Fragmentomics of natural peptide structures

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Bioinformatics
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Natural fragmentation of peptides and chemical structures is a key area in biochemical research.
• Understanding these fragments is crucial for investigating biological processes.
• The concept of a 'fragmentome' provides a framework for studying these molecular components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define and establish the concept of the 'fragmentome' and 'global fragmentome'.
• To elucidate the formation, investigation methods, and mathematical characteristics of fragmentomes.
• To explore the structural and functional diversity of protein-peptide fragments, using casein as a detailed example.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical and experimental methods for fragmentome investigation.
• Computer analysis for assessing structural and functional variety.
• Case study analysis of individual and complete casein fragmentomes.

Main Results:

• Detailed characterization of casein fragmentomes, revealing significant structural and functional diversity.
• Demonstration of exogenous-endogenous oligopeptide pool formation from food proteins.
• Correlation of fragmentome data with the structure-functional continuum of regulatory molecules.

Conclusions:

• The 'fragmentome' concept offers a comprehensive view of molecular fragmentation in biological systems.
• Natural protein fragments, like those from casein, possess diverse structures and functions.
• Fragmentome analysis has potential applications in dietology, therapy, hygiene, and cosmetics.