A biotechnology perspective of fungal proteases

Abstract

Proteases hydrolyze the peptide bonds of proteins into peptides and amino acids, being found in all living organisms, and are essential for cell growth and differentiation. Proteolytic enzymes have potential application in a wide number of industrial processes such as food, laundry detergent and pharmaceutical. Proteases from microbial sources have dominated applications in industrial sectors. Fungal proteases are used for hydrolyzing protein and other components of soy beans and wheat in soy sauce production. Proteases can be produced in large quantities in a short time by established methods of fermentation. The parameters such as variation in C/N ratio, presence of some sugars, besides several other physical factors are important in the development of fermentation process. Proteases of fungal origin can be produced cost effectively, have an advantage faster production, the ease with which the enzymes can be modified and mycelium can be easily removed by filtration. The production of proteases has been carried out using submerged fermentation, but conditions in solid state fermentation lead to several potential advantages for the production of fungal enzymes. This review focuses on the production of fungal proteases, their distribution, structural-functional aspects, physical and chemical parameters, and the use of these enzymes in industrial applications.

A novel thermostable aspartic protease fromTalaromyces leycettanusand its specific autocatalytic activation through an intermediate transition state

“…Aspartic proteases are wide spread in many organisms–vertebrates, insects, plants, fungi and even viruses have been widely reported as sources of aspartic proteases (6). The production of aspartic proteases from fungi has several advantages including short productive cycle, simple late purification, and low costs (7). Most commercial aspartic proteases used currently in industrial production are derived from filamentous fungi.…”

Proteolysis in the Subtropical Woody Tree <i>Anadenanthera colubrina</i> (Angico) Seeds during and after Germination

“…However, few plant peptidases are well known and still less that ones used technologically, when compared to peptidases from mammalian and microorganisms. These latter are intensively studied and have generated fundamental information about biological knowledge of living beings [8], as well many uses in research, medicine, pharmacy, food and industry [15] [16] [17]. In fact, peptidases account for 60% of all commercially available enzymes [18].…”

Optimization of a Novel Alkaline Protease from Cashew Industrial Soil Associated Aspergillus niger

“…Among all the different commercial enzymes, microbial protease in particular, represents about 60% of all the industrial enzyme's sales in the world due to their applications in several industrial sectors like in the detergent, food, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, leather, paper and pulp and silk industries (Singh et al, 2016). Proteases have physiological role in all living organisms and therefore, they are present in a wide range of sources such as animals, plants and microorganisms (Rao, 1998) Microbial origin proteases are preferred over other proteases for industrial application due to the broad biochemical diversity and their susceptibility to genetic manipulation as well as economic advantages (Souza et al, 2015;Ferid Abidi et al, 2008).…”