US Patent:
20030050445, Mar 13, 2003
Inventors:
Paul Bolen - Middletown NJ, US
Paul Cihak - Leonardo NJ, US
Lewis Scharpf - Fair Haven NJ, US
Kevin Miller - Middletown NJ, US
Nicolas Kossiakoff - Chambourcy, FR
Regina Hawn - Matawan NJ, US
International Classification:
C07K014/435
Abstract:
The present invention provides new flavor active proteins methods for their manufacture and use. Specifically, the new proteins are modified versions of the thaumatin and monellin proteins. In thaumatin II amino acids in the region of 19 to 26 (amino acids 19-26 of SEQ. ID. NO.2), which appears to be a taste active region, are replaced with other amino acid sequences that may have different or modified taste properties. Most important is the replacement of this region with the sequences for the octapeptide known as “delicious peptide” or “beefy meaty peptide.” In the presence of the salt enhancer, the new protein has a beefy, meaty, brothy impression and mouthfeel. This invention further provides a modified monellin protein, either as A and B chains or as a single joined chain wherein the taste active region is replaced with other amino acid sequences. This invention further provides the DNA sequences encoding the modified thaumatin and monellin proteins and for derivatives of such proteins and the DNA sequences of the derivatives. It also teaches methods for producing these proteins using genetic recombination techniques which can be used in a variety of microorganisms. According to the present invention, these proteins are expressable in yeast transformed by vectors comprising the nucleic acid sequences encoding the proteins. The microorganisms which have been transformed to express these proteins can be used to cultivate cell lines capable of producing the proteins on a large scale. Furthermore, this invention teaches the use of these proteins as flavor additives and enhancers in food.