INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS IN 21ST CENTURY BY MICROBIAL ENZYMES

For decades, the biocatalytic ability of microorganisms has been used to manufacture flour, wine, vinegar and other typical goods without the biochemical basis of their ingredients being known. Because of their stability, catalytic activity, and ease of processing and optimization than plant and animal enzymes, microbial enzymes have gained attention for their widespread applications in industries and medicine. Enzyme use is growing increasingly in different industries ( e.g. food, agriculture, chemicals and pharmaceuticals) due to decreased production time , low energy input, cost-effectiveness, non-toxic and environmentally sustainable characteristics. Microbial enzymes are capable of destroying agricultural and residential waste (phenolic compounds, nitriles, amines, etc.) with harmful chemical compounds. Either through degradation or transformation. In this article, we highlight and address industrial enzymes and the scientific involvement of microorganisms in the manufacture of enzymes and their current position in the worldwide demand for enzymes.

ANCIENT USAGE OF MICROBES

Since ancient a human civilization with the first recorded commercial application of yeast, microbes have been used by the Babylonians and Sumerians as early as 6000 BC to manufacture alcoholic drinks from barley. Globally, microbial enzymes have achieved worldwide recognition for their extensive use in diverse sectors, such as food, agriculture, chemicals, medicine, and oil.

INDUSTRIALLY IMPORTANT MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCTION OF ENZYME

Due to fast accessibility and high growth rate, microorganisms are preferred sources of industrial enzymes. For elevated enzyme generation and science growth, genetic modifications using recombinant DNA technology can easily be performed on microbial cells. Due to the high and superior performance of enzymes from various microbes, which function well under a wide variety of varying physical and chemical conditions, the development of microbial enzymes is a required event in the industrial field. In addition, microbial enzymes are used to cure health conditions associated with human enzyme deficiency caused by genetic problems. Patients with hereditary congenital sucrase-isomaltase deficiency, for example, are unable to digest sucrose, so the enzyme sacrosidase (β-fructofuranosidefructohydrolase) is delivered orally to promote sucrose digestion. In addition, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase is used in the hereditary phenylketonuria disease to degrade phenylalanine.

ENZYMES USED IN INDUSTRIES

• The enzymes used in food production contain amylases from fungi and vegetables. In the processing of starch sugars, such as in the processing of high-fructose corn syrup, these enzymes are used. Proteases are used to lower the protein content of flour for biscuit producers. For predigesting baby foods, Trypsin is used. Cellulase and pectinase are used to clarify fruit juices in the production of fruit juices. Papain is used for preparing meat to tenderise it.
• Rennin, obtained from the stomachs of young ruminant animals (such as calves and lambs), is used in the dairy industry to produce cheese, which is used to hydrolyze protein. During the processing of cheese, lipases are introduced to promote the maturation of the blue-mould cheese. Lactases are used for the degradation of glucose and galactose from lactose.
• In the brewing industry, during the mashing stage of beer production, enzymes from barley are released. Industrially-produced barley enzymes are commonly used to supplement the natural enzymes present in barley in the brewing process. In order to break polysaccharides and proteins in the malt, amylase, glucanase, and proteases are used. For low-calorie beer and fermentability modification, amyloglucosidase and pullulanase are used. Proteases are used to eliminate cloudiness created during beer preparation.
• Proteases, formed in an extracellular form by bacteria, are used in pre-soak conditions and direct liquid applications in the manufacturing of biological detergents, helping to extract protein stains by clothing.
• Amylases, amyloglucosidase, and glucoamylases in the starch industry convert starch into glucose and other syrups. In producing high-fructose syrups from starchy products, glucose isomerase transforms glucose into fructose.
• Amylases, xylanases, cellulases and ligninases are used in the paper industry to degrade starch to lower viscosity, helping in sizing and coating paper.
• Cellulase is used in the biofuel industry to break down cellulose into fermentable sugars (see cellulosic ethanol).

 

Global market

As it provides many advantages over traditional technologies, biotechnology is gaining rapid ground. The global industrial enzyme industry is valued at 3.3 billion dollars in 2010 and is forecast to hit 4.4 billion dollars by 2015. Technical enzymes in 2010 are estimated at just over $1 billion. This sector will expand to hit $1.5 billion in 2015 at a 6.6 per cent compound annual growth rate. The largest sales of technological enzymes, led by the bioethanol market, occurred in the leather market. By 2015, from a valuation of $975 million in 2010, the food and beverage enzymes market is projected to hit around $1.3 billion. The milk and dairy industry had the largest revenue within the food and beverage enzyme category, with $401.8 million in 2009. Figure 1 displays the overall demand for industrial enzymes to date and the expected demand. Business segmentation for separate use fields suggests that 34% of the business is for food and animal feed, followed by a detergent and cleaning agents (29%). Pulp and paper have an 11% market share, while the textile, leather and fur sectors capture 17% of the market.

 

CONCLUSION

Current advances in biotechnology have provided valuable methods for efficient production of new enzymes in fields such as protein engineering and targeted evolution. This has contributed to the discovery of enzymes with improved properties for existing processes and technological applications, and to the creation of new enzymes adapted to brand new application areas where enzymes have not been historically used.

 

By: Dua Mughal