BLUE CRAB (CALLINECTES SAPIDUS) AS A SOURCE OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS: HOW TO TURN A PROBLEM INTO A RESOURCE

Invasive species threaten marine biodiversity, together with overfishing and climate change. A striking case is the blue crab Callinectes sapidus, whose spread in the Mediterranean Sea disrupts ecosystems and damages coastal economies. Turning such invaders into valuable resources may help controlling their populations: the greater their market value, the stronger the interest for their exploitation. This study explores blue crab valorization by focusing on bioactive molecules, particularly carotenoproteins, within a biorefinery framework aimed at near-zero waste production. β-crustacyanin, the main shell carotenoprotein, is an eight-heterodimer complex binding two astaxanthin molecules. To assess its potential, we performed molecular docking and dynamics simulations showing that astaxanthin strongly inhibits SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) forming a stable complex. These promising results suggest blue crab carotenoproteins as potential candidates for industrial and therapeutic applications, including anti-COVID-19 strategies.