Biotechnological aspects of cold-active enzymes

Abstract

Cold-adapted enzymes produced by organisms inhabiting permanently low temperature environments are typically characterized by a high activity at low to moderate temperatures and a poor thermal stability. Such characteristics make these enzymes highly attractive for various applications where they can enable more efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendlier processes than higher temperature-adapted enzymes. In this chapter, the biotechnological aspects of coldadapted enzymes and their application in industry are reviewed and discussed with a focus on cleaning/detergents, food and beverages, molecular biology, biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, textiles, biofuels, and materials applications.