Journal of Functional Foods · Published 2026-06-20 · DOI 10.1016/j.jff.2026.107392
Jairo Andrés Camaño Echavarría, Raliat O. Abioye, Samanta Sarahí Reyes Flores, Katalin Selmeczi, James A. Platts, Laetitia Canabady-Rochelle, Chibuike C. Udenigwe
We investigated the effect of Cu2+ coordination on the self-assembly behavior and in vivo antioxidant properties of 4 synthetic peptides bioinspired from food protein sequences derived from agro-industrial byproducts (sunflower meal and tilapia scales) under Cu2+−induced oxidative stress using Caenorhabditis elegans. The peptides were selected based on their structural features and potential coordination sites, which enabled us to evaluate peptide-Cu2+ interactions. First, their Cu2+−chelating ability was assessed using the PV assay. Then, spectroscopic characterization was performed to reveal coordination modes and conformational changes. Molecular docking was then used to predict binding energies and interaction patterns. Upon Cu2+ coordination, significant changes in peptide organization were observed, indicating that coordination can influence molecular arrangement and potentially encourage ordered self-assembly based on specific sequence characteristics. All peptide-Cu2+ complexes exhibited the ability to reduce intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in C. elegans, demonstrating in vivo antioxidant activity. Pep1.GHRGFSGL exhibited the strongest effect, consistent with its higher Cu2+−chelating ability and favorable binding energy. This finding underscores the importance of coordination mode and sequence composition. These results unveil new insights into the molecular-level mechanisms by which Cu2+ coordination governs peptide self-assembly and bioactivity. Using well-defined synthetic peptides bioinspired by agro-industrial protein sources, such as sunflower meal and tilapia scales, this study deepens our understanding of the previously observed behavior in complex hydrolysates, where peptide heterogeneity limits mechanistic interpretation. The findings underscore the capacity of food-derived peptide sequences to form metal-induced nanostructures with customized functional properties, suggesting their potential application in functional foods and nutraceuticals.
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Echavarría, J., Abioye, R., Flores, S., et al. (2026). Agro-industrial by-products-bioinspired pure peptides: Their self-assembly via Cu2+ ion coordination, structure, mechanical properties and antioxidant activity. Journal of Functional Foods. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2026.107392