THERMOZYMES - IDENTIFYING MOLECULAR DETERMINANTS OF PROTEIN STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL STABILITY

Thermozymes are thermostable enzymes that function optimally between 6 0 degrees C and 125 degrees C. These extremozymes are a 'hot' research topic because they are remarkable tools for studying protein stabilit y, as well as for developing industrial and specialty biotechnologies. Most protein-stabilization mechanisms (i.e. hydrophobic interactions, packing efficiency, salt-bridges, hydrogen bonds, reduction of confor mational strain, reduction of the entropy of unfolding, alpha-helix st abilization, loop stabilization and resistance to covalent destruction ) have been identified by stability studies using mesophilic models. R ecent structural comparisons between mesophilic enzymes and thermozyme s validate these mechanisms.