Metagenomics and Genome Mining for Novel Protease Discovery

Proteases are key enzymes with vast biological and industrial relevance. Recent developments in metagenomics and genome mining have significantly expanded the landscape of protease discovery by enabling access to genetic resources from uncultivable microorganisms. This chapter reviews functional and sequence-based strategies for metagenomic exploration, highlights major discoveries from diverse ecosystems, discusses bioinformatic tools and databases for genome mining, and outlines current challenges and emerging technologies. The convergence of bioinformatics, omics integration, synthetic biology, and artificial intelligence is critical to accelerate the identification and application of novel proteases for use in biotechnology, medicine, and sustainable industries.