Microbial protease: an update on sources, production methods, and applications

Enzymes play a crucial role in sustaining life as they act as biological catalysts, facilitating nearly all biological processes. Among these enzymes, proteases, also known as peptidases or proteinases, serve as catalysts for proteolysis, the breakdown of proteins into smaller polypeptides or individual amino acids. Proteases are involved in various biological functions, including protein turnover and recycling, regulation of posttranslational modifications, and immune responses and inflammation. Microbes, including bacteria and fungi, have emerged as a valuable source of proteases. Microbial proteases provide several advantages, such as their minimal space requirements for cultivation and their ability to undergo genetic manipulation, enabling the optimization of protease properties to cater to specific applications. Moreover, the wide diversity of microbial species and strains provides a rich pool of proteases with varying characteristics, including substrate specificity, pH and temperature optima, stability, and resistance to inhibitors. Due to these properties, microbial proteases have widespread application in various fields. This chapter highlights the diverse applications of microbial proteases across multiple industries. Although a wide range of applications of microbial proteases underscores their versatility and value in different fields, an understanding of unique properties and optimization of production processes holds promise for addressing industry-specific challenges and developing innovative solutions across various sectors.