Heterologous expression of a brazzein in E. coli and Pichia pastoris cells.

• Grant number: 23/16361-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2024
• End date: August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Molecular Biology
• Principal Investigator: Andrea Soares da Costa Fuentes
• Grantee: Fernanda Pires Maschio
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The development and expansion of the sugar trade on a global stage is the result of a socio-economic process since it has ceased to be a family farm and has become a productive sector with high-value generation. Therefore, an exponential increase in the incorporation of sugar into the diet has been observed in recent decades, a fact that has occurred in an uncontrolled manner, resulting in serious health problems. In this context, the search for alternatives to sugar has led to artificial sweeteners entering the market, the main ones being sucralose and aspartame. However, studies have pointed to problems and side effects related to the consumption of these sweeteners, creating the need to find a healthier alternative. From this perspective, sweet-tasting proteins have received a great deal of attention since they are substances with a sweetness potential 1000 times sweeter than sucrose. Among these sweet-tasting proteins is brazzein, which has 54 amino acid residues. This project aims to produce a recombinant brazzein from Pentadiplandra brazzeana using two expression systems to compare yields and sweetness potential.