Properties of extracellular proteases produced by psychrotolerant bacteria isolated in the vicinities of Jubany Station

Abstract

The Antarctic continent is one of the coldest areas on Earth. Microorganisms able to live under such harsh physicochemical conditions have their biochemistry adapted to work optimally in the biotopes where they thrive and their enzymes work more efficiently at low temperatures than the corresponding mesophilic and thermophilic ones. Based on the basic, ecological and industrial interest on cold proteases, in this work we report the characteristics of two groups of proteases produced by psychrotolerant bacteria, previously selected among several proteolytic isolates from the surroundings of Jubany Station, Antarctica. On the basis of all the results obtained, it can be possible to consider Antarctica as a promising source of psychrotolerant microorganisms able to produce proteases adapted to efficiently work at low and moderate temperatures. These organisms possess a great potential not only in basic research, for the study of their metabolic capabilities and adaptation to cold, but also for their application in industrial microbiology and biotechnology. They are interesting for their use in processes where it is useful to work at ambient temperature in cold and moderate climate areas.