Extreme thermophiles: moving beyond single-enzyme biocatalysis

Extreme Thermophiles: Moving beyond single-enzyme biocatalysis.

Extremely thermophilic microorganisms have been sources of thermostable and thermoactive enzymes for over 30 years. However, information and insights gained from genome sequences, in conjunction with new tools for molecular genetics, have opened up exciting new possibilities for biotechnological opportunities based on extreme thermophiles that go beyond single-step biotransformations. Although ...

Pressure stabilization of proteins from extreme thermophiles.

We describe the stabilization by pressure of enzymes, including a hydrogenase from Methanococcus jannaschii, an extremely thermophilic deep-sea methanogen. This is the first published report of proteins from thermophiles being stabilized by pressure. Inactivation studies of partially purified hydrogenases from an extreme thermophile (Methanococcus igneus), a moderate thermophile (Methanococcus ...

Whey upgrading by enzyme biocatalysis

Whey is a co-product of processes for the production of cheese and casein that retains most of the lactose content in milk. World production of whey is estimated around 200 million tons per year with an increase rate of about 2%/per year. Milk production is seasonal, so surplus whey is unavoidable. Traditionally, whey producers have considered it as a nuisance and strategies of whey handling ha...

Intensive care for extreme prematurity--moving beyond gestational age.

BACKGROUND Decisions regarding whether to administer intensive care to extremely premature infants are often based on gestational age alone. However, other factors also affect the prognosis for these patients. METHODS We prospectively studied a cohort of 4446 infants born at 22 to 25 weeks' gestation (determined on the basis of the best obstetrical estimate) in the Neonatal Research Network o...

Regeneration of Cofactors for Enzyme Biocatalysis