Bioactive Proteins and Peptides Are Considered Very Important Elements in Pharmaceuticals, Nutraceuticals, and Functional Foods and Are Produced In Various Biotechnology Labs

 

Bioactive proteins and peptides are generated in biotechnology labs around the world, including the ones situated in APAC and European regions. Bioactive proteins and peptides have recently drawn much attention due to their potential therapeutic uses. Bioactive proteins and peptides are composed of amino acids. The amino acids are the building blocks of many important life enzymes and hormones. In recent years bioactive proteins and peptides have been investigated for their potential use as disease-fighting drugs. While many of these proteins have had success as anti-inflammatory drugs, researchers are still uncertain as to whether these compounds are truly effective at combating the disease. There are also questions as to whether the side effects that are common with these drugs are worth the benefits.

Different factors will affect the bioactivity of bioactive proteins or peptides to elicit a desired physiological response. Bioactive proteins and peptides derived from hydrolyzed foods can affect the activity of certain enzymes. Proteins that occur naturally in animal and plant cells are non-functional, meaning they lack a gene that allows their function. Scientists can activate these non-functional proteins by introducing genes into the cell. This provides a medical solution to the dilemma of how to achieve health benefits with foods that have been traditionally consumed. In regions such as APAC, the prevalence of biotechnology labs has increased the production of bioactive proteins and peptides For instance, according to India Brand Equity Foundation, the biotechnology sector in India, in 2019 includes more than 2700 biotech start-ups and are estimated to reach around 10,000 by the year 2021

Bioactive proteins and peptides can act directly on the intestinal wall and intestinal epithelial cells to stimulate hormone secretion. Some of these hormones include cortisol, human growth hormone, epinephrine, and adrenaline. These hormones act directly on the gastrointestinal tract and stimulate both intestinal secretion and mucosal production of bacteria. Some of these are naturally secreted while others are synthesized by the liver. Scientists have found that lactoferrin, a component of milk, can stimulate the production of prolactin, a hormone that allows the intestine to produce a chemical that metabolizes and passes along food in the intestines.