Enzymes from extremophiles.

The industrial application of enzymes that can withstand harsh conditions has greatly increased over the past decade. This is mainly a result of the discovery of novel enzymes from extremophilic microorganisms. Recent advances in the study of extremozymes point to the acceleration of this trend. In particular, enzymes from thermophilic organisms have found the most practical commercial use to date because of their overall inherent stability. This has also led to a greater understanding of stability factors involved in adaptation of these enzymes to their unusual environments.