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      Astroenzymology – the environmental limits of enzyme activity

      Daniel, Roy M.
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      astroenzymology.pdf
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      DOI
       10.1117/12.457322
      Link
       spie.org
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      Daniel, R. “Astroenzymology – the environmental limits of enzyme activity.” Instruments, Methods, and Missions for Astrobiology V, Richard B. Hoover, Alexei Y. Rozanov, Roland R. Paepe, Editors, Proc Vol. 4859, pp.121-129 (2003).
      Permanent Research Commons link: https://hdl.handle.net/10289/4370
      Abstract
      Using organisms from extreme terrestrial environments as models for extraterrestrial life may lead us to underestimate the range of environments that life may inhabit. An alternative approach is to inspect the range of conditions over which crucial biomolecules might function. Recent investigations of enzyme activity suggest that they have the potential to function over a wider range of environmental conditions than expected. Although the upper temperature limit for enzyme stability is unclear, some enzymes are active up to 130°C. The evidence is that the instability of enzymes is a functional requirement, rather then because of any restraint on achieving higher stability. There is no evidence that enzyme activity ceases at low temperatures; it declines in a predictable manner to the lowest temperature at which it has been possible to make measurements, -100°C. It has been generally accepted that dehydration stops enzyme activity but this acceptance may have arisen partly from the technical difficulty of assessing enzyme activity without a fluid medium for diffusion. Experiments using anhydrous organic solvents or gas phase substrates suggest activity occurs in enzymes at very low hydration.
      Date
      2003-02
      Type
      Conference Contribution
      Publisher
      The International Society for Optical Engineering
      Rights
      Copyright 2003 Society of Photo Optical Instrumentation Engineers. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic electronic or print reproduction and distribution, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of the paper are prohibited.
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