MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF PROTEIN AND ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY OF TURBO BRUNNEUS R. CYPRAEA ANNULUS L. AND BABYLONIA SPIRATA L.

The aim of this study was to analyze the molecular weight of protein and in-vitro antioxidant activity of marine gastropods Turbo brunneus, Cypraea annulus, and Babylonia spirata. The molecular weight of the protein was determined using SDS-PAGE, and its antioxidant potential was carried out by DPPH radical scavenging activity, reducing power activity and H₂O₂ radical scavenging activity. The molecular weight of protein varies from 54 kDa in T. brunneus, 38 kDa to 60 kDa in C. annulus, and 44 kDa to 116 kDa in B. spirata. The DPPH scavenging effect was high in Cypraea annulus (78.30%) followed by Babylonia spirata (65.20%) and Turbo brunneus (64.89%). C. annulus showed the highest reducing power of 95.36% at 500 µg/ml concentrations and lowest reducing the power of 52.07% at 100 µg/ml concentrations in the T. brunneus. The maximum radical scavenging activity was reported in T. brunneus (71% at 150 µg/ml concentrations), and minimum activity was reported in C. annulus (8.34% at 50 µg/ml concentration). The results show that tissue extracts of three marine gastropods found to possess good antioxidant activity and confirm their use as natural antioxidants in the future.