Abstract

Microbial enzymes are playing a preponderant role for diverse industrial applications, including second generation biofuels production. Because of the intrinsic properties of microbial enzymes such as consistency and versatility, they represent interesting environmentally-friendly additions or alternatives to current chemical biofuel production processes. In this context, extremozymes, or enzymes derived from extremophiles, play an even bigger role, because they are stable and able to catalyze reactions optimally under the harsh conditions of industrial processing. In the case of bioethanol production, extremophilic enzymes could be applied under the acidic or basic conditions of pretreatment, and also under the high temperatures of complete cellulose/hemicellulose hydrolysis.