Proteins, thermostable factors determining thermostability

Despite these numerous studies, it is still a matter of debate as to which structural factors are the main determinants of the increased stability in thermostable proteins. There are substantial differences between the... 

A number of factors may affect enzyme stabihty in vivo. Certain enzymes from thermophiles have been shown to be less stable in the pure state or in cell-free extracts than in vivo, integrity being enhanced by factors in the cellular environment [29], such as high protein concentration, substrates, prosthetic groups and other molecules [30-34]. The fact remains, however, that thermophUic enzymes as a class are inherently more thermostable than their mesophilic counterparts, and that this stability is primarily intrinsic rather than being determined by extrinsic factors. 

---