Protein Laboratory Research

A majority of our lab members are investigating the plasmin enzyme system within milk and its effects on the cheese-ripening process. This system includes the active enzyme plasmin, the enzyme plasminogen that is the inactive form of plasmin, plasminogen activators which convert plasminogen to plasmin, and inhibitors of plasminogen activators and plasmin. All of these enzymes, activators, and inhibitors are naturally present in milk. The lab group studies the relationships between these components of the plasmin system and how they are affected by bacterial proteases, cheese-making conditions, and conditions used for processing other dairy products.

Other ongoing research in the food analysis laboratory involves characterizing the hard-to-cook defect that develops in common beans. This project also includes the development of potential products that utilize hard-to-cook beans without any negative sensory attributes.

Our lab also is investigating soy isoflavones. We have been conducting research on soy isoflavone bioavailability as affected by their chemical forms, namely the conjugated forms. Our work involves studying the activity of ß-glucosidase toward different isoflavone types and forms, as well as investigating the processing conditions, namely pH and temperature, that will affect the isoflavone profile.

From: Ismail, B., and Hayes, K. 2005. β-Glycosidase activity toward different glycosidic forms of isoflavones. J. Agric. Food Chem. 53 (12): 4918-4924.

Publications

  1. Nielsen, S.S., A. Theologides, and Z.M. Vickers. 1980. Influence of food odors on food aversions and preferences in patients with cancer. Amer. J. Clin. Nutr. 33: 2253-2261.
  2. Nielsen, S.S., Z.M. Vickers, and A. Theologides. 1980. Food odor perception and food aversions in cancer patients. Proceedings of the Amer. Assoc. for Cancer Research. 21:377.
  3. Vickers, Z.M., S.S. Nielsen, and A. Theologides. 1981. Odor aversions in cancer patients. Minnesota Medicine 64:277-279.
  4. Vickers, Z.M., S.S. Nielsen, and A. Theologides. 1981. Food preferences in patients with cancer. J. Amer. Dietetic Assoc. 79:441-445.
  5. Nielsen, S.S., and I.E. Liener. 1984. Degradation of the major storage protein of Phaseolus vulgaris during germination. Plant Physiol. 74:494-498.
  6. Peng, I.C., and S.S Nielsen, 1986. Protein-protein interactions between soybean beta-conglycinin (B1-B6) and myosin. J. Food Sci. 51:588-590 & 607.
  7. Deshpande, S.S. and S.S. Nielsen. 1987. Nitrogenous constituents of selected grain legumes. J. Food Sci. 52:1321-1325.
  8. Deshpande, S.S. and S.S. Nielsen. 1987. In vitro enzymatic hydrolysis of phaseolin, the major storage protein of Phaseolus vulgaris L. J. Food Sci. 52:1326-1329.
  9. Deshpande, S.S. and S.S. Nielsen. 1987. In vitro digestibility of dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) proteins: Role of heat-stable protease inhibitors. J. Food Sci. 52:1330-1334.
  10. Hoff, J.E., S.S. Nielsen, I.C. Peng, and J.V. Chambers. 1987. Ethanol extraction of lactose from non-fat dry milk: Production of protein raffinate. J. Dairy Sci. 70:1785-1796.
  11. Davies, C.S., S.S. Nielsen, and N.C. Nielsen. 1987. Flavor improvement of soybean preparations by genetic removal of lipoxygenase-2. J. Amer. Oil Chem. Soc. 64:1428-1433.
  12. Wieman, K.F., and Nielsen, S.S. 1988. Isolation and partial characterization of a major gut proteinase from larval Acanthoscelides obtectus Say (Coleoptera: Bruchidae). Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 89 B:419-426.
  13. Nielsen, S.S., and I.E. Liener. 1988. Effect of germination on trypsin inhibitor and hemagglutinting activities in Phaseolus vulgaris. J. Food Sci. 53:298, 299, 301.
  14. Kohlmann, K.L., S.S. Nielsen, and M.R. Ladisch. 1988 Effect of serine proteolytic enzymes (trypsin and plasmin), trypsin inhibitor, and plasminogen activator addition to ultra high temperature processed milk. J. Dairy Sci. 71:1728-1739.
  15. Nielsen, S.S., S.S. Deshpande, M.A. Hermodson and M.P. Scott. 1988. Comparative digestibility of legume storage proteins. J. Agric. Food Chem. 36:896-902.
  16. Nielsen, S.S. 1988. Degradation of bean proteins by endogenous and exogenous proteases. Cereal Chem. 65:435-442.
  17. Baker, T.A., S.S. Nielsen, R.E. Shade, and B.B. Singh. 1989. Physical and chemical attributes of cowpea weevil lines resistant and susceptible to Callosobruchus maculatus (F). (Coleoptera: Bruchidae). J. Stored Prod. Res. 25:1-8.
  18. Murdock, L.L., J.E. Huesing, S.S. Nielsen, R.C. Pratt, and R.E. Shade. 1990. Biological effects of plant lectins on the cowpea weevil. Phytochem. 29:85-89.
  19. Hentges, D.L., C.M. Weaver, S.S. Nielsen, L.R. Weaver, W. Evans, and J.M. Jacob. 1990. Automation of a Mattson type bean cooker for testing the hard-to-cook defect in legume seeds. Trans. Amer. Soc. Agric. Eng. 33:625-628.
  20. Hines, M.E., S.S. Nielsen, R.E. Shade and M.A. Pomeroy. 1990. The effect of two proteinase inhibitors, E-64 and Bowman-Birk trypsin inhibitor, on the developmental time and mortality of Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say). Entomol. exp. appl. 57:201-207.
  21. Hentges, D.L., C.M. Weaver, and S.S. Nielsen. 1991. Reversibility of the hard-to-cook defect in dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata). J. Food Sci. 55:1474,1476.
  22. Hentges, D.L., C.M. Weaver, and S.S. Nielsen. 1991. Role of selected physical and chemical components in the development of the hard-to-cook bean defect. J. Food Sci. 56:436-442.
  23. Weber, B.A., and S.S. Nielsen. 1991. Isolation and partial characterization of a native serine-type protease inhibitor from raw milk. J. Dairy Sci. 74:764-771.
  24. Kohlmann, K.L., S.S. Nielsen, and M.R. Ladisch. 1991. The addition of plasmin to ultra-high temperature processed milk. J. Dairy Sci. 74:1151-1156.
  25. Kohlmann, K.L., S.S. Nielsen, L.R. Steenson, and M.R. Ladisch. 1991. Production of proteases by psychrotrophic microorganisms. J. Dairy Sci. 74:3275-3283.
  26. Kohlmann, K.L., S.S. Nielsen, and M.R. Ladisch. 1991. Purification and characterization of an extracellular protease produced by Pseudomonas fluorescens Md/6 grown in milk. J. Dairy Sci. 74:4125-4136.
  27. Deharveng, Geneviève and S. Suzanne Nielsen. 1991. Partial purification and characterization of native plasminogen activators from bovine milk. J. Dairy Sci. 74:2060-2072.
  28. Singh, R.K., B. Shah, S.S. Nielsen, and J.V. Chambers. 1991. Â-Lactose monohydrate from ultrafiltered whey permeate in one-step crystallization process using ethanol-water mixtures. J. Food Science. 56:777-78l, 788.
  29. Singh, R.K., S.S. Nielsen, and J.V. Chambers. 1991. Lactose crystallization from whey permeate in an ethanol-water mixture. J. Food Sci. 56:935-937.
  30. Singh, R.K., S.S. Nielsen, J.V. Chambers, M. Martinez-Serna, and R. Villota. 1991. Extrusion characteristics of milk protein raffinate and corn flour blends. J. Food Processing and Preservation. 15:285-302
  31. Hines, M.E., C.I. Osuala, and S.S. Nielsen. l99l. Isolation and partial characterization of a soybean cystatin cysteine proteinase inhibitor of Coleopteran digestive proteolytic activity. J. Agric. Food Chem. 39:1515-1520.
  32. Rayas-Duarte, P., D. Bergeron, and S.S. Nielsen. 1992. Screening for heat stable trypsin inhibitors in dry beans and their partial purification from Great Northern Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) using anhydrotrypsin-Sepharose. J. Agric. Food Chem. 40:32-42.
  33. Hines, M.E., C.I. Osuala, and S.S. Nielsen. 1992. Screening for cysteine proteinase inhibitor activity in legume seeds. J. Sci. Food. Agric. 59:555-557.
  34. Nielsen, S.S., W.E. Brandt, and B.B. Singh. 1993. Genetic variability for nutritional composition and cooking time in improved cowpea lines. Crop Science. 33:469-472.
  35. Bergeron, D., and S.S. Nielsen. 1993. Partial characterization of trypsin inhibitors and N-terminal sequences of five trypsin isoinhibitors of Great Northern beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). J. Agric. Food Chem. 41:1544-1549.
  36. Lu, D.D., and S.S. Nielsen. 1993. Assays for milk plasminogen activators in bovine milk. J. Dairy Sci. 76:3362-3368.
  37. Lu, D.D., and S.S. Nielsen. 1993. Isolation and characterization of native bovine milk plasminogen activators. J. Dairy Sci. 76:3369-3383.
  38. Lu, D.D., and S.S. Nielsen. 1993. Heat inactivation of native plasminogen activators in bovine milk. J. Food Sci. 58:1010-1012, 1016.
  39. Rounds, M.A., and S.S. Nielsen. 1993. Anion-exchange HPLC with post-column detection for the analysis of inositol phosphates in plant and food samples. J. Chrom. A. 653:148-152.
  40. Osuala, C.I., R.L. Donner, and S.S. Nielsen. 1994. Partial purification and characterization of an aminopeptidase from the bean weevil larvae Acanthoscelides obtectus Say (Coleoptera, Bruchidae). Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 107B:241-248.
  41. Nielsen, S.S., C.I. Osuala, and W.E. Brandt. 1994. Early leaf harvest reduces yield but not protein concentration of cowpea seeds. HortScience 29: 631-632.
  42. Bartley, D.A., S.S. Nielsen, and P.E. Nelson. 1994. Comparison of invertase and pectinesterase inactivation in processed tomato pulp. J. Food Quality 17: 311-320.
  43. Schneegurt, M.A., B. Arieli, J.D. McKeehen, S.D. Stephens, S.S. Nielsen, P.R. Saha, P.R. Trumbo, and L.A. Sherman. 1995. Compositional and toxicological evaluation of the diazotrophic cyanobacterium, Cyanothece sp. strain. ATCC 51142. Aquaculture. 134:339-349.
  44. McKeehen, J.D., C.A. Mitchell, R.M. Wheeler, B. Bugbee, and S.S. Nielsen. 1996. Excess nutrients in hydroponic solutions alter nutrient content of rice, wheat, and potato. Adv. Space Res. 18 (4/5):73-83.
  45. McKeehen, J.D., D.J. Smart, C.L. Mackowiak, R.M. Wheeler, and S.S. Nielsen. 1996. Effect of CO2 levels on nutrient content of lettuce and radish. Adv. Space Res. 18 (4/5):85-92.
  46. Mitchell, C.A., L.A. Sherman, S.S. Nielsen, P.E. Nelson, P.R. Trumbo, T.K. Hodges, P.M. Hasegawa, R.A. Bressan, M.L. Ladisch, and D.M. Auslander. 1996. Earth benefits of interdisciplinary CELSS-related research by the NSCORT in bioregenerative life support. Adv. Space Res. 118(4/5):23-31.
  47. Schneegurt, M.A., B. Arieli, S.S. Nielsen, P.R. Trumbo, and L.A. Sherman. 1996. Evaluation of Cyanothece Sp. ATCC 51142 as a candidate for inclusion in CELSS. Adv. Space Res. 18(4/5):177-180.
  48. Lambrecht, H.S., S.S. Nielsen, B.J. Liska, and N.C. Nielsen. 1996. Soybean storage and its effect on tofu and soymilk characteristics. J. Food Quality 19:189 - 202.
  49. Zhao, Y., Botella, M.A. L. Subramanian, X. Niu, S.S. Nielsen, R. A. Bressan, and P. M. Hasegawa. 1996. Two wound-inducible soybean cysteine proteinase inhibitors have greater insect digestive proteinase inhibitory activities than a constitutive homolog. Plant Physiol. 111:1299-1306.
  50. Ohler, T.A., S.S. Nielsen, and C.A. Mitchell. 1996. Varying plant density and harvest time to optimize cowpea leaf yield and nutrient content. HortSci. 31(2):193-197.
  51. Botella, M.A. Y. Xu, T.N. Prabha, Y. Zhao, M.L. Narshimhan, K.A. Wilson, S.S. Nielsen, R.A. Bressan, and P.M. Hasegawa. 1996. Differential expression of soybean cysteine proteinase inhibitor gene during development and in response to wounding and methyl jasmonate. Plant Physiol. 12:1201-1210.
  52. Precetti, A.S., M.P. Oria, and S.S. Nielsen. 1997. Presence in bovine milk of two protease inhibitors of the plasmin system. J. Dairy Sci. 80:1490-1496.
  53. Mitchell, C.A., C. Chun, W.E. Brandt, and S.S. Nielsen. 1997. Environmental modification of yield and nutrient composition of Waldmann's Green' leaf lettuce. J. Food Quality. 20:73-80.
  54. Mitchell, C.A., T.A.O. Dougher, S.S. Nielsen, M.A. Belury, and R.M. Wheeler. 1996. Costs of providing edible biomass for a balanced vegetarian diet in a controlled ecological life-support system. In "Plants in Space Biology." H. Suge and H. Takahashi, Ed., Tohuku University Press, Sendai, Japan. p. 245-254.
  55. Nielsen, S.S., M.S. Belury, K.P. Nichel, and C.A. Mitchell. 1996. Plant nutrient composition under controlled environment life-support systems. In"Progress in New Crops," J. Janick, Ed. p. 624-632. ASHS Press.
  56. Nickel, K.P., S.S. Nielsen, D.J. Smart, C.A. Mitchell, and M.A. Belury. 1997. Rat calcium bioavailability of vegetable diets for a bioregenerative life-support system. J. Food Sci. 62:619-621, 631.
  57. Nielsen, S.S., T.A. Ohler, and C.A. Mitchell. 1997. Cowpea leaves for human consumption: Production, utilization and nutrient composition. In "Advances in Cowpea Research," p. 326-332. B.B. Singh, D.R. Mohan Raj, K.E. Dashiell, and L.E.N. Jackai, Ed. International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria, and Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, Tsukuba, Ibaruki, Japan.
  58. Jurgonski, L.J., D.J. Smart, B. Bugbee, and S.S. Nielsen. 1997. Controlled environments alter nutrient content of soybeans. Adv. Space Res. 20(10):1979-1988.
  59. Stephens, S.D., B.A. Watkins, and S.S. Nielsen. 1997. Storage stability of screwpress-extracted oils and residual meals from CELSS candidate oilseed crops. Adv. Space Res. 20(10):1879-1889.
  60. Fajardo-Lira, C.E., and Nielsen, S.S. 1998. Effect of psychrotrophic microorganisms on the plasmin system in milk. J. Dairy Sci. 81:901-908.
  61. Rodriguez-Burger, A.P., A. Mason, and S. S. Nielsen. 1998 Use of fermented black beans combined with rice to develop a nutritious weaning food. J. Agric. Food Chem. 46:4806-4813
  62. Hayes, K.D., and S.S. Nielsen. 2000. Plasmin levels in fresh milk and commerical whey protein products. J.Dairy Sci. 83:387-394.
  63. Han, Y., S. S. Nielsen, and P. E. Nelson. 2000. Thermostable and thermolabile isoforms in commercial orange peel pectinesterase. J Food Biochem. 24:41-54.
  64. Fajardo-Lira,C. E., M. P. Oria, K. D. Hayes, and S. S. Nielsen. 2000. Effect of psychrotrophic bacteria and of an isolated protease from Pseudomonas fluorescens M3/6 on the plasmin system of fresh milk. J. Dairy Sci. 83:2190-2199.
  65. Han, Y., R. H. Linton, S. S. Nielsen, and P.E. Nelson. 2000. Inactivation of Escherichia coli 0157:H7 on surface-uninjured and -injured green pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) by chlorine dioxide gas as demonstrated by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Food Micro. 17:643-655.
  66. Han Y., D. M. Sherman, R. H. Linton, S. S. Nielsen, and P.E. Nelson. 2000. The effects of washing and chlorine dioxide gas on survival and attachment of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to green pepper surfaces. Food Micro. 17:521-533.
  67. Lawrence, J. C., and S. S. Nielsen. 2001. Partial purification and characterization of a cysteine proteinase inhibitor from lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus). J. Agric. Food Chem. 49:1020-1025.
  68. Ahn, D. J., L. Adeola, and S. S. Nielsen. 2001. Effect of environment on the free and peptide amino acids in rice, wheat, potato, and soybeans. Life Support & Biosphere Science 7:311-318.
  69. Han, Y., J. D. Floros, R. H. Linton, S. S. Nielsen, and P.E. Nelson. 2001. Response surface modeling for the inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on green peppers (Capsicum annuum) by ozone gas treatment. J. Food Sci. 67:1188-1193.
  70. Han, Y., J. D. Floros, R. H. Linton, S. S. Nielsen, and P.E. Nelson. 2001. Response surface modeling for the inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on green peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) by chlorine dioxide gas treatments. J. Food Sci. 8:1128-1133.
  71. Han, Y., R. H. Linton, S. S. Nielsen, and P.E. Nelson. 2001. A comparison of methods for recovery of chlorine dioxide-injured Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes. Food Micro. 19:201-210.
  72. Kannan, S., S. Nielsen, and A. Mason. 2001. Protein digestibility-corrected amino acid scores for bean and bean-rice protein based infant weaning food products. J. Agric. Food Chem. 49:5070-5074.
  73. Kannan, S., S. Nielsen, A. p. Rodriguez-Burger, and A. Mason. 2001. Iron and zinc bioavailability in rats fed intrinsically labeled bean and bean-rice infant weaning food products. J. Agric. Food Chem. 49:5063-5069.
  74. Han, Y., R. H. Linton, S. S. Nielsen, and P.E. Nelson. 2001. Reduction of Listeria monocytogenes on green peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) by gaseous and aqueous chlorine dioxide and water washing and its growth at 7C. J. Food Protection 11:1730-1738.
  75. Han, Y., J. D. Floros, R. H. Linton, S. S. Nielsen, and P.E. Nelson. 2002. Response surface modeling for the inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on green peppers (Capsicum annuum) by ozone gas treatment. J. Food Sci. 67:1188-1193.
  76. Han, Y., R. H. Linton, S. S. Nielsen, and P.E. Nelson. 2002. A comparison of methods for recovery of chlorine dioxide-injured Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes. Food Micro. 19:201-210.
  77. Nielsen, S. S. 2002. Plasmin system and microbial proteases in milk: Characteristics, roles, and relationship. J. Agric. Food Chem. 50:6628-6634.
  78. Weaver, C.M., R. P. Heaney, L. Connor, B. R. Martin, D. L. Smith, and S. Nielsen. 2002. Bioavailability of calcium from tofu as compared with milk in premonopausal women. J. Food Science 67:3144-3147.
  79. Mellican, R.I., J. Li, H. Mahansho, and S. S. Nielsen. 2003. The role of irona dn the factors affecting off-color development of polyphenols. J. Agric. Food Chem. 51:2304-2316.
  80. Hayes, K.D., B.F. Ozen, S. S. Nielsen, and L.J. Mauer. 2003. FTIR determination of ligand-induced secondary and tertiary structural changes in bovine plasminogen. J. Dairy Res. 70:461-466.
  81. Maurer, G.A., B.F. Ozen, L.J. Mauer, and S. S. Nielsen. 2004. Analysis of hard-to-cook red and black common beans using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. J. Agric. Food Chem. 52:1470-1477.
  82. Rippel, K. M., S. S. Nielsen, and K. D. Hayes. 2004. Effects of native and denatured whey proteins on plasminogen activator activity. J. Dairy Science 87:2344-2350.
  83. Nielsen, S. S. 2004. Product quality assurance project for teaching of food analysis. J. Food Sci. Educ. 3:21-25.
  84. Maurer, G., G. Fakuda, and S. Nielsen. 2005. Development of bean-based granola bars and cereal. Cereal Foods World 50(1): 27-32.
  85. Choi, L. H., and S. S. Nielsen. 2005. The effects of thermal and nonthermal processing methods on apple cider quality and consumer acceptability. J Food Quality 28:13-29.
  86. Lalitha, S., R. E Shade, L. M. Murdock, P.M. Hasegawa, R. A. Bressan, and S. S. Nielsen. 2005. Comparison of chemical characteristics of three soybean cysteine proteinase inhibitors. J. Agric. Food Chem. 53:1591-1597.
  87. Lalitha, S., R. E. Shade, L. L. Murdock, R. A. Bressan, P. M. Hasegawa, and S. S. Nielsen. 2005. Effectiveness of recombinant soybean cysteine proeinase inhibitors against selected crop pests. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. C 140:227-235.
  88. N.K. Larson, B. Ismail, S. S. Nielsen, and K.D. Hayes. 2005. Activity of Bacillus polymyxa protease on components of the plasmin system. Int. Dairy J. Accepted.
  89. Choi, L. H., L. M. Were, and S. S. Nielsen. 2005. Effects of incubation temperature and salt concentration on plasminogen activators in cheese curd. International Dairy Journal. Accepted.
  90. Frohbieter, C., Ismail, B., Nielsen, S. S., and Hayes, K. D. 2005. Effects of Pseudomonas fluorescens M3/6 bacterial protease on plasmin system and plasminogen activation. J. Dairy Sci. Accepted.

Protein Laboratory
Food Science
Purdue University

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Last Updated 2/8/06