Abstract:
Objective: The aim of this study was to abate the allergenicity of the major allergenic proteins in cow's milk by utilizing the proteases in pitcher fluids of
Nepenthes mirabilis (Lour.) Druce. Methods: The pitcher fluid of
Nepenthes×
Miranda was firstly collected, and the protease solution with the proteolytic activity of 126.276 U/mL was obtained by filtration, ultrafiltration with a 5 kDa membrane, vacuum freeze-drying and re-solubilization. Next, these enzymes were used to digest proteins of cow's milk, and the products were identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Then the peptide products were compared with database of allergen-epitopes, so as to determine the cleavage of the allergen-epitopes. Results: The peptide bonds of K, V, F, R, Y, I, S as well as L in the P1 positions and D, A, V, I, L, F, E, R, Y, N, T, Q, S, W as well as P in the P1' positions of the major allergenic proteins in cow's milk were effectively digested, and the cleavage sites were located in the linear epitopes. What’s more, both epitopes located on the surface of the proteins and those located in the interior were digested. Specifically, K-V in epitope E
α-LA1 from
α-LA and K-V as well as K-A in epitope E
α-LA2 were cleaved at a high frequency. Peptide bonds at epitopes from
β-LG which were cleaved at a high frequency were L-D, V-Y, and Y-V in E
β-LG1 and E
β-LG2. The most of R-F and F-F in epitope E
αs1-CN1 from
αs1-CN were cleaved at high frequencies. What’s more, L-N, R-Y, K-F as well as K-T in epitope E
αs2-CN1 from
αs2-CN and K-T, K-L as well as K-I in epitope E
αs2-CN2 were digested with high frequency. And L-Q, S-W, D-V, L-T, T-D as well as E-N in epitopes E
β-CN1 and E
β-CN2 from
β-CN were digested with high frequency. Conclusion: The proteases from pitcher fluid exhibited different destructive effects on the allergen-epitopes of cow's milk proteins. Besides, the pitcher liquid of
Nepenthes×
Miranda is expected to be the resource for the development of novel proteases and the reuse of agricultural wastes will be achieved.