Bioconversion of agriculture by-products with functionally enhanced Streptomyces sp. SCUT-3: Fish skin as a model

Food Chem. 2025 Jan 15;463(Pt 1):141106. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.141106. Epub 2024 Sep 2.

Abstract

With the global population continuously rising, efficient bioconversion of inedible agricultural by-products is crucial for human food and energy sustainability. We here propose solid-state fermentation approaches to efficiently convert biopolymers into oligomers/monomers by accelerating the natural degradation process of the versatile Streptomyces sp. strain SCUT-3. Using fish skin as a representative by-product, 54.3 g amino acids and 14.7 g peptides (91 % < 2500 Da) were recovered from 89.0 g protein in 100 g tilapia skin sample by collagenase-overexpressed SCUT-3 for seven days at a 1:4 substrate:liquid ratio. Fish skin collagen hydrolysates exhibited excellent anti-oxidation, anti-hypertension, scratch-repairing, anti-aging, anti-ultraviolet radiation, and anti-inflammation effects on human skin fibroblasts In vitro and zebrafish larvae in vivo, indicating their potential applications in healthcare/skincare and anti-atopic dermatitis. As Laozi said, the divine law follows nature. This study underscores the efficacy of genetically engineered SCUT-3 according to its natural biomass utilization laws in large-scale biopolymer conversion.

Keywords: Anti-aging; Anti-inflammation; Bioconversion; Collagen hydrolysates; Oligopeptide.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Collagen / chemistry
  • Collagen / metabolism
  • Fermentation
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Skin* / metabolism
  • Streptomyces* / chemistry
  • Streptomyces* / metabolism
  • Tilapia / metabolism
  • Zebrafish* / metabolism

Substances

  • Collagen