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T7638

Sigma-Aldrich

Thaumatin from Thaumatococcus daniellii

Synonym(s):

Thaumatin Protein

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About This Item

UNSPSC Code:
12352202
NACRES:
NA.56

biological source

plant (Thaumatococcus daniellii)

Quality Level

form

powder

mol wt

~22 kDa

storage temp.

2-8°C

General description

Thaumatin is a super sweet protein extracted from the African plant katemfe, Thaumatococcus daniellii Benth. This non-toxic protein is a member of the broad family of pathogenesis-related proteins (group PR5). Thaumatin exists in five isoforms namely thaumatin I, II, III, a, and b.

Application

Thaumatin from Thaumatococcus daniellii has been used:
  • as a positive control/standard to detect the amount of recombinant thaumatin in the milk of transgenic mice using western blot
  • as a standard to compare its retention time with Vitis vinifera thaumatin-like proteins (VVTL1) occurring in free-run juice and determine the pathogenesis-related protein content in grape juices
  • as a model protein to study its interaction with free and ligated decavanadate

Biochem/physiol Actions

Recently it was shown the over expression of the thaumatin gene from Thaumatococcus daniellii in tomatoes caused the fruit to have a sweeter taste, suggesting that thaumatin could be used to enhance the taste of various foods.
Thaumatin is a zero-calorie sweetener and flavor enhancer that finds its use in food industries. It has antifungal activity and elicits protective functions in plants. Thaumatin is useful in pharmaceutics as it is a constituent of special low-calorie diets.

Quality

A mixture of thaumatin I and thaumatin II with traces of other sweet proteins.

Storage Class Code

11 - Combustible Solids

WGK

WGK 3

Flash Point(F)

Not applicable

Flash Point(C)

Not applicable

Personal Protective Equipment

dust mask type N95 (US), Eyeshields, Gloves

Certificates of Analysis (COA)

Search for Certificates of Analysis (COA) by entering the products Lot/Batch Number. Lot and Batch Numbers can be found on a product’s label following the words ‘Lot’ or ‘Batch’.

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Modification of tomato taste in transgenic plants carrying a thaumatin gene from Thaumatococcus daniellii Benth.
Bartoszewski, G.
Plant Breeding, 122, 347-351 (2003)
Tetsuya Masuda et al.
Journal of bioscience and bioengineering, 102(5), 375-389 (2006-12-26)
Most proteins are tasteless and flavorless, while some proteins elicit a sweet-taste response on the human palate. Six proteins, thaumatin, monellin, mabinlin, brazzein, egg lysozyme, and neoculin (previously considered as curculin) have been identified as sweet-tasting proteins. However, no common
E C Zemanek et al.
Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 35(5), 455-466 (1995-09-01)
The thaumatins are a class of intensely sweet proteins isolated from the fruit of the tropical plant Thaumatococcus danielli. Thaumatin is approved for use in many countries and has application as both a flavor enhancer and a high-intensity sweetener. The
Expression of functional plant sweet protein thaumatin II in the milk of transgenic mice
Lu R, et al.
Food and Bioproducts Processing, 125, 222-227 (2021)
Aleksey Firsov et al.
Protein expression and purification, 123, 1-5 (2016-03-12)
Thaumatin, a supersweet protein from the African plant katemfe (Thaumatococcus daniellii Benth.), is a promising zero-calorie sweetener for use in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Due to limited natural sources of thaumatin, its production using transgenic plants is an advantageous

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