D. Ming et G. Hellekant, BRAZZEIN, A NEW HIGH-POTENCY THERMOSTABLE SWEET PROTEIN FROM PENTADIPLANDRA-BRAZZEANA-B, FEBS letters, 355(1), 1994, pp. 106-108
We have discovered a new high-potency thermostable sweet protein, whic
h we name brazzein, in a wild African plant Pentadiplandra brazzeana B
aillon. Brazzein is 2,000 times sweeter than sucrose in comparison to
2% sucrose aqueous solution and 500 times in comparison to 10% of the
sugar. Its taste is more similar to sucrose than that of thaumatin. It
s sweetness is not destroyed by 80 degrees C for 4 h. Brazzein is comp
rised of 54 amino acid residues, corresponding to a molecular mass of
6,473 Da.