Integrative Metabolomics for Assessing the Effect of Insect (Hermetia illucens) Protein Extract on Rainbow Trout Metabolism.

Nutrition of high trophic species in aquaculture is faced with the development of sustainable plant-based diets. Insects seem particularly promising for supplementing plant-based diets. However, the complex effect of whole insect meal on fish metabolism is not well understood, and even less is known about insect meal extracts. The purpose of this work was to decipher the metabolic utilization of a plant-based diet supplemented with the gradual addition of an insect protein extract (insect hydrolysate at 0%, 5%, 10% and 15%). 1H-NMR profiling was used to assess metabolites in experimental diets and in fish plasma, liver and muscle. A significant dose-dependent increase in growth and feed efficiency with increasing insect extract amounts was observed. The incremental incorporation of the insect extract in diet had a significant and progressive impact on the profile of dietary soluble compounds and trout metabolome. The metabolites modulated by dietary insect extracts in plasma and tissues were involved in protein and energy metabolism. This was associated with the efficient metabolic use of dietary free amino acids toward protein synthesis through the concomitant supply of balanced free amino acids and energy substrates in muscle. The findings provide new insights into how the dietary food metabolome affects fish metabolism.

Use of a commercial protease and yeasts to obtain CGRP-like molecules from saithe protein.

Different bioactive molecules, such as CGRP-like peptides, can be found in fish protein hydrolysates. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a neuropeptide known to act as a potent arterial and venous vasodilator in humans. This study focuses on the industrial obtaining of CGRP-like molecules from saithe (Pollachius virens) byproduct, derived from the filleting process. Protein from P. virens was primarily hydrolyzed with Alcalase and later treated with Saccharomyces cerevisiae live cells. Treatment with Saccharomyces doubled the quantity of bioactive molecules obtained. The CGRP-like molecules were partially purified by chromatography, and the immunoreactive material was further analyzed for its CGRP-like bioactivity, using a specific radioreceptor assay. The concentration of CGRP-like molecules increased over 100-fold after purification. The bioactive molecules were able to induce cyclic AMP stimulation in rat liver membranes. Finally, partial sequencing of the bioactive peptide was performed, showing some homology with alpha-actin and myosin of several fish species.

Occurrence of a CGRP-like molecule in siki (Centroscymnus coelolepsis) hydrolysate of industrial origin.

Fish protein hydrolysates (FPH) may have potential as bioactive components in functional foods as nutraceuticals. This study focused on the identification of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) molecules in FPH. CGRP is a neuropeptide belonging to the calcitonin/CGRP family and is known as potent arterial and venous vasodilator in humans. Hydrolysates of industrial origin were prepared from siki (Centroscymnus coelolepsis) heads and were analyzed for the presence of CGRP-like molecules using specific radioimmunoassays and radioreceptorassays. The biological activity of the CGRP-related molecules was assessed by their ability to stimulate the adenylate cyclase activity in rat liver membranes. They were finally purified using gel exclusion chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). These molecules presented a molecular weight around 1500-2500 Da and were obtained with a purification factor of 79. The incorporation of FPH with CGRP-like molecules in functional foods could lead to the development of new useful products for health and nutrition markets.