Protein biosensors for detecting smoke exposure of grapes

发生在葡萄园附近的灌木丛火灾和控制燃烧可能导致葡萄被无味的酚类糖苷污染。它们在酿酒过程中的水解会导致“烟熏味”--一种令人不快的药用味道，使葡萄酒无法饮用。我们将有机合成、蛋白质工程和定向进化相结合，开发基于蛋白质的酚苷生物传感器。这些生物传感器将用于设计一种简单的便携式比色测试，可以在葡萄园或酿酒厂进行。快速确定葡萄中酚类糖苷污染水平的能力将为澳大利亚葡萄酒种植者和葡萄酒制造商提供一个强大的工具，以减轻葡萄酒火灾的影响。

Bush fires and controlled burns that take place in the vicinity of vineyards can lead to grape contamination with tasteless phenolic glucosides. Their hydrolysis during wine making leads to “smoke taint” – an unpleasant medicinal taste that can render wine undrinkable. We will apply a combination of organic synthesis, protein engineering and directed evolution to develop protein-based biosensors of phenolic glucosides. These biosensors will be used to devise a simple portable colorimetric test that can be performed in the vineyard or the winery. The ability to rapidly determine the level of grape contamination with phenolic glucosides would give Australian wine growers and wine makers a powerful tool to mitigate the effects of bushfires.