Thaumatin

Thaumatin family
Ribbon[1][2] diagram of thaumatin I. From PDB: 1RQW​.
Identifiers
SymbolThaumatin
PfamPF00314
InterProIPR001938
SMARTSM00205
PROSITEPDOC00286
SCOP21thu / SCOPe / SUPFAM
OPM superfamily168
OPM protein1aun
CDDcd09215
Membranome1336
Available protein structures:
Pfam  structures / ECOD  
PDBRCSB PDB; PDBe; PDBj
PDBsumstructure summary
Thaumatin I
Identifiers
OrganismThaumatococcus daniellii
SymbolThm1
PDB1RQW
UniProtP02883
Search for
StructuresSwiss-model
DomainsInterPro
Thaumatin II
Identifiers
OrganismThaumatococcus daniellii
SymbolThm2
PDB3wou
UniProtP02884
Search for
StructuresSwiss-model
DomainsInterPro

Thaumatin (also known as talin) is a low-calorie sweetener and taste modifier. The protein is often used primarily for its flavor-modifying properties and not exclusively as a sweetener.[3]

The thaumatins were first found as a mixture of proteins isolated from the katemfe fruit (Thaumatococcus daniellii) (Marantaceae) of West Africa. Although very sweet, thaumatin's taste is markedly different from sugar's. The sweetness of thaumatin builds very slowly. Perception lasts a long time, leaving a liquorice-like aftertaste at high concentrations. Thaumatin is highly water soluble, stable to heating, and stable under acidic conditions.

  1. ^ Stivala A, Wybrow M, Wirth A, et al. (December 2011). "Automatic generation of protein structure cartoons with Pro-origami". Bioinformatics. 27 (23): 3315–6. doi:10.1093/bioinformatics/btr575. PMID 21994221.
  2. ^ DeLano Scientific LLC. (2004). Cartoon Representations.
  3. ^ Green C (1999). "Thaumatin: a natural flavor ingredient". Low-Calories Sweeteners: Present and Future. World Review of Nutrition and Dietetics. Vol. 85. pp. 129–32. doi:10.1159/000059716. ISBN 3-8055-6938-6. PMID 10647344.