Fermenting edible filamentous fungi with food industry by-products, such as young apples, shows promise for producing mycoproteins and functional peptides. This study aimed to evaluate the production of mycoprotein by fermenting different edible-grade filamentous fungi using young apples as a substrate. Schizophyllum commune DS1 (DS1) demonstrated significant potential for generating mycoprotein, yielding 33.56 ± 0.82 %. From the hydrolysis of DS1 mycoprotein, three polypeptides were identified with the capacity of inhibiting nitric oxide synthase (iNOS): DNIQGITKPAIR (DR12), SDNAFGGR (SR8), and ASDPSGF (AF7). Computational analysis, including bioinformatics and molecular docking, indicated their high affinity for inhibiting iNOS, with binding energies of -452.8157 kcal/mol, -388.0222 kcal/mol, and -323.8843 kcal/mol, respectively. This binding was facilitated through various interactions such as electrostatic forces, π-π interactions, hydrogen bonds, and non-covalent interactions, resulting in potential anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, cell experiments using RAW264.7 macrophages demonstrated that these peptides effectively suppressed nitric oxide production in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, they reduced the production of inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), inducible iNOS, and cell apoptosis. In conclusion, this study presents a novel approach for developing plant-based mycoproteins and a new source for discovering food-derived bioactive peptides.
Keywords: Anti-inflammatory peptides; Mycoprotein; Young apples.
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