Skip to main content
Log in

Biotechnological applications of extremophiles, extremozymes and extremolytes

  • Mini-Review
  • Published:
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In the last decade, attention to extreme environments has increased because of interests to isolate previously unknown extremophilic microorganisms in pure culture and to profile their metabolites. Microorganisms that live in extreme environments produce extremozymes and extremolytes that have the potential to be valuable resources for the development of a bio-based economy through their application to white, red, and grey biotechnologies. Here, we provide an overview of extremophile ecology, and we review the most recent applications of microbial extremophiles and the extremozymes and extremolytes they produce to biotechnology.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abe F, Horikoshi K (2001) The biotechnological potential of piezophiles. Trends Biotechnol 19:102–108

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Alarico S, Empadinhas N, da Costa MS (2013) A new bacterial hydrolase specific for the compatible solutes α-D-mannopyranosyl-(1→2)-D-glycerate and α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-D-glycerate. Enzym Microb Technol 52:77–83

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Appukuttan D, Rao AS, Apte SK (2006) Engineering of Deinococcus radiodurans R1 for bioprecipitation of uranium from dilute nuclear waste. Appl Environ Microbiol 72:7873–7878

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Autengruber A, Sydlik U, Kroker M, Hornstein T, Ale-Agha N, Stöckmann D, Bilstein A, Albrecht C, Paunel-Görgülü A, Suschek CV, Krutmann J, Unfried K (2014) Signalling-dependent adverse health effects of carbon nanoparticles are prevented by the compatible solute mannosylglycerate (firoin) in vitro and in vivo. PLoS One 9:e111485

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Avanti C, Saluja V, van Streun ELP, Frijlink HW, Hinrichs WLJ (2014) Stability of lysozyme in aqueous extremolyte solutions during heat shock and accelerated thermal conditions. PLoS One 9:e86244

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bagwell CE, Bhat S, Hawkins GM, Smith BW, Biswas T, Hoover TR, Saunders E, Han CS, Tsodikov OV, Shimkets LJ (2008) Survival in nuclear waste, extreme resistance, and potential applications gleaned from the genome sequence of Kineococcus radiotolerans SRS30216. PLoS One 3:e3878

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bhalla A, Bansal N, Kumar S, Bischoff KM, Sani RK (2013) Improved lignocellulose conversion to biofuels with thermophilic bacteria and thermostable enzymes. Bioresour Technol 128:751–759

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Borges N, Ramos A, Raven ND, Sharp RJ, Santos H (2002) Comparative study of the thermostabilizing properties of mannosylglycerate and other compatible solutes on model enzymes. Extremophiles 6:209–216

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bougouffa S, Radovanovic A, Essack M, Bajic VB (2014) DEOP: a database on osmoprotectants and associated pathways. Database (Oxford). doi:10.1093/database/bau100

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowers KJ, Wiegel J (2011) Temperature and pH optima of extremely halophilic archaea: a mini-review. Extremophiles 15(2):119–128

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brim H, Venkateswaran A, Kostandarithes HM, Fredrickson JK, Daly MJ (2003) Engineering Deinococcus geothermalis for bioremediation of high-temperature radioactive waste environments. Appl Environ Microbiol 69:4575–4582

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bruins ME, Janssen AE, Boom RM (2001) Thermozymes and their applications: a review of recent literature and patents. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 90:155–186

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cárdenas JP, Valdés J, Quatrini R, Duarte F, Holmes DS (2010) Lessons from the genomes of extremely acidophilic bacteria and archaea with special emphasis on bioleaching microorganisms. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 88:605–620

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cavicchioli R, Charlton T, Ertan H, Omar SM, Siddiqui KS, Williams TJ (2011) Biotechnological uses of enzymes from psychrophiles. Microb Biotechnol 4:449–460

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cencic A, Chingwaru W (2010) The role of functional foods, nutraceuticals, and food supplements in intestinal health. Nutrients 2:611–625

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chen J, Zheng RC, Zheng YG, Shen YC (2009) Microbial transformation of nitriles to high-value acids or amides. Adv Biochem Eng Biotechnol 113:33–77

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Choi YJ, Hur JM, Lim S, Jo M, Kim DH, Choi JI (2014) Induction of apoptosis by deinoxanthin in human cancer cells. Anticancer Res 34:1829–1835

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cowan DA, Ramond JB, Makhalanyane TP, De Maayer P (2015) Metagenomics of extreme environments. Curr Opin Microbiol 25:97–102

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Datta S, Holmes B, Park J, Chen Z, Dibble D, Hadi M, Blanch H, Simmons B, Sapra R (2010) Ionic liquid tolerant hyperthermophilic cellulases for biomass pretreatment and hydrolysis. Green Chem 12:338–345

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • de la Coba F, Aguilera J, de Galvez MV, Alvarez M, Gallego E, Figueroa FL, Herrera E (2009) Prevention of the ultraviolet effects on clinical and histopathological changes, as well as the heat shock protein-70 expression in mouse skin by topical applications of algal UV-absorbing compounds. J Dermatol Sci 55:161–169

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Maayer P, Anderson D, Cary C, Cowan DA (2014) Some like it cold: understanding the survival strategies of psychrophiles. EMBO Rep 15:508–517

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Demirjian DC, Morís-Varas F, Cassidy CS (2001) Enzymes from extremophiles. Curr Opin Chem Biol 5:144–151

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dopson M, Holmes DS (2014) Metal resistance in acidophilic microorganisms and its significance for biotechnologies. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 98:8133–8144

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Du Y, Shi P, Huang H, Zhang X, Luo H, Wang Y, Yao B (2013) Characterization of three novel thermophilic xylanases from Humicola insolens Y1 with application potentials in the brewing industry. Bioresour Technol 130:161–167

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Egorova K, Antranikian G (2005) Industrial relevance of thermophilic Archaea. Curr Opin Microbiol 8:649–655

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Elleuche S, Schröder C, Sahm K, Antranikian G (2014) Extremozymes—biocatalysts with unique properties from extremophilic microorganisms. Curr Opin Biotechnol 29:116–123

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Empadinhas N, da Costa MS (2011) Diversity, biological roles and biosynthetic pathways for sugar-glycerate containing compatible solutes in bacteria and archaea. Environ Microbiol 13:2056–2077

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Esteves AM, Chandrayan SK, McTernan PM, Borges N, Adams MW, Santos H (2014) Mannosylglycerate and di-myo-inositol phosphate have interchangeable roles during adaptation of Pyrococcus furiosus to heat stress. Appl Environ Microbiol 80:4226–4233

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Faria C, Jorge CD, Borges N, Tenreiro S, Outeiro TF, Santos H (2013) Inhibition of formation of α-synuclein inclusions by mannosylglycerate in a yeast model of Parkinson's disease. Biochim Biophys Acta 1830:4065–4072

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ferrer M, Golyshina O, Beloqui A, Golyshin PN (2007) Mining enzymes from extreme environments. Curr Opin Microbiol 10:207–214

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gabani P, Singh OV (2013) Radiation-resistant extremophiles and their potential in biotechnology and therapeutics. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 97:993–1004

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gtari M, Essoussi I, Maaoui R, Sghaier H, Boujmil R, Gury J, Pujic P, Brusetti L, Chouaia B, Crotti E, Daffonchio D, Boudabous A, Normand P (2012) Contrasted resistance of stone-dwelling Geodermatophilaceae species to stresses known to give rise to reactive oxygen species. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 80:566–577

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hough DW, Danson MJ (1999) Extremozymes. Curr Opin Chem Biol 3:39–46

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jayakumar R, Jayashree S, Annapurna B, Seshadri S (2012) Characterization of thermostable serine alkaline protease from an alkaliphilic strain Bacillus pumilus MCAS8 and its applications. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 168:1849–1866

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson DB (2014) Biomining-biotechnologies for extracting and recovering metals from ores and waste materials. Curr Opin Biotechnol 30:24–31

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kanapathipillai M, Lentzen G, Sierks M, Park CB (2005) Ectoine and hydroxyectoine inhibit aggregation and neurotoxicity of Alzheimer’s beta-amyloid. FEBS Lett 579:4775–4780

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Karan R, Capes MD, DasSarma P, DasSarma S (2013) Cloning, overexpression, purification, and characterization of a polyextremophilic β-galactosidase from the Antarctic haloarchaeon Halorubrum lacusprofundi. BMC Biotechnol 13:3

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamoto J, Sato T, Nakasone K, Kato C, Mihara H, Esaki N, Kurihara T (2011) Favourable effects of eicosapentaenoic acid on the late step of the cell division in a piezophilic bacterium, Shewanella violacea DSS12, at high-hydrostatic pressures. Environ Microbiol 13:2293–2298

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Klein J, Schwarz T, Lentzen G (2007) Ectoine as a natural component of food: detection in red smear cheeses. J Dairy Res 74:446–451

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lamosa P, Rodrigues MV, Gonçalves LG, Carr J, Ventura R, Maycock C, Raven ND, Santos H (2013) Organic solutes in the deepest phylogenetic branches of the bacteria: identification of α(1-6)glucosyl-α(1-2)glucosylglycerate in Persephonella marina. Extremophiles 17:137–146

  • Lentzen G, Schwarz T (2006) Extremolytes: natural compounds from extremophiles for versatile applications. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 72:623–634

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Li X, Qian P, Wu SG, Yu HY (2014) Characterization of an organic solvent-tolerant lipase from Idiomarina sp. W33 and its application for biodiesel production using Jatropha oil. Extremophiles 18:171–178

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Litchfield CD (2011) Potential for industrial products from the halophilic Archaea. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 38:1635–1647

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • López-López O, Cerdán ME, Gonzalez-Siso MI (2014) New extremophilic lipases and esterases from metagenomics. Curr Protein Pept Sci 15:445–455

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marasco R, Rolli E, Ettoumi B, Vigani G, Mapelli F, Borin S, Abou-Hadid AF, El-Behairy UA, Sorlini C, Cherif A, Zocchi G, Daffonchio D (2012) A drought resistance-promoting microbiome is selected by root system under desert farming. PLoS One 7:e48479

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mota MJ, Lopes RP, Delgadillo I, Saraiva JA (2013) Microorganisms under high pressure—adaptation, growth and biotechnological potential. Biotechnol Adv 31:1426–1234

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Navarro CA, von Bernath D, Jerez CA (2013) Heavy metal resistance strategies of acidophilic bacteria and their acquisition: importance for biomining and bioremediation. Biol Res 46:363–371

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Orell A, Remonsellez F, Arancibia R, Jerez CA (2013) Molecular characterization of copper and cadmium resistance determinants in the biomining thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus metallicus. Archaea 2013:289236

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oren A (2013) Life at high salt concentrations, intracellular KCl concentrations, and acidic proteomes. Front Microbiol 4:315

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pastor JM, Salvador M, Argandoña M, Bernal V, Reina-Bueno M, Csonka LN, Iborra JL, Vargas C, Nieto JJ, Cánovas M (2010) Ectoines in cell stress protection: uses and biotechnological production. Biotechnol Adv 28:782–801

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Raddadi N, Cherif A, Daffonchio D, Fava F (2013) Halo-alkalitolerant and thermostable cellulases with improved tolerance to ionic liquids and organic solvents from Paenibacillus tarimensis isolated from the Chott El Fejej, Sahara desert, Tunisia. Bioresour Technol 150:121–128

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rastogi RP, Incharoensakdi A (2014) Characterization of UV-screening compounds, mycosporine-like amino acids, and scytonemin in the cyanobacterium Lyngbya sp. CU2555. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 87:244–256

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Raveendran S, Palaninathan V, Nagaoka Y, Fukuda T, Iwai S, Higashi T, Mizuki T, Sakamoto Y, Mohanan PV, Maekawa T, Kumar DS (2015) Extremophilic polysaccharide nanoparticles for cancer nanotherapy and evaluation of antioxidant properties. Int J Biol Macromol 76:310–319

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Resch V, Schrittwieser JH, Siirola E, Kroutil W (2011) Novel carbon-carbon bond formations for biocatalysis. Curr Opin Biotechnol 22:793–799

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rolli E, Marasco M, Vigani G, Ettoumi B, Mapelli F, Deangelis ML, Gandolfi C, Casati E, Previtali F, Gerbino R, Pierotti Cei F, Borin S, Sorlini C, Zocchi G, Daffonchio D (2015) Improved plant resistance to drought is promoted by the root-associated microbiome as a water stress-dependent trait. Environ Microbiol 17:316–331

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ryu J, Kanapathipillai M, Lentzen G, Park CB (2008) Inhibition of beta-amyloid peptide aggregation and neurotoxicity by alpha-d-mannosylglycerate, a natural extremolyte. Peptides 29:578–584

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sachdev DP, Cameotra SS (2013) Biosurfactants in agriculture. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 97:1005–1016

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sarethy IP, Saxena Y, Kapoor A, Sharma M, Sharma SK, Gupta V, Gupta S (2011) Alkaliphilic bacteria: applications in industrial biotechnology. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 38:769–790

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schreck SD, Grunden AM (2014) Biotechnological applications of halophilic lipases and thioesterases. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 98:1011–1021

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shao H, Xu L, Yan Y (2013) Thermostable lipases from extremely radioresistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans: cloning, expression, and biochemical characterization. J Basic Microbiol 54:984–995

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Singh OV, Gabani P (2011) Extremophiles: radiation resistance microbial reserves and therapeutic implications. J Appl Microbiol 110:851–861

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Singh SP, Klisch M, Sinha RP, Hader DP (2010) Genome mining of mycosporine-like amino acid (MAA) synthesizing and non-synthesizing cyanobacteria, a bioinformatics study. Genomics 95:120–128

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Soule T, Garcia-Pichel F, Stout V (2009) Gene expression patterns associated with the biosynthesis of the sunscreen scytonemin in Nostoc punctiforme ATCC 29133 in response to UVA radiation. J Bacteriol 191:4639–4646

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tan X, Du W, Lu X (2015) Photosynthetic and extracellular production of glucosylglycerol by genetically engineered and gel-encapsulated cyanobacteria. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 99:2147–2154

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Toplak A, Wu B, Fusetti F, Quaedflieg PJ, Janssen DB (2013) Proteolysin, a novel highly thermostable and cosolvent-compatible protease from the thermophilic bacterium Coprothermobacter proteolyticus. Appl Environ Microbiol 79:5625–5632

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wohlgemuth R (2010) Biocatalysis: key to sustainable industrial chemistry. Curr Opin Biotechnol 21:713–724

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yildiz SY, Radchenkova N, Arga KY, Kambourova M, Toksoy Oner E (2015) Genomic analysis of Brevibacillus thermoruber 423 reveals its biotechnological and industrial potential. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 99:2277–2289

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Li X, Bartlett DH, Xiao X (2015) Current developments in marine microbiology: high-pressure biotechnology and the genetic engineering of piezophiles. Curr Opin Biotechnol 33:157–164

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu S, Song D, Gong C, Tang P, Li X, Wang J, Zheng G (2013) Biosynthesis of nucleoside analogues via thermostable nucleoside phosphorylase. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 97:6769–6778

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Ethical statement

This review article has been prepared following principles of ethical and professional conduct.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Noura Raddadi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Raddadi, N., Cherif, A., Daffonchio, D. et al. Biotechnological applications of extremophiles, extremozymes and extremolytes. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 99, 7907–7913 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-015-6874-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-015-6874-9

Keywords

Navigation