Chapter 3 - Innovative technologies for enzyme production from extremophilic microbes

Abstract

Microorganisms can survive in any of the extreme environmental conditions, and they are called extremophiles. Extremophilic microorganisms belong to the domains Archaea and Bacteria. They thrive in extreme environmental conditions and acclimatize themselves according to the temperature (high as 55–121°C and low as − 2°C to 20°C), alkalinity or acidity pH (pH>8, pH<4), salinity (2–5M NaCl), and extreme concentrations of heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, copper, and zinc). Extremophilic microorganisms are identified as an underutilized source of novel enzymes. They have developed exclusive mechanisms and molecular changes to handle extreme environments. These extremozymes are capable to catalyze chemical reactions under harsh surroundings and very much suited for industrial applications and processes, which were earlier not thought to be favorable for enzymatic activity. Now, extremozymes are treated as the best catalytic alternatives for present industrial applications because of their stability and best activity under extreme conditions. The production, isolation, purification, and use of extremozymes either in the soluble or immobilized form is always been a cumbersome task. The advancements in recombinant DNA technology and enzyme engineering have given an insight to produce a more effective and diverse group of enzymes with useful applications in different fields of science from microbiology to biochemistry, diagnostics to therapeutics, and biocatalysis to structural biology. In this chapter, we will discuss the traditional and modern techniques used for the production and isolation of extremozymes.