Biofunctionalities of seaweed hydrolysates and peptides from Pacific dulse (<i>Devaleraea mollis</i>): an <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in silico</i> prospecting approach

Abstract Pacific dulse (Devaleraea mollis) is a red macroalga species native to the Pacific coastline that is gaining interest for cultivation and consumption. As a promising source of plant protein, Pacific dulse was investigated for its potential for generating bioactive hydrolysates (BAHs) and peptides (BAPs) with health-promoting properties including the ability to mitigate inflammation, hypertension, and diabetes. Given that BAP discovery pipeline can be both costly and labor-intensive, we employed a prospecting approach to identify candidate BAHs and BAPs using in silico approach, followed by in vitro bioactivity validation. Hydrolysates from dulse, prepared through simulated gastrointestinal digestion, koji treatment, and bromelain hydrolysis exerted anti-inflammatory and enzyme-inhibitory activities against human DPPIV and ACE1. Additionally, dulse-associated synthetic peptides NNPTTIKPSAQVVW, VLPNTVFEAVVK, and HMYKTNWG inhibited the production of NO and IL-6 while downregulating inflammatory gene expression in LPS-stimulated murine macrophages (RAW 264.7). Together, these findings suggest that Pacific dulse has the potential to serve as a functional food and a source of BAHs and BAPs.