro)thaumatin was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Expression was effected under control of lac and trp promoter/operator systems and through the use of bacterial ribosome-binding sites. The naturally occurring thaumatin II represents a processed form. The primary translation product, preprothaumatin, of the cloned mRNA-derived cDNA contains extensions at both the amino terminus and the carboxy terminus. The amino terminal extension of 22 amino acids is hydrophobic and very much resembles an excretion-related signal sequence. The six amino acids-long carboxy terminal extension is very acidic in character, in contrast to the overall highly basic thaumatin molecule. The possible role of such an acidic tail with respect to compartmentalization is discussed.     

Secretion of the sweet-tasting protein thaumatin by recombinant strains of Aspergillus niger var. awamori

A recombinant form of the sweet-tasting protein thaumatin has been produced in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger var. awamori. Expression cassettes containing a synthetic gene encoding thaumatin II were prepared and used to transform Aspergillus niger var. awamori strain NRRL312. Several fungal strains capable of synthesizing and secreting thaumatin into the culture medium were generated, and their production capabilities were determined, first in shake flasks and later in a laboratory fermentor. We report the expression and secretion of thaumatin in concentrations of 5–7 mg/l. This recombinant thaumatin is sweet. Received: 7 October 1997 / Received revision: 21 November 1997 / Accepted: 21 November 1997     

Expression of a synthetic gene encoding the sweet-tasting protein thaumatin in the filamentous fungus Penicillium roquefortii

A synthetic gene encoding the amino acid sequence of the sweet-tasting protein thaumatin II has been expressed in Penicillium roquefortii. Using several different expression cassettes thaumatin was expressed either intracellularly or extracellularly, at concentrations of 1–2 mg thaumatin/l.     

Enhancement of the perceived sucrose sweetness in the rat by thaumatin

After conditioned aversion to a 0.18 mol/l sucrose solutionrats do not reject a solution of 0.03 mol sucrose per l (nearthreshold) or a solution of thaumatin (0.2 g/l), which elicitsno response in the rats' taste nerves. However, a mixture ofthe latter two solutions is rejected just as the 0.18 mol/lsucrose solution. This means that for the rat the mixture hasa sucrose-like taste. So, thaumatin enhances sucrose-like sweetnessin this animal. Electrophysiological measurements in the chordatympani indeed show an enhancement of the sucrose response ofalmost 20 percent by the addition of thaumatin (0.2 g/l) toa sucrose solution of 0.5 mol/l.     

Structural investigation of the sweet-tasting proteins thaumatin and monellin by immunological studies

Rabbit antibodies were produced against thaumatin I, a sweet-tastingprotein from plant origin using the technique of double diffusionin agar. Cross-reactions were observed between these antibodiesand thaumatin I, monellin and chemically modified thaumatins.No cross-reaction was observed between the antibodies of thaumatinI and the not sweet-tasting iodinated monellin. This lack ofcross-reaction may be due to the fact that iodination splitsmonellin into its A and B chain, resulting in a disturbanceof the tertiary structure of the molecule. The appearance ofprecipitation lines from thaumatin I as well as from monellinin reaction with the antibodies of thaumatin in the immunodiffusionassay indicates that thaumatin and monellin are immunologicallyclosely related. An identical conformational antigenic determinantin both molecules is probably responsible for this relationship.It is tentatively concluded that the identical conformationaldeterminant coincides with the active site responsible for thesweet-taste sensation.     

Five amino acid residues in cysteine-rich domain of human T1R3 were involved in the response for sweet-tasting protein,thaumatin

Thaumatin, a sweet-tasting plant protein, elicits a sweet taste sensation at 50 nM in humans but not rodents. Although it was shown that the cysteine-rich domain (CRD) of human T1R3 (hT1R3) is important for the response to thaumatin, the amino acid residues within CRD critical for response are still unknown. A comparison of the amino acid sequence (69 amino acid residues) of CRD between hT1R3 and mouse T1R3 (mT1R3) revealed sixteen amino acids that differ.     

Atomic structure of the sweet-tasting protein thaumatin I at pH 8.0 reveals the large disulfide-rich region in domain II to be sensitive to a pH change

Thaumatin, an intensely sweet-tasting plant protein, elicits a sweet taste at 50 nM. Although the sweetness remains when thaumatin is heated at 80 °C for 4 h under acid conditions, it rapidly declines when heating at a pH above 6.5. To clarify the structural difference at high pH, the atomic structure of a recombinant thaumatin I at pH 8.0 was determined at a resolution of 1.0 Å. Comparison to the crystal structure of thaumatin at pH 7.3 and 7.0 revealed the root-mean square deviation value of a Cα atom to be substantially greater in the large disulfide-rich region of domain II, especially residues 154–164, suggesting that a loop region in domain II to be affected by solvent conditions. Furthermore, B-factors of Lys137, Lys163, and Lys187 were significantly affected by pH change, suggesting that a striking increase in the mobility of these lysine residues, which could facilitate a reaction with a free sulfhydryl residue produced via the β-elimination of disulfide bonds by heating at a pH above 7.0. The increase in mobility of lysine residues as well as a loop region in domain II might play an important role in the heat-induced aggregation of thaumatin above pH 7.0.     

The complete amino-acid sequence of the sweet protein thaumatin I.

The primary structure of the sweet-tasting protein thaumatin has been elucidated. The protein consists of a single polypeptide chain of 207 residues. The sequence of the N-terminal part of the chain was determined by sequenator analysis. As the protein contains only one methionine residue, it was possible to deduce the N-terminal sequence of the C-terminal cyanogen bromide fragment by automatic sequencing of the cyanogen-bromide-cleaved, succinylated protein. To arrive at the sequence of the whole protein tryptic and Staphylococcus protease peptides, together with chymotryptic peptides and a 2-(2-nitrophenylsulfenyl)-3-methyl-3'-bromoindolenine (BNPS-skatole) fragment were also sequenced. Comparing the amino acid sequence of thaumatin with that of the other sweet-tasting protein, monellin, we have located five sets of identical tripeptides. Since immunological cross-reactivity of thaumatin antibodies with monellin has recently been described, one or more of these tripeptides might be part of a common antibody recombination site and possibly be involved in the interaction with the sweet-taste receptor.     

Cloning of the thaumatin I cDNA and characterization of recombinant thaumatin I secreted by Pichia pastoris

Thaumatin is a sweet-tasting protein comprising a mixture of some variants. The major variants are thaumatins I and II. Although the amino acid sequence of thaumatin I was known and the nucleotide sequence of cDNA of thaumatin II was elucidated, the nucleotide sequence of thaumatin I has been controversial. We have cloned two thaumatin cDNAs from the fruit of Thaumatococcus daniellii Benth. One is the same nucleotide sequence as that of thaumatin II already reported, and the other is a novel nucleotide sequence. The amino acid sequence deduced from the novel cDNA was the same amino acid sequence as that of thaumatin I, the only exception being the residue at position 113 (Asp instead of Asn), indicating that the novel thaumatin cDNA is that for thaumatin I. This thaumatin I cDNA was transformed into Pichia pastoris X-33, and the recombinant thaumatin I expressed was purified and characterized. The threshold value of sweetness of the recombinant thaumatin I was the same as that of the plant thaumatin I, although several unexpected amino acid residues were attached to the N-terminal of the recombinant thaumatin I. These indicate that the N-terminal portion of thaumatin is not critical for the elicitation of sweetness.     

Crystal structure of a sweet tasting protein thaumatin I, at 1.65 A resolution.

The crystal structure of thaumatin I, a potently sweet protein isolated from the fruits of the West African shrub, Thaumatococcus danielli Benth, has been refined at a resolution better than 1.65 A using a combination of energy minimization and stereochemically restrained least-squares methods. The final model consists of all 207 amino acids, 28 alternate amino acid conformers and 236 waters, with a crystallographic R-factor of 0.145 for 19,877 reflections having F > 4 sigma F between 10.0 A and 1.65 A (R = 0.167 for all 24,022 reflections). The model has good stereochemistry, with root-mean-square deviations from ideal values for bond and angle distances of 0.014 A and 0.029 A, respectively. The estimated root-mean-square co-ordinate error is 0.15 A. The current model confirms the previously reported 3.1 A C alpha trace in both main chain connectivity and disulfide topology, including two disulfide bonds, that differed from the earlier reported biochemical determination. The structure contains three domains. The core of the molecule consists of an eleven-stranded, flattened beta-sandwich folded into two Greek key motifs. All beta-strands in this sandwich are antiparallel except the parallel N-terminal and the C-terminal strands. The average hydrogen bond length in this sandwich is 2.89 A, with an angle of 155.1 degrees. Two beta-bulges are found in one of the sheets. The second domain consists of two beta-strands forming a beta-ribbon and connected by an omega-loop, and contains a proline residue in cis conformation. This structural motif folds back against the main sandwich to form a smaller sandwich-like structure. The third domain is a disulfide-rich region stretching away from the sandwich portion of the molecule. It contains one alpha-helix and three short helical fragments. Two of the helical segments are connected by an unusually sharp turn, stabilized by a disulfide bridge. One of the three disulfide bonds in this domain takes on two conformations.