Abstract：
N-Succinyl amino acids (N-Suc-AAs) are garnering attention for their potential as taste-active compounds. The intricate variety of N-Suc-AAs presented considerable challenges in identifying those with taste-active properties. Consequently, we employed structure-based virtual screening to pinpoint taste-active N-Suc-AAs, revealing N-succinyl-L-tryptophan (ST) as a compound with high affinity for different taste receptors. Following this discovery, ST was synthesized through an enzymatic process, achieving a yield of 40.2%, with its structure verified via NMR spectroscopy. Sensory evaluation alongside electronic tongue assessments indicated that ST at a concentration of 1 mg/L significantly enhances umami, kokumi, and saltiness intensities, while concurrently mitigating bitterness from various bitter compounds, whilst itself remaining tasteless. Additionally, time-intensity (TI) results elucidated a marked augmentation in umami duration and a notable diminution in bitterness duration for solutions imbued with 1 mg/L ST. Molecular docking study suggested ST interacted with diverse taste receptors as an agonist or antagonist, primarily through hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. This study marked the inaugural report on the enzymatic synthesis of ST and its efficacy in improving taste characteristics, underscoring the importance of ST in improving sensory qualities of food products and fostering innovation within the seasoning industry.
摘要：
N-琥珀酰氨基酸(N-Suc-AAs)因其作为味觉活性化合物的潜力而备受关注。复杂的N-Suc-AA在鉴定具有味道活性的那些方面提出了相当大的挑战。因此,我们采用基于结构的虚拟筛选来精确定位味觉活性N-Suc-AAs，揭示N-琥珀酰-L-色氨酸（ST）作为对不同味觉受体具有高亲和力的化合物。在这一发现之后,ST是通过酶促过程合成的，达到40.2%的收率，其结构通过核磁共振波谱验证。感官评估以及电子舌头评估表明，浓度为1mg/L的ST显着增强鲜味，kokumi,和咸味强度，同时减轻各种苦味化合物的苦味，而自己却保持无味。此外,时间强度（TI）结果表明，注入1mg/LST的溶液的鲜味持续时间显着增加，苦味持续时间显着减少。分子对接研究表明ST作为激动剂或拮抗剂与多种味觉受体相互作用，主要通过氢键和疏水相互作用。这项研究标志着ST的酶合成及其在改善口味特性方面的功效的首次报道，强调ST在提高食品感官品质和促进调味品行业创新方面的重要性。
