Subtilisins

Other names: Subtilisin Carlsberg, Subtilisin A, Subtilopeptidase A, Subtilisin BPN, Subtilisin B, Subtilopeptidase B, Subtilopeptidase C, Subtilisin E, Subtilisin 309, Subtilisin 147

Harm score: 2 (Derivatives of natural substances)

Subtilisins are a broad group of proteases that are produced and secreted by bacteria of the genus Bacillus. They serve to break down proteins into simpler compounds - amino acids or polypeptides. First discovered in the 1940s, subtilisin Carlsberg was named after the place of its discovery - the laboratories of the Carlsberg brewery in Denmark. Other examples of subtilisins are subtilisin A, B, BPN, 147, 309, E and subtilopeptidases A, B and C.

Subtilisins find applications in many industrial fields. They are part of biologically active formulations added to washing powders, where their enzymatic activity enables the removal of protein stains. In the food industry they are used to improve the quality of foods such as milk, meat and bread. In biotechnology, subtilisins are also used in the production of amino acids or as biocatalysts in peptide synthesis. Due to their ability to cleave proteins, subtilisins are also used in medicine, for example in the diagnosis of certain diseases or in the development of new drugs. Subtilisin 147 is then used in the production of bioethanol. Subtilisins are thus one of the most important groups of industrial enzymes. Their widespread use is made possible by their resistance to high temperatures, acids and alkalis.