Phytase, a New Life for an “Old” Enzyme

Abstract

Phytases are phosphohydrolytic enzymes that initiate stepwise removal of phosphate from phytate. Simple-stomached species such as swine, poultry, and fish require extrinsic phytase to digest phytate, the major form of phosphorus in plant-based feeds. Consequently, this enzyme is supplemented in these species' diets to decrease their phosphorus excretion, and it has emerged as one of the most effective and lucrative feed additives. This chapter provides a comprehensive review of the evolving course of phytase science and technology. It gives realistic estimates of the versatile roles of phytase in animal feeding, environmental protection, rock phosphorus preservation, human nutrition and health, and industrial applications. It elaborates on new biotechnology and existing issues related to developing novel microbial phytases as well as phytase-transgenic plants and animals. And it targets critical and integrated analyses on the global impact, novel application, and future demand of phytase in promoting animal agriculture, human health, and societal sustainability.

Microbial Phytases and Phytate: Exploring Opportunities for Sustainable Phosphorus Management in Agriculture

“…Bacterial phytases can either be genetically introduced into crops or supplied to soil as Overall, the development of transgenic plants expressing recombinant phytases (perhaps, induced by phosphate starvation) is often viewed as a promising route to solving problems of soil phosphorus availability and increasing the efficiency of phosphate nutrition in plants [24]. However, potentially encouraging breakthroughs in this area are often limited or stymied due to mistrust of consumers, prohibitive legislation in many countries, as well as still substantial technological limitations.…”

An isothermal titration calorimetry study of phytate binding to lysozyme

“…Phytase is an enzyme that hydrolyses the phosphate esters present on phytate [14]. The global phytase market was evaluated to be worth $350 million annually and accounts for more than 60 % of the total feed enzyme market in 2010 [15]. This year, the global feed enzyme business is now worth close to $1 billion per year, with the phytase market being in the region of $550-600 million.…”

An insight into protein sequences of PTP-like cysteine phytases

“…Phytases (myo-inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakisphosphate phosphohydrolase) are a special group of phosphatases which catalyzes the stepwise removal of phosphates from phytic acid (myo-inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakisphosphate; IP 6 ) or its salt phytate (Lei et al 2013). It is, therefore, useful in various applications, e.g.…”

“…Phytases are widely distributed among plants and microbial cells (Hegeman and Grabau 2001;Kumar et al 2013;Singh et al 2014;Lei et al 2013). To develop a suitable phytase for above applications and better understand the catalytic mechanism of diverse groups of phytases, large number of such organisms has been studied in detail for their phytase gene sequences and biochemical properties.…”

“…Based on the specific consensus sequence, catalytic mechanism and three dimensional structures, so far phytases are therefore classified in four classes, i.e. histidine acid phosphatase (HAPhy), cysteine phytase (CPhy), purple acid phosphatase (PAPhy) and betapropeller phytase (BPPhy) (Lei et al 2007;Mullaney and Ullah 2007;Lei et al 2013). Further classification based on the site of phytic acid dephosphorylation reveals three groups of phytases i.e.…”