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标题：The Biocatalytic Potential of Extremophiles and Extremozymes
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作者：Gomes, Joseph ; Steiner, Walter
期刊名称：Food Technology and Biotechnology
印刷版ISSN：1330-9862
电子版ISSN：1334-2606
出版年度：2004
卷号：42
期号：4
页码：223-225
语种：English
出版社：Sveuciliste u Zagrebu - Faculty of Food
摘要：Extremophiles are bizarre microorganisms that can grow and thrive in extreme environments, which were formerly considered too hostile to support life. The extreme conditions may be high or low temperature, high or low pH, high salinity, high metal concentrations, very low nutrient content, very low water activity, high radiation, high pressure and low oxygen tension. Some extremophiles are subject to multiple stress conditions. Extremophiles are structurally adapted at the molecular level to withstand these harsh conditions. The biocatalysts, called extremozymes, produced by these microorganisms, are proteins that function under extreme conditions. Due to their extreme stability, extremozymes offer new opportunities for biocatalysis and biotransformation. Examples of extremozymes include cellulases, amylases, xylanases, proteases, pectinases, keratinases, lipases, esterases, catalases, peroxidases and phytases, which have great potential for application in various biotechnological processes. Currently, only 1–2 % of the microorganisms on the Earth have been commercially exploited and amongst these there are only a few examples of extremophiles. However, the renewed interest that is currently emerging as a result of new developments in the cultivation and production of extremophiles and success in the cloning and expression of their genes in mesophilic hosts will increase the biocatalytic applications of extremozymes.
关键词：extremophiles; extremozymes; biocatalytic potential; thermophiles; psychrophiles; alkaliphiles; acidophiles; halophiles; piezophiles; metalophiles