Abstract
ObjectiveSnails secrete different types of mucus that serve several functions, and are increasingly being exploited for medical and cosmetic applications. In this study, we explored the protein pattern and compared the biological properties of the mucus secreted from the mantle collar and foot of two snail species, Lissachatina fulica and Hemiplecta distincta.ResultProtein profile showed a different pattern between the two species and between the two secretory parts. The mantle-specific protein bands were further characterized and among them was an antibacterial protein, achacin. Accordingly, the mucus from the mantle exhibited the higher antibacterial activity than that from the foot in both snail species. The mucus from H. distincta, first reported here, also showed antibacterial properties, but with a lower activity compared to that for L. fulica. Snail mucus also exhibited anti-tyrosinase activity and antioxidant activity but with no significant difference between the foot and mantle mucus. These results indicate some different protein compositions and biological activities of snail slime from the mantle and foot, which might be associated with their specific functions in the animal and are useful for medical applications.
Highlights
Land snails have been used as food and for various medical treatments for centuries [1–3]
It should be noted that the reproducibility of this protein pattern might be varied from each sample collection, seasonal and location so the major protein bands which was more consistently observed were selected for further analysis
It has previously been shown that different types of secretory glands discharge slime on to the surface of the mantle collar and foot of Helix aspersa [15]
Summary
Land snails have been used as food and for various medical treatments for centuries [1–3]. The snail slime (mucus) has many functions in the animal, such as adhesive, emollient, moisturizing, lubricant, and defense [4–7]. Snail slimes have been applied in human medical and cosmetics [8–11]. Studies have shown that snail mucus exhibits various biological activities, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-tyrosinase, and antitumoral activities [10, 12, 13]. The mucus was collected from the mantle and foot of two snail species, H. distincta and L fulica, in which H. distincta is distributed in deciduous forest in Thailand [16], but L. fulica is a very famous invasive alien species that occurring everywhere at anthropogenic areas in many parts of the world [17]. The protein pattern and biological properties (antioxidant, antibacterial, Noothuan et al BMC Res Notes (2021) 14:138 and anti-tyrosinase activities) of the mucus were compared
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