What bioactive proteins can we find in macroalgae? In this article we explore Echave el al's interesting paper from 2022, which gives a breakdown of some of the more interesting algal macromolecules.
You may have heard of the nutritional benefits of seaweed proteins, but what about their bioactive properties? Echave et al. seek to clarify this area in their recent review which details the mechanisms of action and current applications of said peptides.
Many of these proteins are of major interest to the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, or nutraceutical industries. As a result, Echave et al. take great care in detailing their function in the hopes of further publicising this neat organism.
So, what did they find?
The paper begins by listing various bioactive proteins found in algae: enzymes, glycoproteins, cell wall-attached proteins, red algae phycobiliproteins, lectins, peptides, and mycosporine-like amino acids.
It continues by telling us the various properties and reported mechanisms of action of these several seaweed proteins (SPs) and derived bioactive peptides (BAPs).
As you can see, many of these exhibit antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, or antitumoral properties, which explains their high relative value in certain markets.
The paper concludes by outlining the potential applications of these proteins by considering their described bioactivities.
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