| abstract |
The invention provides a crustacean-derived protein. The crustacean-derived protein has antifreeze activity which under reduced conditions has a molecular weight, as measured by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, of about 200000, about 86000, and/or about 90000; and the N-terminal amino acids are indicated by SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 2. Since this protein is excellent in comparison to the conventional antifreeze proteins from the standpoints of safety, activity, production rate, cost, and the like, use is possible in a wide range of fields, beginning with foods. In addition, because the protein is from the food, the invention is easy to be applied to the additive of the food. The protein of the invention has the ice nucleus forming activity, inhibiting the ice crystal from forming activity; thus, the invention can be intensively applied to the quality maintenance for the frozen food and so on. |