Antifreeze proteins are capable of attaching to ice via adsorption and preventing the formation of ice crystals. This unique feature of antifreeze proteins is used in a wide range of applications, including the food and beverage business, the medical sector, the cosmetics industry, the agricultural industry, and others. Antifreeze proteins are used in the food and beverage sector to avoid freezing-thawing damage to food items such as cake, to improve the texture of ice cream, and to extend the shelf life of frozen fish, meat, and flour dough. Antifreeze proteins are employed in the medical sector for cell cryopreservation, cryosurgery, and as an anti-infective agent to coat medical equipment such as catheters.
What type of proteins is antifreeze?
Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are proteins, glycopeptides, and peptides produced by several species to enable cells to survive at sub-zero temperatures. AFPs work by lowering the freezing point of water and preventing the formation of ice crystals in the frozen state.
What are antifreeze proteins used for?
The freezing point temperature is lowered by antifreeze proteins. They are found in many fish, crustaceans, and plants to keep them from freezing in cold weather or water.
What are antifreeze proteins in plants?
Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are secreted by overwintering plants to offer freezing resistance. These proteins attach to ice crystals that develop in the apoplast under subzero temperatures and prevent them from growing.
AFPs have a wide range of applications and serve important industrial tasks, such as improving the freezing and liquefying qualities of foods, protecting frost plants, improving the smoothness of ice cream, cryosurgery, and cryopreservation of cells and tissues. Finally, these uses and physical features of AFPs might be investigated further in order to suit the needs of other industrial players. It is also possible to design a peptide-based AFP in order to increase its function.