Enzyme Technology
Whither enzyme technology?
There are many directions in which enzyme technologists are currently
applying their art and which are at the forefront of biotechnological research
and development. Some of these have already been examined in some detail earlier
(see Chapters 6 and 7). At present, relatively few enzymes are available on a
large scale (i.e., > kg) and are suitable for industrial applications. These
shortcomings are being addressed in a number of ways:
- new enzymes are being
sought in the natural environment and by strain selection (see Chapter
2);
- established industrial enzymes are being used in as wide a variety
of ways as can
be conceived;
- novel enzymes are being designed and produce by genetic
engineering;
- new organic catalysts are being designed and synthesised using
the 'knowhow' established from enzymology; and
- more complex enzyme systems
are being utilised.
Each of these areas has a extensive and rapidly expanding
literature. Some advances possibly belong more properly to other areas of
science. Thus, the development of genetically improved enzymes is generally
undertaken by molecular biologists and the design and synthesis of novel
enzyme-like catalysts is in the provenance of the organic chemists. Both groups
of workers will, however, base their science on data provided by the enzyme
technologist. Space requirements in this volume do not allow the full treatment
of these related areas but will be discussed briefly here.
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This page was established in 2004 and last updated by Martin
Chaplin on
6 August, 2014
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