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Bio-prospecting the future in perspective of amidohydrolase L-glutaminase from marine habitats

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Abstract

In the current scenario, considerable attention is being given to the enzyme L-glutaminase (EC 3.5.1.2). It belongs to the amidohydrolase class adherent to the family of serine-reliant β-lactamases and the penicillin-binding proteins due to its higher affinity to polymerize and modify peptidoglycan synthesis. However, based on the catalytic proficiency, L-glutaminase is characterized as a proteolytic endopeptidase that cleaves peptide linkage and emancipates various byproducts, viz. ammonia along with glutamate. L-glutamine is considered the key amino acid reportedly involved in multiple metabolic pathways such as nitrogen metabolism. The present review is focused on the recent development and aspects concomitant to the biotechnological applicability of L-glutaminase predominantly from the marine habitat. Additionally, a majority of L-glutaminases finds application in cancer therapy as therapeutic agents, especially for acute lymphocytic leukaemia. The in vitro studies have been effective against various human cancer cell lines. L-glutaminase enhances the growth of probiotic bacteria. Apart from all these applications, it is suitably applicable in fermented foods as a flavour enhancer especially the umami flavour and content. Marine habitats have largely been exploited for their bio-catalytic potential but very scarcely for therapeutic enzymes. Some of the reports of such marine bacterial isolates from Bacillus sp., Pseudomonas sp. and Vibrio sp. are in the domain, but none highlights the therapeutic applications predominantly as anticancer and anti-proliferative agents.

Key points

  • The exploration of marine habitats along the Gujarat coasts mainly for bacteria secreting L-glutaminase is scarcely reported, and even more scarce are the amidohydrolases from these marine niches as compared to their terrestrial counterparts.

  • Microbial sourced amidohydrolase has wide bio-applicability that includes food, cosmetics and therapeutics especially as anticancer/anti-proliferative agent making it of immense biotechnological significance.

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Acknowledgements

The authors kindly acknowledge the infrastructural support from the Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Gujarat University. Author VHR righteously acknowledges the UGC-BSR Startup grant No.F.30-521/2020 (BSR) and financial support provided therein.

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NYP prepared the manuscript; DMB assisted in framing the data. KNR and RRP contributed to the grammar and drafting of the manuscript. The overall idea of the review was designed and conceived by SMY and VHR. All authors read and approved the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Vikram H. Raval.

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This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Patel, N.Y., Baria, D.M., Yagnik, S.M. et al. Bio-prospecting the future in perspective of amidohydrolase L-glutaminase from marine habitats. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 105, 5325–5340 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-021-11416-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-021-11416-6

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