Thaumatin from Thaumatococcus daniellii

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.

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

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.

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