Bioinformatic Approaches for Characterizing Molecular Structure and Function of Food Proteins

Abstract

Structural bioinformatics analyzes protein structural models with the goal of uncovering molecular drivers of food functionality. This field aims to develop tools that can rapidly extract relevant information from protein databases as well as organize this information for researchers interested in studying protein functionality. Food bioinformaticians take advantage of millions of protein amino acid sequences and structures contained within these databases, extracting features such as surface hydrophobicity that are then used to model functionality, including solubility, thermostability, and emulsification. This work is aided by a protein structure–function relationship framework, in which bioinformatic properties are linked to physicochemical experimentation. Strong bioinformatic correlations exist for protein secondary structure, electrostatic potential, and surface hydrophobicity. Modeling changes in protein structures through molecular mechanics is an increasingly accessible field that will continue to propel food science research.