Functional Peptides

In the realm of science and medicine, peptides have emerged as a fascinating and versatile class of molecules with wide variety of applications. These small chain of amino acids play a crucial role in various physiological processes not only in human body but also, for animals as well. 

Peptides represent a captivating area of scientific exploration with remarkable potential for therapeutic, functional, diagnostic, industrial, and food applications.

OUR SERVICES

Esco Aster manufactures the highest quality peptide products and are widely used in following applications:

Possibilities with Peptides

Peptides in Aquatic Animal Health

Aquaculture and fisheries contribute a growing share of nutrition for the global population. Considered as the fastest growing food animal sector globally, aquatic animals provide 20% of animal protein to the human diet for over 40% of the world, with consumption growth outpacing rates for all other sources of animal protein combined. 

The rapid growth in animal protein production has been facilitated by a transition from expensive to intensive farming, which in terrestrial food animal sectors has historically been accompanied by the increasing use of antimicrobials which exerts selective pressures driving antimicrobial resistance. This in turn have potential implications for food security and nutrition. 

In the continuous pursuit for alternatives, Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) represent a critical part of the host immune system and have been documented to have immunomodulatory activity. Increasing research evidence suggests that in contrast to antibiotics, AMPs exert broad-spectrum antibacterial activity in a manner that reduces bacterial acquisition of resistance genes.

Peptides in Aquatic Animal Health

Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) as Functional Feeds for Aquaculture and Animal Husbandry Applications

The European Union banned the use of animal growth promoters in animal feed in 2006. Thus, a new antibacterial strategy is needed. Many AMPs have the potential to be used in poultry, swine, and ruminants breeding and aquaculture because of the following reasons:

  1. they can improve production performance
  2. improve immunity
  3. promote intestinal health
  4. synergistic relationship with antibiotics

For example, swine intestine antimicrobial peptides (SIAMP) has a good effect on the treatment of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) in chickens. By adding swine gut intestinal antimicrobial peptides, broilers showed higher average daily gain and feed efficiency under chronic heat conditions.

Moreover, frog caerin 1.1., European sea bass dicentracin and NK-lysine peptides (NKLPs) have good inhibitory effects on Nodavirus, Septicemia hemorrhagic virus, Infectious pancreatic necrosis virus and Spring viremia carp virus, which are devastating to fish farming. The AMP in soybean meal fermented by Bacillus subtilis E20 effectively inhibits Vibrio parahaemolyticus and V. alginolyticus and enhances the resistance level of Litopenaeus vannamei against V. parahaemolyticus when added to feeds. 

Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) as Functional Feeds for Aquaculture and Animal Husbandry Applications

Peptides Against Food Spoilage and Mycotoxin Contamination

The global challenge to prevent fungal spoilage and mycotoxin contamination on food and feed requires the development of new antifungal strategies. Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) and proteins with antifungal activity are gaining much interest as natural antifungal compounds due to their properties such as:

  1. structure diversity and function
  2. mechanism of action
  3. high stability
  4. low toxicity and fast killing activity 
  5. availability of biotechnological production methods

Given AMPs’ multistep mode of action, the development of fungal resistance to AMPs is presumed to be slow or delayed compared to conventional fungicides. Moreover, they have important biological functions other than antifungal activity, it includes “anti-mycotoxin biosynthesis activity, which opens novel aspects for their future use in agriculture and food industry to fight mycotoxin contamination. 

Peptides Against Food Spoilage and Mycotoxin Contamination

Synthetic Services

We are capable of synthesizing broad range of therapeutic/functional peptides / proteins through:

  • A novel continuous flow approach with the latest technology
  • Conventional Solid Phase Peptide
  • Synthesis/Liquid Phase Peptide Synthesis (SPPS/LPPS)
  • Combo Technology
  • Fermentation
  • Recombinant DNA methodology

Comprehensive Peptide Modifications

Through our in-house technologies, we have the ability to increase their half-lives through:

  • Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Modification
    • Linkers
    • Spacers
  • N-terminal and Side-chain Modification
    • PEGylation
    • Acetylation (lipopeptides)
    • Formylation
  • Peptide Stapling
    • Ring Closing Metathesis (RCM)
    • Thioether Formation
  • Peptide Macrolyzation

References:

  1. Fasina, Y. O., Obanla, T., Dosu, G., & Muzquiz, S. (2021, June 28). Significance of Endogenous Antimicrobial Peptides on the Health of Food Animals. Frontiers in Veterinary Science; Frontiers Media. 
  2. Huan, Y., Kong, Q., Mou, H., & Yi, H. (2020, October 16). Antimicrobial Peptides: Classification, Design, Application and Research Progress in Multiple Fields. Frontiers in Microbiology; Frontiers Media. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.582779
  3. Martínez-Culebras, P. V., Gandía, M., Garrigues, S., Marcos, J. F., & Manzanares, P. (2021, December 9). Antifungal peptides and proteins to control toxigenic fungi and mycotoxin biosynthesis. International journal of molecular sciences. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8703302/ 
  4. Schar, D., Cheng, Z., Wang, Y., Larsson, D. G. J., Gilbert, M., & Van Boeckel, T. P. (2021, September 10). Twenty-year trends in antimicrobial resistance from aquaculture and fisheries in Asia. Nature Communications; Nature Portfolio. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-25655-8