6B Peptides 209
Recently ACE inhibitory activity has also been found in peptides released from
Saccharomyces cerevisiaein a model wine (Alcaide-Hidalgo et al. 2007). In this
assay there were no phenolic compounds, so this activity was exclusively attributed
to yeast peptides. The same peptide-rich fractions also showed antioxidant activity,
suggesting that peptides released byS. cerevisiaeduring autolysis in wine conditions
could present multifunctional activity.
Also, prolylendopeptidase inhibitory peptides (PEP) have been found in wines
(Yanai et al. 2003). PEP may have a role in the degradation of biologically active
peptides containing proline, such as oxytocin, vasopressin, substance P, bradykinin,
neurotensins and angiotensins. Two inhibitory peptides have been isolated and char-
acterized, Pep A (Val-Glu-Ile-Pro-Glu) and Pep B (Tyr, Pro, Ile, Pro, Phe). Both of
them showed PEP inhibition, thereby suppressing the degradation of neuropeptides,
vasopressin, substance P and fragments 8–13 of neurotensin, which are involved in
memory and neural communication.
6B.5 Conclusions
As a result of the extensive research carried out during the past 10 years, there is
nowadays available a good number of methodologies for wine peptides purification
and characterization. As a consequence, the knowledge of the origin, content and
composition of wine’s peptides is increasing. Despite this progress, the information
available about the structure and amino acid sequence of peptides derived from wine
is very limited. Further research should be carried out in this area. Such research
may now benefit from the use of well-developed and sophisticated analytical tech-
niques (e.g., MALDI-TOFMS, ES-MS/MS), which are available to assist with struc-
tural characterization of isolated peptides. While wine contains components with
health-promoting effects, very few studies have addressed the impact of peptides on
the biological properties of wines. On the other hand, it will necessary studies to
explore the consequences of the interaction between peptides and other wine com-
ponents during winemaking .The effect of wine micro-organisms and winemaking
technologies on the peptide composition of wines and its functional properties also
need to receive more attention.
AcknowledgmentsThe authors are grateful to the AGL2006-04514, PET20070134 and CSD2007
-00063 projects (Consolider Ingenio 2010 FUN-C-FOOD, Ministerio de Educaci ́on y Ciencia) and
the S-505/AGR-0153 ALIBIRD Project (Comunidad Aut ́onoma de Madrid) for financial support
of this work.
References
Acedo, M.I., Pueyo, E., & Polo, M.C. (1994). Preliminary studies on peptides in wine by HPLC.
Am. J. Enol. Vitic., 45, 167–172.
Alcaide-Hidalgo, J.M., Pueyo, E., Polo, M.C., & Mart ́ınez-Rodriguez, A.J. (2007). Bioactive pep-
tides released fromSaccharomyces cerevisiaeunder accelerated autolysis in a model wine
system.J. Food Sci., 72, M276–279.