Biocatalytic Properties of Mangrove Microbiome
摘要
New developments and innovation in science are associated with cross-disciplinary interventions. Synthetic organic chemistry involves the transformation of one organic functional group into the other. But some of the transformations in organic chemistry are capricious and challenging. Biocatalysis involves the utilization of biological systems or their fragments to speed up chemical transformations. In the process of biocatalysis, natural catalysts such as enzymes perform a chemical reaction on organic compounds and transform or degrade them to new chemical species or to simple building blocks that are easily biodegradable. Isolated enzymes as well as those enzymes residing inside the living organisms are utilized for this purpose. Biotechnology has introduced the nonnatural enzymes for chemical compound conversion. Thus, biotechnology has enabled the development of enzymes that can catalyze organic transformations that are challenging using classical synthetic organic chemistry. Mangroves are plants that includes both shrubs and trees that grow in a saline environment in the coastal areas and tidal river sides and have specialized mechanism to remove excess salt content in their body which enables them to survive in harsh saline conditions. A biome is a special geographical region with specific climatic conditions and home to a variety of plants and biological species. The biological community formed in a biome is a consequence of its physical environment and regional climate. A microbiome is a mixture of community of microorganisms that cohabit in a distinct space in a much small area. Members of a microbiome include algae, fungi, bacteria, archaea, and small protists. Mangrove-associated microbiomes are of paramount importance because of their diverse and versatile enzyme production and its specific properties. A few enzymes isolated from mangrove microbiomes include amylase, cellulase, chitinase, phosphatase, protease, and urease. These mangrove-associated bacteria have a critical role in maintaining a pristine ecosystem. In addition, the full spectrum of microbial enzyme application covers food processing, detergents, textiles, agriculture, pharmacy, medical therapy, and molecular biology.