Compositions and Formulations for Maintaining and Increasing Muscle Mass, Strength, and Performance and Methods of Production and Use Thereof

1 . A method of preventing or reducing loss of muscle mass and/or muscle function in a human subject, comprising the steps of: i) identifying a human subject suffering from or at risk of a disease, disorder or condition associated with muscle wasting, and ii) administering to the human subject a nutritional formulation in an amount sufficient to prevent or reduce a loss of muscle mass and/or muscle function, wherein the nutritional formulation comprises an isolated nutritive polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 90% identical over at least about 50 amino acids to a polypeptide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQID 00001-03909; wherein the formulation comprises at least 1.0 g of the nutritive polypeptide; wherein the formulation is present as a liquid, semi-liquid or gel in a volume not greater than about 500 ml or as a solid or semi-solid in a total mass not greater than about 200 g; and wherein the formulation is substantially free of non-comestible products.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the human subject is suffering from a muscle wasting disease, disorder or condition and has received one or more doses of a pharmaceutical composition, wherein administration of the pharmaceutical composition increases a risk of loss of muscle mass and/or muscle function.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the human subject is suffering from a muscle wasting disease, disorder or condition and has received one or more doses of a pharmaceutical composition, wherein i) the disease, disorder or condition or ii) the administration of the pharmaceutical composition, or both i) and ii) increases a risk of loss of muscle mass and/or muscle function.

4 . A method of treating a muscle wasting disease, disorder or condition in a human subject in need thereof, comprising the step of administering to the human subject a nutritional formulation in an amount sufficient to treat such disease, disorder or condition, wherein the nutritional formulation comprises an isolated nutritive polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 90% identical over at least about 50 amino acids to a polypeptide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQID 00001-03909; wherein the formulation comprises at least 1.0 g of the nutritive polypeptide, optionally further comprising the step of diagnosing the muscle wasting disease, disorder or condition after administration after administering the nutritional formulation to the subject for a period of time such that the muscle wasting disease is treated.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the formulation is administered on a dosage schedule sufficient to provide substantial protein nutrition to the human subject in the absence of consumption by the subject of an agriculturally-derived food product.

6 . A method of reducing the risk of a human subject developing a muscle wasting disease, disorder or condition characterized or exacerbated by protein malnourishment, comprising the steps of (i) identifying the human subject as being at risk of developing the disease, disorder or condition; and (ii) administering in one or more doses a nutritional formulation comprising an isolated nutritive polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 90% identical over at least about 50 amino acids to a polypeptide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQID 00001-03909; wherein the formulation comprises at least 1.0 g of the nutritive polypeptide.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the human subject is at risk of developing malnutrition or protein malnutrition.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the human subject exhibits sarcopenia and/or cachexia.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the human subject has an inflammatory reaction or an autoimmune disorder.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the human subject has cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, liver failure, chronic kidney disease, congestive heart failure, multiple sclerosis, chronic pancreatitis, or a mitochondrial disease.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the human subject has an infectious disease.

12 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the human subject has undergone a surgical procedure or has suffered a traumatic injury.

13 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the nutritional formulation is administered in conjunction with an exercise regimen.

14 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the nutritional formulation is administered as an adjunct to administration of a pharmaceutical agent and/or a surgical procedure.

15 . The method of claim 12 or 14 , wherein the subject is immobilized or mobility-impaired following the surgical procedure.

16 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the nutritional formulation is administered as an adjunct to administration of a pharmaceutical composition.

17 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the human subject has or is at risk of developing osteoporosis.

18 . A method of increasing muscle anabolism in a human subject suffering from a muscle wasting disease, comprising administering to a human subject in one or more doses a nutritional formulation comprising an isolated nutritive polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 90% identical over at least about 50 amino acids to a polypeptide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQID 00001-03909; wherein the formulation comprises at least 1.0 g of the nutritive polypeptide, wherein the nutritive formulation is administered to the human subject at a frequency sufficient to increase muscle anabolism in the subject after the administration thereof.

19 . A method of formulating a nutritional product for use in treating a human subject, comprising the steps of providing to a human subject suffering from or at risk of a muscle wasting disease, disorder, or condition, a nutritive composition comprising an isolated nutritive polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 90% identical over at least about 50 amino acids to a polypeptide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQID 00001-03909; and formulating the nutritive polypeptide with an acceptable excipient, wherein the isolated nutritive polypeptide has an aqueous solubility at pH 7 of at least 12.5 g/L, and wherein the isolated nutritive polypeptide has a simulated gastric digestion half-life of less than 30 minutes.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising combining the nutritive composition with at least one of a tastant, a nutritional carbohydrate and a nutritional lipid, wherein the product is present as a liquid, semi-liquid or gel in a volume not greater than about 500 ml or as a solid or semi-solid in a total mass not greater than about 200 g.

21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the product is substantially free of non-comestible products.

22 . A method for selecting an amino acid sequence of a nutritive polypeptide wherein the nutritive polypeptide is suitable for use in treating a human subject suffering from or at risk of a muscle wasting disease, disorder, or condition, comprising i) providing a library of amino acid sequences comprising a plurality of amino acid sequences, ii) identifying in the library one or more amino acid sequences comprising at least one amino acid of interest, and iii) selecting the one or more identified amino acid sequences, thereby selecting an amino acid sequence of a nutritive polypeptide.

23 . A method for selecting an amino acid sequence of a nutritive polypeptide wherein the nutritive polypeptide is suitable for use in treating a human subject suffering from or at risk of a muscle wasting disease, disorder, or condition, comprising i) providing a library of amino acid sequences comprising a plurality of amino acid sequences, ii) identifying in the library one or more amino acid sequences comprising a ratio of at least one amino acid residues of interest to total amino acid residues greater than or equal to a selected ratio, and iii) selecting the one or more identified amino acid sequences, thereby selecting an amino acid sequence of a nutritive polypeptide.

24 . A method for selecting an amino acid sequence of a nutritive polypeptide wherein the nutritive polypeptide is suitable for use in treating a human subject suffering from or at risk of a muscle wasting disease, disorder, or condition, comprising i) providing a library of amino acid sequences comprising a plurality of amino acid sequences, ii) identifying in the library one or more amino acid sequences comprising a ratio of at least one amino acid residues of interest to total amino acid residues less than or equal to a selected ratio, and iii) selecting the one or more identified amino acid sequences, thereby selecting an amino acid sequence of a nutritive polypeptide.

25 . A nutritive formulation for the treatment or prevention of a muscle wasting disease, disorder or condition in a human subject, comprising an isolated nutritive polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 90% identical over at least about 50 amino acids to a polypeptide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQID 00001-03909; wherein the nutritive polypeptide is present in an amount sufficient to provide a nutritional benefit to a human subject having reduced protein absorption capacity.

26 . The formulation of claim 25 , wherein the polypeptide sequence comprises a ratio of essential amino acid residues to total amino acid residues of at least 34% and wherein the polypeptide sequence is nutritionally complete.

27 . The formulation of claim 25 , wherein the essential amino acids present in the nutritive polypeptide are substantially bioavailable.

28 . The formulation of claim 25 , wherein the isolated nutritive polypeptide has an aqueous solubility at pH 7 of at least 12.5 g/L.

29 . The formulation of claim 25 , wherein the isolated nutritive polypeptide has a simulated gastric digestion half-life of less than 30 minutes.

30 . The formulation of claim 25 , wherein the nutritive polypeptide is formulated in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

31 . The formulation of claim 25 , wherein the nutritive polypeptide is formulated in or as a food or a food ingredient, or as a beverage or a beverage ingredient.

32 . The formulation of claim 25 , wherein the nutritive polypeptide is present in the formulation in an amount to provide a feeling of satiety and/or satiation when consumed by a human or non-human mammalian subject.

33 . The formulation of claim 25 , wherein the amino acid sequence encodes an enzyme having a primary activity, and wherein the nutritive polypeptide substantially lacks the primary activity.

34 . The formulation of claim 25 , wherein the formulation is present as a liquid, semi-liquid or gel in a volume not greater than about 500 ml or as a solid or semi-solid in a total mass not greater than about 200 g.

35 . The formulation of claim 25 , wherein the nutritive polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence at least about 90% identical to an edible species polypeptide or fragment thereof at least 50 amino acids in length, wherein the amino acid sequence has less than about 50% identity over at least 25 amino acids to a known allergen.

36 . The formulation of claim 25 , further comprising a component selected from a tastant, a protein mixture, a polypeptide, a peptide, a free amino acid, a carbohydrate, a lipid, a mineral or mineral source, a vitamin, a supplement, an organism, a pharmaceutical, and an excipient.

37 . The formulation of claim 25 , wherein the human subject is suffering from a gastrointestinal protein malabsorption disease, disorder or condition.

38 . The formulation of claim 25 , wherein the amino acid sequence contains a density of essential amino acids about equal to or greater than the density of essential chain amino acids present in a full-length reference nutritional polypeptide or a reference polypeptide-containing mixture.

39 . The formulation of claim 25 , wherein the amino acid sequence contains a density of at least one amino acid selected from the group consisting of leucine, arginine and glutamine about equal to or greater than the density of the selected amino acid present in a full-length reference nutritional polypeptide or a reference polypeptide-containing mixture.

40 . A formulation comprising at least one nutritive polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about 99% identical to an edible species polypeptide capable of being secreted from a microorganism, wherein the nutritive polypeptide is present in the formulation in an amount sufficient to provide a nutritional benefit equivalent to or greater than at least about 2% of a reference daily intake value of protein.

41 . A nutritive formulation for the treatment or prevention of a muscle wasting disease, disorder or condition in a human subject, comprising a nutritive amino acid composition comprising a plurality of free amino acids comprising an amino acid ratio at least about 90% identical to an amino acid ratio of a polypeptide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQID 00001-03909, wherein the nutritive amino acid composition is nutritionally complete; wherein the nutritive amino acid composition is present in an amount sufficient to provide a nutritional benefit to a human subject having reduced protein absorption capacity.

42 . A formulation comprising at least one nutritive polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least about twenty amino acids in length and at least about 99% identical to an edible species polypeptide capable of being secreted from a microorganism, wherein the nutritive polypeptide is present in the formulation in an amount sufficient to stimulate muscle synthesis in a mammalian subject to whom the formulation is orally administered.

43 . A formulation comprising at least one nutritive polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence between about four and about twenty amino acids in length, wherein the nutritive polypeptide is present in the formulation in an amount sufficient to stimulate muscle synthesis in a mammalian subject to whom the formulation is orally administered.

44 . The formulation of claim 42 or 43 , wherein the muscle synthesis stimulation comprises mTOR pathway stimulation.

45 . The formulation of any one of claims 40 - 43 , wherein the formulation is present as a liquid, semi-liquid or gel in a volume not greater than about 500 ml or as a solid or semi-solid in a total mass not greater than about 200 g.

46 . The formulation of any one of claims 40 - 43 , wherein the nutritive polypeptide is present in the formulation in an amount sufficient to provide a feeling of satiety and/or satiation when consumed by a human or non-human mammalian subject.