Proteases from Hyperthermophilic Archaebacteria: Physiolo- gical, Genetic, Biochemical and Engineering Studies

能够在100摄氏度或以上温度下生长的细菌，即极端嗜热的考古细菌，最近才从各种地热地点分离出来。这里提出的工作解决了由狂热杆菌产生的蛋白水解酶的生理、遗传、生化和工程问题，该菌的最佳生长温度为100℃。初步研究将重点放在使用高温蛋白酶作为目前生化加工中使用的那些酶的替代品上。此外，还将研究与热稳定性蛋白酶的极端热稳定性有关的问题，以试图确定高温下功能的结构基础。

Bacteria able to grow at temperatures at or above 100 degrees C, i.e., hyperthermophilic archaebacteria, have only recently been isolated from a variety of geothermal locations. The work proposed here addresses physiological, genetic, biochemical and engineering issues for proteolytic enzymes produced by Pyrococcus furiosus, which has an optimal growth at 100 degrees C. Initial studies will focus on the use of hyperthermophilic proteases as alternatives to those currently used in biochemical processing. In addition, issues related to the extreme thermostability of thermal stable proteases will be investigated to attempt to determine the structural basis for function at elevated temperatures.