Bioactivity and in Silico Insights of Collagen-Derived Peptides from Jellyfish (Stomolophus sp. 2) Mesoglea

Jellyfish, a promising source of bioactive compounds, has attracted the attention of the biotechnology sector. This research explored the antioxidant and antimutagenic properties and the genotoxicity of peptides derived from blue cannonball jellyfish (<i>Stomolophus</i> sp. 2) collagen hydrolysates (JCH) as potential food supplements. Firstly, JCH was fractionated into three parts based on molecular weight. Notably, the low-molecular-weight hydrolyzed fraction (<3 kDa) exhibited the highest bioactivity, with ABTS scavenging activity of 8993 ± 5.2 μmol TE/g and an antimutagenic inhibition rate against AFB₁ of 88%. This fraction remained non-genotoxic at 100 ppm, suggesting its suitability for potential applications without evidence of genotoxic damage. In addition, in silico analysis revealed 15 unique peptides in <i>Stomolophus</i> sp. 2 collagen hydrolysates, ten of which showed particularly promising bioactive potential. Peptides from <i>Stomolophus</i> sp. 2 with molecular weights under 3 kDa exhibit remarkable bioactivity and hold great promise for future research on molecular characterization and bioactive food supplements.