Proteases from extreme thermophiles

Abstract

Extremely thermophilic bacteria are those that grow optimally at 65 ℃ or higher. Comparative data are presented on extracellular proteases from two extremely thermophilic eubacteria and one extremely thermophilic archaebacterium. The eubacteria were a Bacillus isolate (protease unnamed) and a Thermus isolate (protease named caldolysin) with optimum growth temperatures of 65 ℃ and 75 ℃, respectively. The archaebacterium was a Desulfurococcus isolate (protease named archaelysin) with an optimum growth temperature of 88 ℃.