Enzyme technology is going to play a crucial role in industrial biotechnology. This includes native and genetically enhanced enzymes likely to function in environments previously thought to be hostile, as well as the engineering of new metabolic pathways in organisms to empower them to play a new role. For instance, enzymes have been developed for use in detergents and production of biofuels, vitamins, amino acids and fine chemicals. Novozyme has developed enzymes for use in animal feed, food, textiles, leather, oil/fat and meat processing, among others. It has over 700 products and 100 different types of enzymes and microbes, replacing chemical products that pollute the environment. Similarly, Genencor is developing enzymes with improved performance in detergents and vitamin C, biofuel, sugar and biopolymer production (Reverchon, 2002), while Prodigene is manufacturing TrypZen, a recombinant trypsin used in wound care and food processing. Such innovations will cut the cost of production, the number of processing steps and energy spent. They are also likely to reduce the cost of investment, environmental pollution and demand for high-grade feedstock. For example, vitamin B2 chemical synthesis is a complex eight-step process. However, BASF AG's new biotechnology
process reduces it to a single step. The biotechnology process reduces overall costs
by about 40%, carbon dioxide emissions by 30%, resource consumption by 60% and
waste by 95%. Similarly, the antibiotic cephalexin synthesis is also involved a multistep
chemical process but is currently reduced to a mild biotransformation. The
biotechnological process uses less energy and input chemicals, is water-based and
generates less waste (OECD, 2001).
Some of these enzymes come from organisms that live in hostile environments, organisms generally referred to as extremophiles, such as those found in hotsprings, salty waters and polluted surroundings among others. The organisms survive in these environments because they possess unique enzymes that support live-saving pathways, whereas in such environments most organisms would be killed. The enzymes could be harnessed for industrial use, such as detergents used in detergents, textile industry, pharmaceuticals and bioremediation processes. Firms such as Applied Molecular Evolution, Genencor and Maxygen are interested in extremophiles for their peculiar metabolism and evolution.
