Shigeaki Nakazawa, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Takeharu Kui, Professor Tomomi Kanno, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aichi Shukutoku University, Hiromi Kametani, Senior Researcher, Agricultural and Food Industry Technology Research Organization, etc. , I discovered for the first time in the world that the iron ion carrier enzyme transferase is present in Maitake.Transferrin from Maitake has a very similar iron ion binding site to that found in human blood, demonstrating the evidence that mushrooms have various pharmacological effects.
According to Osaka City University, the research group measured the dried material of Maitake at minus 269 degrees Celsius, and observed a signal that could not be measured at room temperature.As a result of analyzing this signal, it was discovered that the parameters that characterize the signal are similar to transferrin in human blood, and that it is derived from the iron ion protein enzyme transferrin.
Mushrooms have evolved independently from other life systems at an early stage.Therefore, it has been considered that it does not have transferrin, which is commonly found in other life systems such as vertebrates and insects.However, this study revealed that transferrin in Maitake is the same as in humans, and that the chemical properties of the iron ion binding site are also clarified.
With this discovery, research to analyze transferrin and metal protein enzymes contained in mushrooms other than Maitake mushrooms will become active, and it is expected that understanding of the food functionality of mushrooms will advance.
