Damaged amino acids in food proteins – where do they come from and where do they end up?
Prof. Dr. Michael Hellwig, Technische Universität Dresden, Deutschland
Proteins may undergo non-enzymatic reactions such as glycation and oxidation both under physiological conditions and in food products. In my group, we are focusing on the reactivity, analysis and toxicity of glycated and oxidized amino acids. We are developping model substances for tests in model systems and in vivo.
In recent works, we were able to uncover a methionine-specific peptide backbone cleavage mechanism as well as a new crosslink between the side-chains of tyrosine and tryptophan. We optimized an analytical workflow for the reliable quantitation of methionine sulfoxide in food products by anaerobic enzymatic hydrolysis. Recently, we intensified our works on the metabolism of glycated and oxidized amino acids in yeast and bacterial cell models. Currently, we are assessing the metabolic fate and microbial ecology of “new” biogenic amines formed from glycated amino acids in E. coli.
