1
|
Lu R, Li X, Hu J, Wang Y, Jin L. Expression of a single-chain monellin (MNEI) mutant with enhanced stability in transgenic mice milk. Transgenic Res 2024:10.1007/s11248-024-00389-7. [PMID: 38858256 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-024-00389-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Monellin is a sweet protein that may be used as a safe and healthy sweetener. However, due to its low stability, the application of monellin is currently very limited. Here, we describe a wild-type, a double-sites mutant (E2N/E23A) and a triple-sites mutant (N14A/E23Q/S76Y) of single-chain monellin (MNEI) expressed in transgenic mice milk. Based on enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA), Western blot, and sweetness intensity testing, their sweetness and stability were compared. After boiling for 2 min at different pH conditions (2.5, 5.1, 6.8, and 8.2), N14A/E23Q/S76Y-MNEI showed significantly higher sweetness and stability than the wild-type and E2N/E23A-MNEI. These results suggest that N14A/E23Q/S76Y-MNEI shows remarkable potential as a sweetener in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rui Lu
- Jiangsu Food and Pharmaceutical Science College, Huaian, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoming Li
- Jiangsu Agri-Animal Husbandry Vocational College, Taizhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jian Hu
- Jiangsu Food and Pharmaceutical Science College, Huaian, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yancui Wang
- Jiangsu Food and Pharmaceutical Science College, Huaian, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Le Jin
- Jiangsu Food and Pharmaceutical Science College, Huaian, Jiangsu, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lucignano R, Spadaccini R, Merlino A, Ami D, Natalello A, Ferraro G, Picone D. Structural insights and aggregation propensity of a super-stable monellin mutant: A new potential building block for protein-based nanostructured materials. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 254:127775. [PMID: 38287601 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Protein fibrillation is commonly associated with pathologic amyloidosis. However, under appropriate conditions several proteins form fibrillar structures in vitro that can be used for biotechnological applications. MNEI and its variants, firstly designed as single chain derivatives of the sweet protein monellin, are also useful models for protein fibrillary aggregation studies. In this work, we have drawn attention to a protein dubbed Mut9, already characterized as a "super stable" MNEI variant. Comparative analysis of the respective X-ray structures revealed how the substitutions present in Mut9 eliminate several unfavorable interactions and stabilize the global structure. Molecular dynamic predictions confirmed the presence of a hydrogen-bonds network in Mut9 which increases its stability, especially at neutral pH. Thioflavin-T (ThT) binding assays and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy indicated that the aggregation process occurs both at acidic and neutral pH, with and without addition of NaCl, even if with a different kinetics. Accordingly, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) showed a fibrillar organization of the aggregates in all the tested conditions, albeit with some differences in the quantity and in the morphology of the fibrils. Our data underline the great potential of Mut9, which combines great stability in solution with the versatile conversion into nanostructured biomaterials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rosanna Lucignano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario di Monte Sant'Angelo, Via Cintia, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Roberta Spadaccini
- Department of Science and Technology, University of Sannio, Via de Sanctis, 82100 Benevento, Italy
| | - Antonello Merlino
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario di Monte Sant'Angelo, Via Cintia, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Diletta Ami
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza, 20126 Milano, Italy
| | - Antonino Natalello
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza, 20126 Milano, Italy
| | - Giarita Ferraro
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario di Monte Sant'Angelo, Via Cintia, 80126 Naples, Italy.
| | - Delia Picone
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario di Monte Sant'Angelo, Via Cintia, 80126 Naples, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ohnuma K, Yamashita A, Yasui N. Investigating the Effect of Substituting a Single Cysteine Residue on the Thermal Stability of an Engineered Sweet Protein, Single-Chain Monellin. Protein J 2023; 42:698-708. [PMID: 37737932 PMCID: PMC10590300 DOI: 10.1007/s10930-023-10154-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Single-chain monellin (SCM) is an engineered protein that links the two chains of monellin, a naturally sweet-tasting protein. This protein is an attractive candidate for use as a sugar replacement in food and beverages and has numerous other applications. Therefore, generating SCM mutants with improved stability is an active area of research to broaden the range of its potential applications. In this study, we focused on the Cys41 residue of SCM, which is a single cysteine residue present at a structurally important position. This residue is often substituted with Ser. However, this substitution may destabilize SCM because Cys41 is buried in the hydrophobic core of the protein. Therefore, we designed mutants that substituted Ala, Val, and Leu for this residue, namely C41A, C41V, and C41L. We characterized these three mutants, SCM C41S, and wild type (WT). Differential scanning fluorimetric analysis revealed that substituting Cys41 with Ala or Val increased the thermal stability of SCM, while substitution with Ser or Leu decreased its stability. Determination of the crystal structures of SCM C41A and C41V mutants revealed that the overall structures and main chain structures around the 41st residue of both mutants were almost identical to the WT. On the other hand, the orientations of the amino acid side chains near the 41st residue differed among the SCM variants. Taken together, our results indicate that substituting Cys41 with Ala or Val increases the stability of SCM and provide insight into the structural basis of this improvement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kyosuke Ohnuma
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Atsuko Yamashita
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 1-1-1, Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan
| | - Norihisa Yasui
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan.
- Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 1-1-1, Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Saraiva A, Carrascosa C, Ramos F, Raheem D, Pedreiro S, Vega A, Raposo A. Brazzein and Monellin: Chemical Analysis, Food Industry Applications, Safety and Quality Control, Nutritional Profile and Health Impacts. Foods 2023; 12:foods12101943. [PMID: 37238762 DOI: 10.3390/foods12101943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, customers have been keener to buy products manufactured using all-natural ingredients with positive health properties, but without losing flavor. In this regard, the objective of the current study is to review the consumption of brazzein and monellin, their nutritional profiles and health effects, and their potential applications in the food industry. This poses challenges with sustainability and important quality and safety indicators, as well as the chemical processes used to determine them. To better understand the utilization of brazzein and monellin, the chemical analysis of these two natural sweet proteins was also reviewed by placing particular emphasis on their extraction methods, purification and structural characterization. Protein engineering is considered a means to improve the thermal stability of brazzein and monellin to enhance their application in food processing, especially where high temperatures are applied. When the quality and safety of these sweet proteins are well-investigated and the approval from safety authorities is secured, the market for brazzein and monellin as food ingredient substitutes for free sugar will be guaranteed in the future. Ultimately, the review on these two natural peptide sweeteners increases the body of knowledge on alleviating problems of obesity, diabetes and other non-communicable diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ariana Saraiva
- Department of Animal Pathology and Production, Bromatology and Food Technology, Faculty of Veterinary, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Trasmontaña s/n, 35413 Arucas, Spain
| | - Conrado Carrascosa
- Department of Animal Pathology and Production, Bromatology and Food Technology, Faculty of Veterinary, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Trasmontaña s/n, 35413 Arucas, Spain
| | - Fernando Ramos
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry (LAQV) of the Network of Chemistry and Technology (REQUIMTE), Rua D. Manuel II, Apartado 55142, 4051-401 Porto, Portugal
| | - Dele Raheem
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, 96101 Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - Sónia Pedreiro
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry (LAQV) of the Network of Chemistry and Technology (REQUIMTE), Rua D. Manuel II, Apartado 55142, 4051-401 Porto, Portugal
| | - Angelo Vega
- Department of Animal Pathology and Production, Bromatology and Food Technology, Faculty of Veterinary, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Trasmontaña s/n, 35413 Arucas, Spain
| | - António Raposo
- CBIOS (Research Center for Biosciences and Health Technologies), Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Dupuis JH, Cheung LKY, Newman L, Dee DR, Yada RY. Precision cellular agriculture: The future role of recombinantly expressed protein as food. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf 2023; 22:882-912. [PMID: 36546356 DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.13094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cellular agriculture is a rapidly emerging field, within which cultured meat has attracted the majority of media attention in recent years. An equally promising area of cellular agriculture, and one that has produced far more actual food ingredients that have been incorporated into commercially available products, is the use of cellular hosts to produce soluble proteins, herein referred to as precision cellular agriculture (PCAg). In PCAg, specific animal- or plant-sourced proteins are expressed recombinantly in unicellular hosts-the majority of which are yeast-and harvested for food use. The numerous advantages of PCAg over traditional agriculture, including a smaller carbon footprint and more consistent products, have led to extensive research on its utility. This review is the first to survey proteins currently being expressed using PCAg for food purposes. A growing number of viable expression hosts and recent advances for increased protein yields and process optimization have led to its application for producing milk, egg, and muscle proteins; plant hemoglobin; sweet-tasting plant proteins; and ice-binding proteins. Current knowledge gaps present research opportunities for optimizing expression hosts, tailoring posttranslational modifications, and expanding the scope of proteins produced. Considerations for the expansion of PCAg and its implications on food regulation, society, ethics, and the environment are also discussed. Considering the current trajectory of PCAg, food proteins from any biological source can likely be expressed recombinantly and used as purified food ingredients to create novel and tailored food products.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John H Dupuis
- Faculty of Land and Food Systems, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lennie K Y Cheung
- Faculty of Land and Food Systems, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lenore Newman
- Food and Agriculture Institute, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Derek R Dee
- Faculty of Land and Food Systems, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Rickey Y Yada
- Faculty of Land and Food Systems, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Sharififar F, Ashrafzadeh A, Kavirimanesh Khanaman M. A Review of Natural Peptide Sweeteners. Int J Pept Res Ther 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-022-10464-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
7
|
Delfi M, Emendato A, Temussi PA, Picone D. Striking Dependence of Protein Sweetness on Water Quality: The Role of the Ionic Strength. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:705102. [PMID: 34368232 PMCID: PMC8339437 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.705102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sweet proteins are the sweetest natural molecules. This aspect prompted several proposals for their use as food additives, mainly because the amounts to be added to food would be very small and safe for people suffering from sucrose-linked diseases. During studies of sweet proteins as food additives we found that their sweetness is affected by water salinity, while there is no influence on protein’s structure. Parallel tasting of small size sweeteners revealed no influence of the water quality. This result is explained by the interference of ionic strength with the mechanism of action of sweet proteins and provides an experimental validation of the wedge model for the interaction of proteins with the sweet receptor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masoud Delfi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo, Naples, Italy
| | - Alessandro Emendato
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo, Naples, Italy
| | - Piero Andrea Temussi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo, Naples, Italy.,UK Dementia Research Institute at King's College London, The Maurice Wohl Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Delia Picone
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo, Naples, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Zhao X, Wang C, Zheng Y, Liu B. New Insight Into the Structure-Activity Relationship of Sweet-Tasting Proteins: Protein Sector and Its Role for Sweet Properties. Front Nutr 2021; 8:691368. [PMID: 34222309 PMCID: PMC8249704 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2021.691368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Sweet-tasting protein is a kind of biomacromolecule that has remarkable sweetening power and is regarded as the promising sugar replacer in the future. Some sweet-tasting proteins has been used in foods and beverages. However, the structure and function relationship of these proteins is still elusive, and guidelines for their protein engineering is limited. It is well-known that the sweet-tasting proteins bind to and activate the sweet taste receptor T1R2/T1R3, thus eliciting their sweetness. The “wedge-model” for describing the interaction between sweet-tasting proteins and sweet taste receptor to elucidate their sweetness has been reported. In this perspective article, we revealed that the intramolecular interaction forces in sweet-tasting proteins is directly correlated to their properties (sweetness and stability). This intramolecular interaction pattern, named as “protein sector,” refers to a small subset of residues forming physically connections, which cooperatively affect the function of the proteins. Based on the analysis of previous experimental data, we suggest that “protein sector” of sweet-tasting proteins is pivotal for their sweet properties, which are meaningful guidelines for the future protein engineering.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiangzhong Zhao
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
| | - Congrui Wang
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
| | - Yue Zheng
- Shandong Aojing Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Zoucheng, China
| | - Bo Liu
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China
| |
Collapse
|