Proteomics analysis in frozen horse mackerel previously high-pressure processed

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Proteomics
• Marine Biology

Background:

• Horse mackerel is a commercially important fish species.
• Understanding protein changes in fish due to processing is crucial for quality and safety.
• High-pressure processing (HPP) is an emerging food preservation technique.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of HPP on sarcoplasmic and SDS-soluble proteins in frozen horse mackerel.
• To identify specific protein changes induced by varying HPP conditions (pressure and time).

Main Methods:

• Horse mackerel was subjected to HPP at 150, 300, and 450 MPa for 0, 2.5, and 5 minutes.
• Proteomics techniques, including SDS-PAGE and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), were used for protein analysis.
• Analysis focused on sarcoplasmic and total SDS-soluble protein fractions.

Main Results:

• HPP did not significantly alter the total SDS-soluble protein fraction.
• HPP modified sarcoplasmic protein patterns in a pressure-dependent manner.
• High pressure (450 MPa) caused degradation of key enzymes like phosphoglycerate mutase 2 and pyruvate kinase.
• Conversely, high pressure increased the intensity of proteins such as tropomyosin and troponin T.

Conclusions:

• HPP exerts a selective effect on sarcoplasmic proteins in horse mackerel.
• Processing conditions, particularly high pressure, influence the denaturation and aggregation of specific muscle proteins.
• These findings provide insights into HPP-induced changes in fish muscle proteomes, relevant for food processing and quality assessment.