Antifreeze Proteins from Diverse Organisms and their Applications: An Overview

Antifreeze proteins are ice-binding or ice-structuring proteins that prevent water from freezing by adsorbing to the ice surface and stopping the growth of minute ice crystals to large crystals in a non-colligative manner. The antifreeze proteins are found in species like fish, arthropods, plants, algae, fungi, yeasts and bacteria. The diversity, distribution and classification of antifreeze proteins were highlighted in this review. Antifreeze proteins help the organisms adapt to and survive in subzero temperature environments. The distribution of antifreeze proteins in different species appears to be the outcome of a combination of independent evolutionary events, probably the convergent evolution or horizontal gene transfer. Benefits can be derived from the frost resistance of these organisms. Their potential applications have been recognized in food processing, cryopreservation, cryosurgery, fishery and agricultural industries and anti-icing materials development. This review includes information on the current understanding of antifreeze proteins. A discussion on interactions and mechanisms involving ice recognition and adsorption was also included.