Helicobacter pylori is the most common cause of peptic ulcers and gastroduodenal pathologies and has been identified by the World Health Organization as a serious threat to human health. The increasing antibiotic resistance of H. pylori necessitates prevention and early intervention, as well as the discovery of novel drugs. Amaranth, chia, and quinoa are classified as pseudocereals and are known as superfoods because of their nutritional density. The effect of consuming these pseudocereals at the onset of H. pylori infection was investigated using in silico methods. 34 proteins from amaranth, chia, and quinoa were subjected to in silico pepsin digestion, and antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and cell-penetrating activities of the released peptides were analyzed. Peptides predicted to be cell-penetrating were further used for peptide-protein docking. 58 peptides were predicted to have antimicrobial activity whereas 76 were predicted to have antibiofilm activity. A total of 116 peptides were classified as cell-penetrating peptides, and those with the highest scores were used for peptide-protein docking with shikimate dehydrogenase, type II dehydroquinase, and D-alanine-D-alanine ligase of H. pylori to evaluate their enzyme inhibition potential. A peptide released from the chia seed proteins A0A1Z1EC55 and A0A1Z1EC46 with the sequence SWKYSHRRHHSNTGSL gave the highest docking energy scores for all three enzymes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work concerning the effect of ingested food on H. pylori infection. We believe our results will provide valuable data and a new point of view for the scientists interested in this topic.

HIGHLIGHTS

• H. pylori is a common infection and the leading cause of gastroduodenal pathologies.
• Gastric digestion of amaranth, chia, and quinoa proteins with pepsin revealed antimicrobial and antibiofilm peptides that may be effective against H. pylori growth.
• One particular peptide SWKYSHRRHHSNTGSL had high docking energy scores when docked to the three enzymes of H. pylori.

Cyanobacterial peptides are a group of promising natural therapeutic agents that have been extensively studied in recent years. They can be valuable pharmaceuticals or lead compounds in developing novel therapeutics for various diseases, especially cancers, infections, and neurodegenerative diseases, which are the most important challenges of medicine today.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cyanobacteria are a valuable source of natural metabolites, including bioactive peptides.
• Cyanobacterial peptides include ribosomal synthesized and nonribosomal peptides (NRPs).
• Therapeutic applications of cyanobacterial peptides in different diseases have been reported.

Iron homeostasis in the human body is precisely regulated, primarily through the action of proteins such as hepcidin, produced by the liver. Hepcidin plays a crucial role in controlling iron release by binding to ferroportin, the exporter of iron from cells into circulation. Under normal conditions, absorbed iron effectively binds to transferrin for transport to various tissues. However, individuals with blood disorders requiring frequent blood transfusions are susceptible to iron overload. This condition arises because the body’s mechanisms for iron excretion become overwhelmed, leading to chronic accumulation of excess iron. Additionally, dysregulation of iron-related proteins, such as ferritin and transferrin receptors, can further complicate this imbalance in iron homeostasis. This review focused on iron hemostasis and the pharmacological treatments available for managing iron overload, with a particular focus on Deferoxamine and Deferasirox. These medications aim to chelate excess iron, promoting its excretion and alleviating the detrimental effects associated with chronic iron accumulation. By understanding the pathways and proteins involved in iron regulation, as well as the available treatment options, better strategies can be developed to address the challenges faced by patients with iron overload due to frequent blood transfusions.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Iron regulatory proteins are essential for maintaining iron homeostasis in the body.
• Iron overload, or hemochromatosis, occurs when the body accumulates excess iron.
• Iron overload leads to toxicity and potential damage to various organs.
• Deferoxamine is an injectable iron chelator that binds excess iron, facilitating its excretion.
• Deferasirox is an oral iron chelator for patients requiring long-term treatment of iron overload.

Cyanophycin is a distinctive biopolymer composed of a poly-aspartate backbone adorned with arginine side chains, produced by cyanobacteria and certain bacterial strains through the enzymatic activities of CphA1 and CphA2. The CphA1 enzyme engages aspartate and arginine in separate reactions, while CphA2 facilitates a more streamlined polymerization of β-Asp-Arg dipeptides, potentially enhancing its efficiency for biotechnological applications. Although cyanophycin is typically insoluble at neutral pH, it becomes soluble in highly acidic or alkaline environments, leading to the formation of large, inert granules that play essential biological roles. This biopolymer primarily acts as a storage reservoir for nitrogen, carbon, and energy, with its metabolic processes tightly regulated to enable organisms to adapt to fluctuating environmental conditions. Cyanophycin’s versatility spans multiple sectors, including biomedicine, where it shows promise as a biocompatible material for drug delivery systems and tissue engineering scaffolds. In industrial contexts, it is being investigated as a biodegradable substitute for synthetic polymers and utilized in water treatment applications due to its high viscosity. In agriculture, cyanophycin-derived dipeptides are considered potential nutritional supplements because of their excellent bioavailability. Furthermore, recent advancements in the heterologous expression of cyanophycin synthetases in various host organisms, including bacterial hosts such as E. coli, yeasts, and plants, aim to improve production yields and create hybrid materials with optimized properties. Collectively, the multifunctionality and biodegradability of cyanophycin position it as a strong candidate for diverse applications, underscoring the necessity for continued research and development to enhance its practical use and commercial feasibility. This mini-review article summarizes the cyanophycin potential sources, chemical modifications, and potential applications.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cyanophycin is a biopolymer of a poly-aspartate with arginine side chains.
• Cyanophycin is synthesized by the enzyme cyanophycin synthetase (CphA).
• Cyanophycin is extracted from cyanobacteria and is heterologously produced in bacteria, yeasts, and plants.
• Cyanophycin has a wide range of industrial, biomedical, and cosmeceutical applications.

Research in medical sciences is vital for improving human health. Timely and accurate disease diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and public health. Antigens and antibodies are essential for diagnostic testing, making their recombinant production important. Monoclonal antibodies have traditionally been produced using laboratory animals, but this method faces challenges, including the development of anti-mouse human antibodies. Phage display, a revolutionary technique that emerged in the 1980s, allows for the production of antibodies without laboratory animals, eliminating related concerns and enabling the selection of antibodies with optimal affinity for antigens. Phage display has numerous applications in medicine and pharmaceuticals. It aids in the development of therapeutic antibodies for cancer, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases. By screening large libraries of antibodies quickly, researchers can identify effective treatment candidates. Additionally, phage display assists in vaccine development by identifying epitopes—specific parts of antigens recognized by the immune system—and plays a role in targeted drug delivery systems. This review emphasizes the transformative potential of phage display in diagnostics and therapeutics, highlighting its role in advancing health outcomes for all.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Phage display allows for the production of antibodies without the use of laboratory animals.
• Phage display is used in developing therapeutic and vaccine design by identifying key epitopes.
• Phage display technology utilizes various bacteriophages, including M13, fd, f1, T7, T4, and lambda (λ).

The Trends in Peptide and Protein Sciences is a peer-reviewed, online-only (previously print-online), scientific journal owned by Protein Technology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and documents in all important aspects of the research in peptides and proteins focusing on analytics and impurities, bioinformatics, biopharmaceuticals and vaccines, biotechnology, chemical synthesis, conformational analysis, design and  development of protein therapeutics, determination of structure, enzymology, folding and sequencing,  formulation and stability, function, genetics,  immunology, kinetics, modeling, molecular biology, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of therapeutic proteins and antibodies, pharmacology,  protein engineering and development, protein-protein interaction, proteomics, purification/expression/production, simulation, thermodynamics and  hydrodynamics and protein biomarkers. The aim of this Journal is to publish high quality original research articles, reviews, short communications and letters and to provide a medium for scientists and researchers to share their findings from the area of peptides and proteins. The Trends in Peptide and Protein Sciences is published in collaboration with Iranian Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists. From volume 3 (2018) of TPPS, articles are continuously published online only, as soon as the review process is completed.