RESUMO: Os glicosaminoglicanos (GAGs) são polissacarídeos de cadeias longas que se dividem em sulfatados e não sulfatados, sendo estes, sulfato de condroitina, sulfato de heparana, sulfato de dermatana, sulfato de heparina e o único não sulfatado do grupo que é o ácido hialurônico. Os GAGs são encontrados em todo tecido animal, são extraídos por um processo de alto custo e baixo rendimento, no entanto, o material obtido é valorizado comercialmente e amplamente explorado no mercado biomédico. Sua composição dissacarídica, comprimento da cadeia e padrão de sulfatação apresentam grande variabilidade dependendo das espécies e fatores de extração. Os GAGs possuem propriedades imunomoduladoras, antioxidantes, antivirais, anti-inflamatórias, neuroprotetoras, antiproliferativas e anticoagulantes, além de farmacológicas, funcionando como agentes terapêuticos moduladores de uma série de processos biológicos. Este relatório apresenta os aspectos gerais de cada GAG, fonte e processo de extração, além das características que lhes conferem as mais variadas propriedades terapêuticas e aplicações farmacológicas.

ABSTRACT: Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are long-chain polysaccharides that are divided into sulphates and non-sulphates, these being chondroitin sulphate, heparan sulphate, dermatan sulphate, heparin sulphate and the only non-sulphate in the group is hyaluronic acid. GAGs are obtained from animal tissue and by an expensive low-yield extraction process; however, they are highly commercially valued polysaccharides and exploited in the biomedical market. Their disaccharidic composition, chain length and sulfation pattern present great variability depending on the species and extraction factors. GAGs possess immunomodulatory, antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, antiproliferative and anticoagulant properties, functioning as therapeutic agents modulating an array of biological processes. This report presents the general aspects of each GAG, source and extraction process, in addition to the characteristics that give them the most varied therapeutic properties and pharmacological applications.

Abstract Hydrophilic polymers can form hydrogels, which are able to absorb and retain as much water as one hundred times their weight. Polymers based on natural products have been drawing attention since they are biocompatible, biodegradable and nontoxic. The aims of this study were to produce and to characterize a biopolymer with superabsorbent properties from fish protein isolates. Hydrogels were produced from protein isolates from Whitemouth croaker processing wastes chemically modified. The extension of change in lysine residues, kinetics in water-uptake capacity, pH effect, ionic strength over the absorption of water by hydrogels and the behavior of the biopolymer when subject to successive hydration and dehydrations were investigated. Results showed that acid modified protein without ethanol treatment reached a maximum absorption of 103.25 gwater/gdry gel, while the same sample modified with ethanol reached 216.05 gwater/gdry gel.

A significant amount of insoluble fibrous protein, in the form of feather, hair, scales, skin and others are available as co-products of agro industrial processing. These wastes are rich in keratin and collagen. This study evaluated different fungi for the hydrolysis of insoluble fish protein residues. Proteins resulting from Micropogonias furnieri wastes through pH-shifting process were dried and milled for fermentation for 96 h. This resulted the production of keratinolytic enzymes in the medium. Trichoderma sp. on alkaline substrate (28.99 U mL-1) and Penicillium sp. on acidic substrate (31.20 U mL-1) showed the highest proteolytic activities. Penicillium sp. showed the largest free amino acid solubilization (0.146 mg mL-1) and Fusarium sp. the highest protein solubilization (6.17 mg mL-1).

The enzymatic modification of proteins has been widely studied with the aim of add value to low commercial value fish. The objective of this work was to evaluate and optimize the parameters involved in the production process of an enzymatic protein hydrolyzed with high protein content. The results showed that for Alcalase the most significant parameters were temperature, pH and substrate concentration and for Flavourzyme were pH, substrate concentration and enzyme concentration. It was obtained for Alcalase a predictive model for the recovered nitrogen and for Flavourzyme a predictive model for the hydrolysis degree.

The fish proteins has the advantage of a high sensibility to the hydrolysis and also a balanced composition in aminoacids. The production of protein hydrolyzed from by-products of fish process industry has been receiving more attention on the last years. The aim of this work was to evaluate the production of protein hydrolyzed from Micropogonias furnieri through chemical and enzymatic methods, verifying some functional properties. The results showed that the production of the hydrolyzed improved some functional properties of the proteins found in the filet and in the waste, what is desirable for a subsequent application.

Recently lipases have been increasing in prominence due to its wide industrial application. The lipase production can be influenced by different variables such as the producing microorganism, carbon sources, aeration and agitation conditions, inductor type and the geometry of the reactor. Biosurfactants are composites of surface active produced by microbial cells which reduce superficial and interfacial tensions. The objective of this study was to verify the influence of different process variables in the lipase production during a fermentative process. The results showed that the concomitant production of lipases and biosurfactant was possible in different cultivation conditions.