Quality assessment of variable collagen tissues of sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicus) body wall under different heat treatment durations by label-Free proteomics analysis

The microstructure of the body wall, body wall composition, and collagen fibers of sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicus) under different heating times (1 h, 4 h, 12 h, and 24 h) was investigated based on heat treatment at 80 degrees C. A Label-Free proteomics technique was applied to study the proteomic changes in the body wall of sea cucumbers under 4 and 12 h of heat treatment. Compared with the fresh group, 981 proteins were found to be differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) after heat treatment at 80 degrees C (4 h), and 1110 DEPs were observed after heat treatment at the same temperature for 12 h. There were 69 DEPs associated with mutable collagenous tissues (MCTs) structures. The results of correlation analysis showed that 55 DEPs were correlated with sensory properties, among which A0A2G8KRV2 was significantly correlated with hardness and SEM image texture features (SEM_Energy, SEM_Correlation, SEM_Homogeneity, and SEM_Contrast). These findings could be conducive to further comprehension of the structural changes and mechanisms of quality loss in the body wall of sea cucumbers at different heat treatment times.

Automated summary

The microstructure, composition, and collagen fibers of sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicus) body wall were studied under different heating times (1 h, 4 h, 12 h, and 24 h) at 80 degrees C. Proteomic changes in the body wall of sea cucumbers were analyzed using a Label-Free proteomics technique after 4 and 12 h of heat treatment. Compared to the fresh group, there were 981 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) after 4 h of heat treatment and 1110 DEPs after 12 h of heat treatment at 80 degrees C. Some of these DEPs were associated with mutable collagenous tissues (MCTs) structures, and specific DEPs were found to be correlated with sensory properties and texture features.