A Protein Antioxidant Complex of a Water Extract of the Larvae of Black Beetles Ulomoides dermestoides

An aqueous extract from the larvae of black beetles Ulomoides dermestoides grown under controlled conditions was obtained and its proteomic analysis was performed based on one-dimensional electrophoretic separation of proteins, their trypsinolysis in a gel, and subsequent chromatography-mass spectrometry. Protein identification was performed using MaxQuant v.1.6.3.4 software. The Uniprot database was used to identify proteins by homology. Catalase activity was determined spectrophotometrically by a hydrogen peroxide concentration decrease. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by luminol chemiluminescence quenching. The extract contained proteins that can determine the biological activity of the extract: universal regulators of cellular processes calmodulin (6.2%), cytochrome c-2 (13.5%), nucleoside diphosphate kinase (11.1%), the enzymatic antioxidants superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione S-transferase, peroxiredoxin, and glutathione synthetase as well as thioredoxin, 70 kDa and 60 kDa heat shock proteins, and a chitinase complex (13.4% in total). The catalase activity was 45.9 ± 6.5 µmol H 2 O 2 /min/mg protein; the antioxidant activity of 1 mg protein per ml extract was equivalent to 2.1 ± 0.3 mM trolox. The prospects for the practical use of the extract as a natural antioxidant complex were noted.