Crystal structure of neoculin: insights into its sweetness and taste-modifying activity

Journal of Molecular Biology
Akiko Shimizu-IbukaKeiko Abe

Abstract

Although the majority of sweet compounds are of low molecular mass, several proteins are known to elicit sweet taste responses in humans. The fruit of Curculigo latifolia contains a heterodimeric protein, neoculin, which has both sweetness and a taste-modifying activity that converts sourness to sweetness. Here, we report the crystal structure of neoculin at 2.76A resolution. This is the first well-defined tertiary structure of a taste-modifying protein of this kind. The overall structure is quite similar to those of monocot mannose-binding lectins. However, crucial topological differences are observed in the C-terminal regions of both subunits. In both subunits of neoculin, the C-terminal tails turn up to form loops fixed by inter-subunit disulfide bonds that are not observed in the lectins. Indeed, the corresponding regions of the lectins stretch straight over the surface of another subunit. Such a C-terminal structural feature as is observed in neoculin results in a decrease in subunit-subunit interactions. Moreover, distribution of electrostatic potential on the surface of neoculin is unique and significantly different from those of the lectins, particularly in the basic subunit (NBS). We have found that there is a large cl...Continue Reading

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Citations

Sep 29, 2011·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Ayako KoizumiKeiko Abe
Jul 27, 2011·Glycobiology·Kartika N ShettyK Suguna
Sep 5, 2006·Neuroreport·Ken-ichiro NakajimaKeiko Abe
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Mar 23, 2013·Acta Crystallographica. Section D, Biological Crystallography·Koji NagataMasaru Tanokura
Jul 8, 2008·Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry·Keiko Abe
Nov 10, 2009·Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry·Yuji MoritaKeiko Abe
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Dec 23, 2008·Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta·Wei-Feng XueJannette Carey
Dec 27, 2007·Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications·Antonella PaladinoAngelo M Facchiano
Jun 27, 2007·Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications·Keisuke ItoKeiko Abe
Dec 26, 2006·Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering·Tetsuya Masuda, Naofumi Kitabatake
Feb 26, 2009·Journal of Food Science·B Meyers, M S Brewer
May 15, 2007·Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications·Ayako KoizumiKeiko Abe
Jun 14, 2013·Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : ECAM·Nur Akmal IshakSiti Aisyah Abd Ghafar
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Sep 27, 2007·The Journal of Biological Chemistry·Eiji KurimotoKoichi Kato
Feb 22, 2011·Angewandte Chemie·Maik BehrensThomas Hofmann
Jun 10, 2008·Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry·Akiko Shimizu-IbukaKeiko Abe

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