• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.783-787
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• 2011

The effects of thaumatin isolated from katemfe fruit of Thaumatococcus daiellii Benth on 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation was investigated in vitro. 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated with various concentrations of thaumatin ranging in 0-5 ${\mu}M$. Thaumatin reduced fat accumulation in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner. 3T3-L1 cell proliferation was 97.0 and 88.3% at 1 and 3 ${\mu}M$ after 8 days of thaumatin treatment, respectively. Thaumatin showed a potent inhibitory effect on stained lipid droplets at a concentration of 3 ${\mu}M$. Thaumatin reduced triglyceride accumulation in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells in a dose-dependent manner, compared with positive control cells. This study provides basic information on the anti-obesity activity of thaumatin.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2003

Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) with strain LBA 4404 containing a rice thaumatin-like protein gene is described. The selectable markers used were phosphinothricin acetyltransferase and hygromycin phosphotransferase genes. Epicotyl explants from seedlings were precultured for 5-7 days on Murashige and Skoog medium with ${\alpha}$-naphthaleneacetic acid and 2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid at 10 ${\mu}$M and 9 ${\mu}$M, respectively (ND medium), prior to Agrobacterium infection. The explants were immersed in a bacterial suspension for 20 min. A post-infection co-culture period of 3-4 days was provided on ND medium. Selection for transformed calli was conducted on ND medium with 20 mg/L phosphinothricin followed by 100 mg/L hygromycin over an 8-month period. it transformation frequency of 24.8% was achieved at the callusing phase. The presence of the transgenes in calli was confirmed by Southern hybridization and polymerase chain reaction analysis. The expression of the thaumatin-like protein gene in ginseng calli was demonstrated by Western blot analysis. Somatic embryos were produced from both transgenic calli and suspension cultures, and plantlets were recovered that expressed the transgenic thaumatin-like protein gene.

• Bulletin of Food Technology
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.5-14
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• 1990

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.257-265
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• 2018

Sweetener is one of the additives that makes you feel sweet. Artificial sweeteners and sugar are typical examples, and sweetness proteins with sweetness characteristics have been widely studied. These studies elucidated the transformation lettuce cells with Agrobacterium method for stable production of natural sweet proteins, brazzein, thaumatin, and miraculin. In this paper, we report use of a plant expression system for production of sweet proteins. A synthetic gene encoding sweet proteins was placed under the control of constitutive promoters and transferred to lettuce. High and genetically stable expression of sweetener was confirmed in leaves by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Sweet proteins expressed in transgenic lettuce had sweetness-inducing activity. Results demonstrate recombinant sweet proteins correctly processed in transgenic lettuce plants, and that this production system could be a viable alternative to production from the native plant.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.255-261
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• 2001

Vitis vinifera thaumatin-like protein (VVTL1) is a fruit-specific and ripening-related protein in grape. In order to isolate VVTL1-homolog gene and fruit-specific promoter from Campbell cultivar, we isolated a genomic clone containing VVTL1-homolog gene from grape genomic library through plaque hybridization. VVTL1-homolog gene has an intronless genomic structure, which the pattern is matched with those of other PR5 genes such as osmotin and osmotin-like protein genes. Transcription start site was determined by primer extension analysis. The promoter region of VVTL1-homolog gene contains a sequence or structure, especially the location and number of TCA box and ABRE (abscisic acid-responsive element), distinct from other reported plant PR5 genes, though with several known functional elements such as a TATA box and CAAT box. These results suggested that VVTL1-homolog gene may be regulated by a plant hormone, abscisic acid, and one or several stresses such osmotic pressure and pathogen infection. The isolation of fruit-specific promoter may be helpful to breed a genetically modified grape with valuable phenotype or materials in fruits.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.317-322
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• 2009

The proteins from 15 types of cultivar of hot peppers cultivated in Korea were extracted and its allergenicity was investigated by immunoblotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The immunoblotting of hot pepper proteins extracts (HPEs) against serum of hot pepper sensitized patients revealed dominant IgE binding to 14, 37, and 40 kDa molecules. The specific levels of IgE to HPEs sample No. 1, 3, and 7 were much higher than the other samples in patients. Also, IgE binding capacity of HPEs were not reduced by thermal processing and digestion in ELISA using human IgE antibody acquired from hot pepper sensitized patients. By means of Western blotting using anti-thaumatin IgY, thaumatin-like protein (TLP) acting as allergen in several plants and fruits was detected in tested hot peppers. This study demonstrates that the antigenic protein in hot peppers are present but are differently contained according to cultivars.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.397-404
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• 2016

Sweet and taste modifying proteins are natural alternatives to synthetic sweeteners and flavor enhancers, and have been used for centuries in different countries. Use of these proteins is limited due to less stability and availability. However, recent advances in biotechnology have enhanced their availability. These include production of sweet and taste modifying proteins in transgenic organisms, and protein engineering to improve their stability. Their increased availability in the food, beverage or medicinal industries as sweeteners and flavor enhancers will reduce the dependence on artificial alternatives. Production of transgenic plants using sweet and taste modifying genes, is an interesting alternative to the extraction of these products from natural source. In this review paper, we briefly describe various sweet and taste modifying proteins (such as thaumatin, monellin, brazzein, curculin and miraculin), their properties, and their application for plant development using biotechnological approaches.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.78.2-79
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• 2002

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.379-386
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• 1998

Deterioration of food is in general caused by the presence of microorganisms and chemical compounds of food itself. There exists antimicrobial compound in the food, however, addition of food antiseptics, additives, or physico-chemical processing is a common practice. The safety of artificial chemical antiseptics became a serious public concern, therefore, new natural antiseptic compounds are in need to be developed. We have isolated a new natural antifungal protein (KBS-B2) from Astragal seed through ammonium sulfate precipitation and column chromatography using FPLC Mono-S and Superose 12HR. The purified protein inhibited growth of Candida albicans, and spore germination of food spoiling fungi such as Aspergillus ochraceus, Penicillium expensum, P. digitatum and Botrytis cineria. Antifungal effect of the KBS-B2 protein could be directly assayed by bioautography overlaying the fungal spores on the electrophoresed acrylamide gel. The comparison of N-terminal amino acid sequences of the KBS-B2 with known antifungal protein revealed that had 50% homology to thaumatin and zeamatin like proteins.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.725-746
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• 2002

The demand for new alternative "low calorie" sweeteners for dietetic and diabetic purposes has increased worldwide. Although the currently developed and commercially used highly sweet sucrose substitutes are mostly synthetic compounds, the search for such compounds from natural sources is continuing. As of mid-2002, over 100 plant-derived sweet compounds of 20 major structural types had been reported, and were isolated from more than 25 different families of green plants. Several of these highly sweet natural products are marketed as sweeteners or flavoring agents in some countries as pure compounds, compound mixtures, or refined extracts. These highly sweet natural substances are reviewed herein.