Yan Mingchen, Chen Ying, Feng Yong, Saeed Muhammad, Fang Zhen, Zhen Wang, Ni Zhong, Chen Huayou
School of the Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212000, China.
Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212000, China.
J Agric Food Chem. 2024 Jun 4. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c03025.
Keratinases is a special hydrolytic enzyme produced by microorganisms, which has the ability to catalyze the degradation of keratin. Currently, keratinases show great potential for application in many agricultural and industrial fields, such as biofermented feed, leather tanning, hair removal, and fertilizer production. However, these potentials have not yet been fully unleashed on an industrial scale. This paper reviews the sources, properties, and catalytic mechanisms of keratinases. Strategies for the molecular modification of keratinases are summarized and discussed in terms of improving the substrate specificity, thermostability, and pH tolerance of keratinases. The modification strategies are also enriched by the introduction of immobilized enzymes and directed evolution. In addition, the selection of modification strategies when facing specific industrial applications is discussed and prospects are provided. We believe that this review serves as a reference for the future quest to extend the application of keratinases from the laboratory to industry.
角蛋白酶是微生物产生的一种特殊水解酶，具有催化角蛋白降解的能力。目前，角蛋白酶在许多农业和工业领域显示出巨大的应用潜力，如生物发酵饲料、皮革鞣制、脱毛和肥料生产。然而，这些潜力尚未在工业规模上得到充分释放。本文综述了角蛋白酶的来源、性质和催化机制。从提高角蛋白酶的底物特异性、热稳定性和pH耐受性方面总结并讨论了角蛋白酶的分子改造策略。通过引入固定化酶和定向进化也丰富了改造策略。此外，还讨论了面对特定工业应用时改造策略的选择并给出了展望。我们相信，这篇综述可为未来将角蛋白酶的应用从实验室扩展到工业领域的探索提供参考。
