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Thermostable phytase in feed and fuel industries
Ushasree Mrudula Vasudevan1, Amit K Jaiswal2, Shyam Krishna3
1Biotechnology Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, Trivandrum 695 019, Kerala, India.
Bioresource Technology
|February 3, 2019
Summary
Thermostable phytase enzymes are crucial for the feed and fuel industries due to their stability at high temperatures. Research focuses on developing these enzymes through microbial mining and engineering for better industrial applications.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Industrial Biotechnology
- Enzyme Engineering
Background:
- Phytase enzymes are widely used but their application is limited by thermostability, especially in the feed industry.
- Mesophilic phytases lack stability for feed processing temperatures, necessitating alternatives.
- Thermostable phytases offer economic benefits in fuel ethanol production from starch.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide insight into the role of thermostable phytases in the feed and fuel industries.
- To explore methods for developing stable phytase variants.
- To highlight the molecular determinants of phytase thermostability.
Main Methods:
- Mining extremophilic microbial resources for thermostable phytases.
- Enzyme engineering approaches to enhance phytase stability.
- Investigating molecular determinants of thermostability.
Main Results:
- Identification of microbial sources for thermostable phytases.
- Development of strategies for enhancing phytase stability through engineering.
- Understanding key molecular factors contributing to enzyme thermostability.
Conclusions:
- Thermostable phytases are essential for industrial applications requiring high-temperature processing, such as feed production and biofuel generation.
- Complementary approaches including microbial exploration and enzyme engineering are vital for developing robust phytase variants.
- Further research into molecular determinants will facilitate the rational design of highly stable phytases.
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