title: What are the proteolytic enzymes of honey and what they do tell us? A fingerprint analysis by 2-D zymography of unifloral honeys.
abstract: Honey is a sweet and healthy food produced by honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) from flower nectars. Using bidimensional zymography, we have detected the, until now unrevealed, proteolytic activities present in row honey samples. The resulting zymograms were specific for each type of the four unifloral honey under study, and enzymes were identified as serine proteases by the use of specific inhibitors. Further, using bidimensional electrophoresis, we have shown that honey proteases are able to degrade the major Royal Jelly proteins and in particular MRPJ-1, the protein that promotes queen differentiation in honeybees. Our findings open new perspectives for the better understanding of honeybee development, social behaviour and role in honey production. The now discovered honey proteases may influence honey properties and quality, and bidimensional zymograms might be useful to distinguish between different honey types, establish their age and floral origin, and allow honey certification.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Defence and Agro-Forestal Biotechnology and Centre of Bioproteomics, University of Basilicata, Potenza, Italy. rocco.rossano@unibas.it
authors.forename: Rocco
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rossano
authors.forename: Marilena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Larocca
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Polito
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Perna
authors.forename: Maria Carmela
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Padula
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martelli
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Riccio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000201:enzymology*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D006722:Honey; D006801:Humans; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D057057:Serine Proteases / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D057057:Serine Proteases