Biotechnology of enzymes from cold-adapted microorganisms

Abstract

One of the main goals in enzyme research is industrial application. Nowadays, we are surrounded by enzymes as well as chemicals produced by enzymes in our daily life. Since papain (EC 3.4.22.2) was used, probably as the first exogenous enzyme, to prevent the formation of chill hazes in beer,1 many enzymes isolated from various species have been developed for industrial use. These enzymes are used as biological catalysts in various industries such as detergent, food, chemical, textile, pharmaceutical, and paper industries. For instance, proteolytic enzymes are used for detergents; pharmaceutical agents; leather bating; enzymatic conversion of peptidyl substances; and food processing such as cheese production, meat tenderizing, dough conditioning in baking, and protein recovery from waste food materials.2 Most of the industrial enzymes have been isolated from mesophiles and thermophiles, since innumerable kinds of mesophiles are easily obtained from environmental sources, and enzymes obtained from thermophiles are suitable for industrial processes due to their thermostability. Heat-stable enzymes isolated from thermophiles also have an advantage in terms of storage stability, because they can be transported and stored at the ambient temperature. On the other hand, although many enzymes have also been isolated from cold-adapted microorganisms,3 psychrophiles and psychrotrophs, there have been few reports on the industrial use of such enzymes. It is reasonable to expect that cold-adapted microorganisms produce enzymes that are active even at a low temperature, i.e., “cold-active enzymes.” They would not only be more active at a low temperature than enzymes isolated from mesophiles and thermophiles but would also presumably have distinct characteristics.