Pentadin
Pentadin, a sweet-tasting protein, was discovered and isolated in 1989, in the fruit of Oubli (Pentadiplandra brazzeana Baillon), a climbing shrub growing in some tropical countries of Africa.[1]
Defensin-like protein | |||||||
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UniProt | P56552 | ||||||
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The fruit has been consumed by the apes and the natives for a long time. The berries of the plant were incredibly sweet African locals call them "j'oublie" (French for "I forget") because their taste helps nursing infants forget their mothers' milk.[2]
Pentadin, with brazzein discovered in 1994, are the 2 sweet-tasting proteins discovered in this African fruit.[3]
Pentadin molecular weight estimated to be 12kDa.[1] It is reported to be 500 times sweeter than sucrose on a weight basis, with its sweetness having a slow onset and decline similar to monellin and thaumatin. However, pentadin's sweetness profile is closer to monellin than to thaumatin.[1]
There are six sweet-tasting proteins - pentadin, thaumatin, monellin, mabinlin, brazzein, and curculin - that are all from isolated plants in tropical forests. They show no similarities in a structural or homologous sequence aspect. [4]
Uses
The six sweet-tasting proteins can be used as a natural low-calorie sweetener to replace certain sugars. They are also good for the response of insulin in people who are diabetic.[5]
References
- Wel HV, Larson G, Hladik A, Hladik CM, Hellekant G, Glaser D (1989). "Isolation and characterization of pentadin, the sweet principle of Pentadiplandra brazzeana Baillon" (PDF). Chemical Senses. 14 (1): 75–79. doi:10.1093/chemse/14.1.75.
- Stein J (4 November 2002). "UW-Madison professor makes a sweet discovery". The State Journal.
- Ming D, Hellekant G (November 1994). "Brazzein, a new high-potency thermostable sweet protein from Pentadiplandra brazzeana B". FEBS Letters. 355 (1): 106–108. doi:10.1016/0014-5793(94)01184-2. PMID 7957951. S2CID 6650703.
- Faus I (February 2000). "Recent developments in the characterization and biotechnological production of sweet-tasting proteins". Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. 53 (2): 145–151. doi:10.1007/s002530050001. PMID 10709975. S2CID 31882473.
- "Identification of novel sweet protein for nutritional applications". csumb.idm.oclc.org. ProQuest 1367481610. Retrieved 2022-05-28.