α-Helices are the most frequently occurring elements of the secondary structure in water-soluble globular proteins. Their increased conformational stability is among the main reasons for the high thermal stability of proteins in thermophilic bacteria. In addition, α-helices are often involved in protein interactions with other proteins, nucleic acids, and the lipids of cell membranes. That is w...

Table 1 Thermophilic moulds are a potential reservoir of thermozymes which find potential applications in various biotechnological processes (Singh , 2016; Singh, 2016; Maheshwari 2000; Johri 1999). Enzymes from thermophilic fungi often tolerate higher temperatures than enzymes from their mesophilic counterparts and some show stability even at 70-80°C (Singh 2016; Singh, 2016; Johri 1999). It h...

This study aims to determine suitable start-up conditions and inoculum sources for thermophilic anaerobic digestion. Within days of incubation MSW at 55°C, methane was produced at a high rate. In an attempt to narrow down which components of typical MSW contained the thermophilic methanogens, vacuum cleaner dust, banana peel, kitchen waste, and garden waste were tested as inoculum for thermophi...

Microbial diversity in a thermopilic UASB reactor producing biogas from palm oil mill effluent (POME) was investigated. The PCR-based DGGE analysis showed that the microbial population profiles changed with the temperature transition from mesophilic to thermophilic conditions. Acetotrophic and hydrogenotrophic methanogens were found in all three phases: the seed sludge, transition from mesophil...

Thermophilic fungal cellulases are promising enzymes in protein engineering efforts aimed at optimizing industrial processes, such as biomass degradation and biofuel production. The cloning and expression in recent years of new cellulase genes from thermophilic fungi have led to a better understanding of cellulose degradation in these species. Moreover, crystal structures of thermophilic fungal...

In order to survive at high temperatures, thermophilic prokaryotes (Archaea and Eubacteria) adopt different strategies. Among several important contributing factors for stability of proteins are CG-rich codons, the ratio of charged amino acids compared to uncharged amino acids, ionic interactions, amino acid preferences and their distribution, post-translational modifications, and solute accumu...