Exploration of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitory peptides from walnut dreg proteins based on in silico and in vitro analysis

Walnut dreg protein hydrolysates(WDPHs)exhibit a variety of biological activities,however,the cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2)inhibitory peptide of WDPHs remain unclear.The aim of this study was to rapidly screen for such peptides in WDPHs through a combination of in silico and in vitro analysis.In total,1262 peptide sequences were observed by nano liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry(nano LC-MS/MS)and 4 novel COX-2 inhibitory peptides(AGFP,FPGA,LFPD,and VGFP)were identified.Enzyme kinetic data indicated that AGFP,FPGA,and LFPD displayed mixed-type COX-2 inhibition,whereas VGFP was a non-competitive inhibitor.This is mainly because the peptides form hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions with residues in the COX-2 active site.These results demonstrate that computer analysis combined with in vitro evaluation allows for rapid screening of COX-2 inhibitory peptides in walnut protein dregs.

Food-derived protein hydrolysates and peptides:anxiolytic and antidepressant activities,characteristics,and mechanisms

Globally,the prevalence of anxiety and depression has reached epidemic proportions.Food-derived protein hydrolysates and peptides delivered through dietary supplementation can avoid the negative risks associated with traditional pharmaceuticals while delivering superior anxiolytic and antidepressant effects.This review summarizes current research on food-derived anxiolytic and antidepressant protein hydrolysates and peptides,and subsequently analyses their physicochemical characteristics and elaborates on their mechanisms.The aim of this work is to contribute to the in-depth study and provide a theoretical foundation for the development of related products to better serve patients with anxiety and depression.

Virtual screening and directional preparation of xanthine oxidase inhibitory peptides derived from hemp seed protein

The traditional nutritional and medical hemp(Cannabis sativa L.)seed protein were explored for the discovery and directional preparation of new xanthine oxidase inhibitory(XOI)peptides by structure-based virtual screening,compound synthesis,in vitro bioassay and proteolysis.Six subtypes of hemp seed edestin and albumin were in silico hydrolyzed by 29 proteases,and 192 encrypted bioactive peptides were screened out.Six peptides showed to be XOI peptides,of which four(about 67%)were released by elastase hydrolysis.The peptide DDNPRRFY displayed the highest XOI activity(IC50=(2.10±0.06)mg/mL),acting as a mixed inhibitor.The pancreatic elastase directionally prepared XOI hemp seed protein hydrolysates,from which 6 high-abundance XOI peptides encrypted 3 virtually-screened ones including the DDNPRRFY.The novel outstanding hemp seed protein-derived XOI peptides and their virtual screening and directed preparation methods provide a promising and applicable approach to conveniently and efficiently explore food-derived bioactive peptides.

Characterization of SARS-COV-2 main protease inhibitory peptides from Ulva prolifera proteins

The main protease(M^(pro))is essential for the replication of SARS-COV-2 and therefore represents a promising anti-viral target.In this study,we screened M^(pro)inhibitory peptides from Ulva prolifera protein on in-silico proteolysis.Cytotoxicity analysis using the online toxic prediction tool ToxinPred revealed that all the peptides were non-cytotoxic.The hexapeptide(SSGFID)exhibited high M^(pro)inhibitory activity in molecular docking and its IC_(50)value was 139.40±0.82μmol/L in vitro according to fluorescence resonance energy transfer assay(FRET).Quantitative real-time(qRT-)PCR results show that SSGFID could stimulate the expression of mitosis-related factors,including nuclear factor-κB,cyclin D1,and cyclin-dependent kinase 4,to promote the proliferation of mice splenocytes.Stability study revealed that SSGFID showed resistance against pepsin and trypsin but lost D(Asp)after pretreatment at121℃ for 15 min.Besides,SSGFID was mainly transported through the Caco-2 cell monolayer by the peptide transporter PepT1 and passive-mediated transport during the transport study.Unfortunately,the peptide was also degraded by Caco-2 intracellular enzymes,and the transfer rate of intact peptide was4.2%.Furthermore,Lineweaver–Burk plots demonstrated that SSGFID possessed a mixed inhibitory characteristic with M^(pro).Our study indicated the potential of Ulva prolifera as antiviral and immuneenhancing functional food ingredients and nutraceuticals.

Active Peptides and Motifs within Collagen and Other ECM Proteins

Collagens are the most abundant proteins in mammals and form an extracellular matrix (ECM) with other components as the structural support of muscle, skin, corneas and blood vessels etc. Other than providing structural support, the ECM exhibits active communication with cells and influences many cellular processes including migration, wound healing, differentiation and cancer metastasis. Though collagen proteins contain highly repetitive primary sequences and defined tertiary structures, more and more studies have shown that many short peptides/motifs within collagen proteins play key roles in various biological processes. These short sequences are effective within triple helical structures or independently as stand-alone molecules resulting from proteolytic degradation. Besides endogenous ECM-derived peptides, many more functional peptides have been produced by tissue processing, chemical synthesis, and recombinant protein production. In this review, we summarize different peptides/motifs identified in collagen and other ECM proteins and discuss their potential for medical, personal care, and cosmetics applications.

Adulteration detection of plant protein beverages by UPLC-MS/MS based on signature peptide of allergen

Plant protein beverage adulteration occurs frequently,which may cause health problems for consumers due to the hidden allergens.Hence,a novel method was developed for authentication by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS).Almond,peanut,walnut and soybean were hydrolyzed,followed by separation by NanoLC-Triple TOF MS.The obtained fingerprints were identified by ProteinPilotTM combined with Uniprot,and 16 signature peptides were selected.Afterwards,plant protein beverages treated by trypsin hydrolysis were analyzed with UPLC-MS/MS.This method showed a good linear relationship with R2>0.99403.The limit of quantification(LOQ)were 0.015,0.01,0.5 and 0.05 g/L for almond,peanut,walnut and soybean,respectively.Mean recoveries ranged from 84.77%to 110.44%with RSDs<15%.The developed method was successfully applied to the adulteration detection of 31 plant protein beverages to reveal adulteration and false labeling.Conclusively,this method could provide technical support for authentication of plant protein beverages to protect the rights and health of consumers.

Targeted protein editing technique in living mammalian cells by peptide-fused PNGase

Various precise gene editing techniques at the DNA/RNA level,driven by clustered regularly interspaced short palindrome repeats(CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9(Cas9)technology,have gained significant prominence.Yet,research on targeted protein editing techniques remains limited.Only a few attempts have been made,including the use of specific proteases and de-O-glycosylating enzymes as editing enzymes.Here,we propose direct editing of Nglycosylated proteins using de-N-glycosylating enzymes to modify N-glycosylation and simultaneously alter the relevant asparagine residue to aspartate in living cells.Selective protein deglycosylation editors were developed by fusing high-affinity protein-targeting peptides with active peptide:N-glycanases(PNGases).Three crucial cell membrane proteins,programmed cell death protein-1(PD-1),programmed cell death-1 ligand 1(PD-L1),and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2(SARS-CoV-2)spike protein,were chosen to be tested as a proof of concept.N-linked glycans were removed,and the relevant sites were converted from Asn to Asp in living mammalian cells,destabilizing target proteins and accelerating their degradation.Further investigation focused on SARS-CoV-2 spike protein deglycosylation editing.The collaboration of LCB1-PNGase F(PNGF)effectively reduced syncytia formation,inhibited pseudovirus packaging,and significantly hindered virus entry into host cells,which provides insights for coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)treatment.This tool enables editing protein sequences post-de-N-glycosylation in living human cells,shedding light on protein N-glycosylation functions,and Asn to Asp editing in organisms.It also offers the potential for developing protein degradation technologies.

Study of screening,transport pathway,and vasodilation mechanisms on angiotensin-Ⅰconverting enzyme inhibitory peptide from Ulva prolifera proteins

In this study,Ulva prolifera protein was used for preparing angiotensin-I converting enzyme(ACE)-inhibitory peptide via virtual gastrointestinal digestion and in silico screening.Some parameters of the obtained peptide,such as inhibition kinetics,docking mechanism,stability,transport pathway,were explored by Lineweaver-Burk plots,molecular docking,in vitro stimulate gastrointestinal(GI)digestion and Caco-2 cells monolayer model,respectively.Then,a novel anti-ACE peptide LDF(IC_(50),(1.66±0.34)μmol/L)was screened and synthesized by chemical synthesis.It was a no-competitive inhibitor and its anti-ACE inhibitory effect mainly attributable to four Conventional Hydrogen Bonds and Zn701 interactions.It could keep activity during simulated GI digestion in vitro and was transported by peptide transporter PepT1 and passive-mediated mode.Besides,it could activate Endothelial nitric oxide synthase(eNOS)activity to promote the production of NO and reduce Endothelin-1(ET-1)secretion induced by AngiotensinⅡ(AngⅡ)in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells(HUVECs).Meanwhile,it could promote mice splenocytes proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner.Our study indicated that this peptide was a potential ingredient functioning on vasodilation and enhancing immunity.

Progress in Chemical Synthesis of Peptides and Proteins

For the proteins that cannot be expressed exactly by cell expression technology (e.g., proteins with multiple posttranslational modifications or toxic proteins), chemical synthesis is an important substitute. Given the limited peptide length offered by solid-phase peptide synthesis invented by Professor Merrifield, peptide ligation plays a key role in long peptide or protein synthesis by ligating two small peptides to a long one. Moreover, high-molecular-weight proteins must be synthesized using two or more peptide ligation steps, and sequential peptide ligation is such an efficient way. In this paper, we reviewed the development of chemical protein synthesis, including solid-phase peptide synthesis, chemical ligation, and sequential chemical ligation. © 2017, The Author(s).

Antioxidant Activity of Peptides Obtained from Cotton Ground Oil-Cake Proteins

Antioxidant activity of the peptides derived from proteins of defatted cottonseed kernels and cotton ground oil-cake by their enzymatic hydrolysis with acidic （Asp. niger） and neutral proteinases （Bac. amyloliquefaciens） was studied. Antioxidant activity of the derived peptides depended on the used proteins and enzymes. The peptides derived by using of neutral proteinase possessed higher antioxidant activity, in comparison with the peptides derived by acidic proteinases.

A modified soft docking method for proteins and peptides

A modified two-stage soft-docking procedure was developed for the theoretic researches on the recognition of protein-protein or protein-peptide complexes. Some systems have been used to test our program and the results are encouraging.

Purifi cation and identification of anti-inflammatory peptides from sturgeon (Acipenser schrenckii) cartilage

Cartilage is a nonedible byproduct with little saleable value.However,previous studies have proposed the possibility of producing peptides from cartilage with immune function modulation potential.The current study aimed to investigate the potential anti-inflammatory activity of peptides derived from sturgeon(Acipenser schrenckii)cartilage in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages.Five peptide sequences,including four novel peptides,were identified from ethanol-soluble cartilage hydrolysates.Among these five peptides,LTGP,LLLE,LLEL and VGPAGPAGP reduced the production of nitric oxide(NO)and interleukin-6(IL-6)while increasing interleukin-10(IL-10)excretion.Transcriptome analysis suggested the inhibition of activated mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)and interleukin-17(IL-17)signaling pathways after LLEL intervention.MAPK,which is involved in the IL-17 signaling pathway,was further proved to be blocked by downregulating the phosphorylation of p38,extracellular-signal regulated protein kinase(ERK),and c-jun N-terminal kinase(JNK).This novel peptide offers an attractive approach to develop functional foods.

Protein hydrolysates in animal nutrition：Industrial production, bioactive peptides,and functional significance

Recent years have witnessed growing interest in the role of peptides in animal nutrition. Chemical, enzymatic, or microbial hydrolysis of proteins in animal by-products or plant-source feedstuffs before feeding is an attractive means of generating high-quality small or large peptides that have both nutritional and physiological or regulatory functions in livestock, poultry and fish. These peptides may also be formed from ingested proteins in the gastrointestinal tract, but the types of resultant peptides can vary greatly with the physiological conditions of the animals and the composition of the diets. In the small intestine, large peptides are hydrolyzed to small peptides,which are absorbed into enterocytes faster than free amino acids（AAs） to provide a more balanced pattern of AAs in the blood circulation. Some peptides of plant or animal sources also have antimicrobial, antioxidant,antihypertensive, and immunomodulatory activities. Those peptides which confer biological functions beyond their nutritional value are called bioactive peptides. They are usually 2–20 AA residues in length but may consist of 〉20AA residues. Inclusion of some（e.g. 2–8%） animal-protein hydrolysates（e.g., porcine intestine, porcine mucosa,salmon viscera, or poultry tissue hydrolysates） or soybean protein hydrolysates in practical corn-and soybean mealbased diets can ensure desirable rates of growth performance and feed efficiency in weanling pigs, young calves,post-hatching poultry, and fish. Thus, protein hydrolysates hold promise in optimizing the nutrition of domestic and companion animals, as well as their health（particularly gut health） and well-being.

Computational Analysis of Signal Peptide-Dependent Secreted Proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Computer based software such as the SignalP v3.0, TargetP v1.01, big-PI predictor and TMHMM v2.0 were combined to predict the signal peptides, and the signal peptide-dependent secreted proteins among the 6 700 ORFs in genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The results showed that 163 proteins were the secreted ones containing signal peptides, and they were secreted via Sec pathway. Among the 163 predicted secreted proteins, the signal peptides of 47 secreted proteins included only the H-domain and C-domain, without N-domain, but the signal peptides of other 116 secreted proteins included all the three domains. There were differences in the constitution of signal peptides between the secreted proteins of S. cerevisiae and of Candida albicans, but the length and amino acids types of their signal peptides were similar in general. Few of the same signal peptides occurred in the secreted proteins of S. cerevisiae genome, and the homology could be compared among the secreted proteins with the same signal peptides. The BLAST 2 SEQUENECES and CLUSTAL W were used to align the two protein sequences and multi-protein sequences, respectively. The alignment result indicated that homology of these sequences with the same signal peptide was very highly conservative in amino acid of complete gene. The effect of the signal peptides in S. cerevisia on expression of foreign eukaryotic secreted proteins is discussed in this paper.

Purification of heat shock protein 70-associated tumor peptides and their antitumor immunity to hepatoma in mice

AIM:To purify the heat shock protein (HSP) 70-associated tumor peptides and to observe its non-MHC-I molecule restrictive antitumor effect.METHODS:By ConA-sepharose affinity chromatography,ADP-agarose affinity chromatography, and DEAE anion exchange chromatography, we were able to purify HSP70-associated peptides from mouse hepatoma (HCaF) cells treated in heat shock at 42℃. Specific active immunization and adoptive cellular immunization assay were adopted to observe the immunoprotective effect elicited by HSP70-associated peptide complexes isolated from HcaF.RESULTS: The finally purified HSP-associated peptides had a very high purity and specificity found by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. Mice immunized with HSP70-associated peptide complexes purified from HCaF cells were protected from HCaF living cell challenge. This effect was dose dependent.Adoptive immunization of immune spleen cells of mice immunized with HSP70-associated peptide complexes could elicit immunity against HCaF challenge, and the tumor-free mice could resist repeated challenges. This effect could be continuously enhanced by repeated challenge with HCaF living cells. The tumor-free mice could tolerate the challenge for as high as 1×10^7 HCaF cells. The mice immunized once with spleen cells pulsed with HSP70-associated peptide complexes in vitro could also result in a certain adoptive immunity against HCaF.CONCLUSION:High purity and specificity of HSP70-associated peptides could be achieved from tumor cells by the low-pressure affinity chromatography method used in this study. HSP70-associated peptide complexes derived from the HCaF can elicit non-MHC-I molecule restrictive immunoprotective effect against HCaF.This effect can be transferred by adoptive immunization to mice and enhanced by repeated challenge with HCaF live cells.

Value of N-Terminal Pro B-Type Natriuretic Peptide,High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein,and Homocysteine Levels in Predicting Cardiovascular Events in Chronic Heart Failure Patients After Discharge

Objective:To investigate the value of N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP),high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP),and homocysteine(Hcy)levels in predicting cardiovascular events(CV)in patients with chronic heart failure(CHF).Methods:A total of 63 patients with CHF admitted to our hospital between June 2019 and July 2021 were selected.Their NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,and Hcy levels were detected at discharge,and a 12-month follow-up was done after their discharge to collect clinical data.The collected data were inclusive of data from 21 CHF patients with cardiovascular disease and 42 CHF patients without cardiovascular disease.The effect of NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,and Hcy levels on the occurrence of CV was analyzed.Results:The levels of NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,and Hcy in the group with cardiovascular disease were significantly higher than those in the group without cardiovascular disease(P<0.05);the levels of serum NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,and Hcy at discharge had certain value in predicting short-term CV in CHF patients(P<0.05).Conclusion:NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,and Hcy levels can be used to predict CV in CHF patients,thus having clinical application value.

Novel Antioxidant Peptides Derived from Enzymatic Hydrolysates of Macadamia Protein

In the present work, macadamia protein was enzymatic hydrolyzed to produce peptides which had abundant antioxidant activities. The relative antioxidant capacity was investigated through some in vitro models such as scavenging activity of DPPH radical, scavenging of ABTS+ radical and evaluation of the total antioxidant capacity assay. Macadamia protein was characterized by methods of DEAE cellulose cation-exchange chromatography and SDS-PAGE. Besides, method of price graph was used to compare the difference and to investigate the connection between the actual and ideal antioxidant value of the hydrolysates, aiming to reduce this difference.

Optimization of Hydrolysis Conditions for the Isolation of Angiotensin-I Converting Enzyme(ACE) Inhibitory Peptides from Rhopilema hispidum

To obtain the maximum angiotensin-I converting enzyme(ACE) inhibitory activity, the protein hydrolysis conditions of the jellyfish Rhopilema hispidum were optimized using response surface methodology(RSM). Trypsin was selected to produce R. hispidum protein hydrolysates(RPH) with ACE inhibitory activity. The optimal parameters for producing protein hydrolysates with the highest ACE inhibitory activity were as follows: hydrolysis time 5 h, hydrolysis temperature 50℃, and the enzyme-to-substrate ratio 6%. Under these conditions, the ACE inhibitory rate of RPH could reach 64.28% ± 5.72%. In addition, RPH contained high levels of Gly, Glu, Pro, Ala, Asp and Arg, with a molecular weight distribution range of 0.32–6.84 kDa. The following three novel ACE inhibitory peptides were isolated and identified: Ile-Gly-Glu-Thr-Gly-Pro, Gly-Ala-Thr-Gly-Pro-Ala-Gly-Tyr-Val and Gly-AlaPhe-Gly-Pro-Gly-Gly-Leu-Val-Gly-Arg-Pro. The IC_(50) values of the ACE inhibitory activity of these three purified peptides were 19.07, 27.42 and 31.26 μmol L^(-1), respectively. These results suggested that proteins and peptides isolated from R. hispidum could be utilized as antihypertensive functional food sources.

Molecular characteristics and structure–activity relationships of food-derived bioactive peptides

Peptides are functional active fragments of proteins which can provide nutrients needed for human growth and development,and they also have unique physiological activity characteristics relative to proteins.Bioactive peptides contain a great deal of development potential.More specifically,food-derived bioactive peptides have the advantages of a wide variety of sources,unique structures,high efficiency and safety,so they have broad development prospects.This review provides an overview of the current advances regarding the preparation,functional characteristics,and structure–activity relationships of food-derived bioactive peptides.Moreover,the prospects for the future development and application of food-derived bioactive peptides are discussed.This review may provide a better understanding of foodderived bioactive peptides,and some constructive inspirations for further research and applications in the food industry.

Antioxidant peptides encrypted in flaxseed proteome:An in silico assessment

Flaxseed proteins and antioxidant peptides(AP)encrypted in their sequences were analysed in silico with a range of bioinformatics tools to study their physicochemical properties,allergenicity,and toxicity.Nine proteases(digestive,plant and microbial sources)were assessed for their ability to release known APs from 23 mature flaxseed storage proteins using the BIOPEP database.The families of proteins identified were predominantly globulins,oleosins,and small amount of conlinin.Overall,253 APs were identified from these proteins.More peptides were released by enzymatic hydrolysis from the globulins than those from oleosins and conlinin.Compared with other enzymes studied,the plant proteases(papain,ficin,and bromelain)were found to be superior to releasing APs from the flaxseed proteins.Analysis of toxicity by ToxinPred showed that none of the peptides released was toxic.Most of the APs showed structural features that are important for antioxidation,including relatively low molecular weight(dipeptides and tripeptides only);amphipathic properties(hydrophobicity range of-0.5 to+0.5);relatively low Boman index(≤2);broad range of pI(3.7-10.8),and an abundance of antioxidant amino acid residues(e.g.glutamic acid and histidine).This study demonstrate the suitability of flaxseed proteins as a source of APs.