Marine Microbial Amylases: Properties and Applications

Amylases are crucial enzymes which hydrolyze internal glycosidic linkages in starch and produce as primary products dextrins and oligosaccharides. Amylases are classified into α-amylase, β-amylase, and glucoamylase based on their three-dimensional structures, reaction mechanisms, and amino acid sequences. Amylases have innumerable applications in clinical, medical, and analytical chemistries as well as in food, detergent, textile, brewing, and distilling industries. Amylases can be produced from plants, animals, and microbial sources. Due to the advantages in microbial production, it meets commercial needs. The pervasive nature, easy production, and wide range of applications make amylase an industrially pivotal enzyme. This chapter will focus on amylases found in marine microorganisms, their potential industrial applications, and how these enzymes can be improved to the required bioprocessing conditions.