gamma-Glu-trp

Targeted quantitation of 65 candidate taste compounds and ranking on the basis of dose-over-threshold (DoT) factors, followed by taste re-engineering and omission experiments in aqueous solution as well as in a cheese-like model matrix, led to the identification of a total of 31 key tastants (amino acids, organic acids, fatty acids, biogenic amines, and minerals) with DoT factors ≥1.0 and a total of 15 subthreshold, but kokumi-enhancing, γ-glutamyl peptides in extraordinarily high concentrations of 20468 μmol/kg. Among the γ-glutamyl peptides, γ-Glu-Gly, γ-Glu-Ala, γ-Glu-Thr, γ-Glu-Asp, γ-Glu-Lys, γ-Glu-Glu, γ-Glu-Trp, γ-Glu-Gln, and γ-Glu-His have been identified for the first time in Parmesan cheese. The excellent match of the sensory profile of the taste recombinants and the authentic cheese demonstrated the identified taste compounds to be fully sufficient to create the characteristic taste profile of the Parmesan cheese. This molecular blueprint of a Parmesan's chemosensory signature might be a useful molecular target for visualizing analytically the changes in taste profiles throughout cheese manufacturing and opens new avenues for a more scientifically directed taste improvement of cheese by tailoring manufacturing parameters ("molecular food engineering").

Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase from a mesophilic bacterium Bacillus atrophaeus GS-16 (BaGGT) was expressed heterologously in E. coli using pET-51b vector. Maximum production of BaGGT was obtained at 16°C after 16h of IPTG induction and the protein, in its native conformation, was active as a heterooctamer which was composed of four heterodimeric units combined together. One heterodimeric unit constituted two subunits with molecular masses of 45kDa and 21kDa, respectively. The recombinant enzyme was purified by one step His-tag affinity purification protocol with a specific activity of 90U/mg and 5.2 fold purity. The purified enzyme had a pH optimum of 10.0 and temperature optimum of 50°C. It exhibited broad pH stability (6.0-12.0) and was thermostable (t1/2 of 54min at 50°C). The enzyme was completely inactivated by Pb2+ ions and strongly inhibited in presence of N-bromosuccinimide, azaserine and 6-diazo-5oxo-l-norleucine. Kinetic characterization of BaGGT using GpNA as a donor and glycylglycine as acceptor revealed that it had a Km of 0.15mM and 0.37mM and Vmax of 23.09μmol/mg/min and 121.95μmol/mg/min for hydrolysis and transpeptidation reactions, respectively. BaGGT also displayed broad substrate specificity for various amino acids. It was studied for its prospective use in the synthesis of an immunomodulatory peptide, γ-d-glutamyl-l-tryptophan. After optimization of various process parameters, a conversion rate of 50%, corresponding to 25mM product yield, was achieved within 6h of incubation using 50mM d-glutamine as donor and 50mM l-tryptophan as acceptor and 0.3U/mL of BaGGT in the reaction, performed at pH 10.0 and 37°C. The product was purified to homogeneity using Dowex 1×2 column and its purity was confirmed by HPLC and H1 NMR.

1. This randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over study compared the relative effectiveness of gamma-L-glutamyl-5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan (glu-5-HTP) and gamma-L-glutamyl-L-tryptophan (glu-TRP) in terms of their ability to act as substrates for renal 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) synthesis and their actions on urinary sodium excretion. 2. Urinary excretion of 5-HT and sodium were determined before, during and after 1 h intravenous infusion of an equimolar amount (45 nmol kg-1 min-1) of glu-5-HTP or glu-TRP or placebo in nine healthy male subjects. 3. Cumulative urinary 5-HT excretion over the 4 h after the start of glu-5-HTP infusion was 350-fold greater than that after placebo, and this was associated with a reduction in the urinary excretion of sodium. 4. In contrast, the urinary excretion values of 5-HT and sodium after administration of glu-TRP were not significantly different from those observed on the placebo day. 5. The marked increase in urinary 5-HT excretion and the retention of sodium after administration of glu-5-HTP have been demonstrated in previous studies and result from increased intrarenal generation of 5-HT. The absence of a rise in urinary excretion of 5-HT after glu-TRP infusion suggests that there was no significant conversion of this glutamyl compound to 5-HT within the kidney. As a result, there was no effect on urinary sodium excretion.