Thermophiles biotechnological potential

Proteins from organisms isolated in extreme Methanogenium frigidum environments are chemically and physically more stable and suitable for use in indusdial processes. Analysis of genomic sequences will reveal new thermophilic, hyperthermophilic, psychrophilic, and salt-tolerant enzymes of biotechnological potential. Halobacteria and P. putida also have potential for the production of biodegradable plastics. 

Amylases classified in family 13 glycoside hydrolases have been described from the archaea to the bacteria domains. The genus Bacillus includes a set of species able to produce starch-d rading enzymes and has biotechnological potential as a source of these enzymes especially the a-amylases, which are the most fi equent starch-degrading enzymes described for bacteria. In addition. Bacillus a-amylases present activity and are stable in temperatures over 50-60 °C, therefore are very attractive for industrial applications. B. subtilis, Bacillus stearothermophilus. Bacillus lichenifortnis, and Bacillus atnyloliquefaciens have been widely used for commercial production of amylases and for the production of starch derivates. The a-amylases produced by other bacteria and also archaea have to compete with the Bacillus enzymes that already present excellent thermophilic properties and high conversion rates (Prakash and Jaiswal 2010). 

PROTEASES FROM THERMOPHILES AND THEIR BIOTECHNOLOGICAL POTENTIAL... 

Many archaeobacterial enzymes have significant industrial applications, and represent the major biotechnological potential of these organisms. This is especially the case for the thermostable enzymes of thermophiles and hyper-thermophiles, and in particular for certain DNA polymerases which are used for the chain polymerization of DNA, better known as the polymerase chain reaction (PGR) (Mullis, 1994) or, in French, as amplification en chalnes par polymerase (AGP) (Querellou, 1999). The three most... 

Examples of thermophilic archaeal proteins successfully used in biotechnology already indicate their inherent economical potential (see section 4). However, our knowledge about the proteins of these extreme thermophiles is still too limited to estimate their real potential. Thus the proteins of thermophilic archaea represent an open field for fundamental and applied research over the next few decades. 

Fontana A (1984) Thermophilic Enzymes and Their Potential Use in Biotechnology. Dechema, Weinheim, p 221... 

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