Table 1.
Summary of main categories for biological activities
| Biological activity | Brief description |
|---|---|
| Propeptide | Precursor with no biological activity. This molecule can be activated after a post-translational modification, such as the cleavage of a region or the addition of another molecule. Some of the molecules in this group could be in the ‘therapeutic category’ in their active form. |
| Signal | Used as a post-translational modification or translocation, because these peptides are useful for marking the protein secretion pathway and target location. These molecules are commonly used for the recombinant protein production, diagnosis and vaccination. |
| Transit | Involved in the transport of a protein encoded by a nuclear gene to a particular organelle, such as mitochondrion, chloroplast and peroxisome, among others. |
| Cell sensing | Activities related to cell detection mechanisms, such as quorum sensing, chemotactic movement, cell-to-cell communication and defence mechanisms, among others. |
| Drug delivery vehicle | Substance that helps a drug to be safely delivered to its therapeutic target, reducing toxic effects or degradation. Some examples are emulsions, polymers, semi-solid products, nanoparticles and encapsulations, among others. |
| Therapeutic | Able to be used for sickness treatments. The specific activity of this peptide will depend on the therapeutic target. This category includes antimicrobial, anticancer, toxic, metabolic and bioactive peptides. |
| Neurological | Activity related to the neurons or the nervous system. This group includes neuropeptides, brain peptides and antinociceptive activities. |
| Immunological | Activities related to the immune response against foreign substances. It could be related to defence mechanisms, immunomodulatory activities and wound healing, allergenic reactions and cell degranulation mechanism, among others. |
| Other | The activities of this group are not directly related to the other main categories. Includes four main subdivisions: mammalian and cancer cell peptides, protein peptides and surface-immobilized peptides. |