Olga Luisa Tavano1,*, Angel Berenguer-Murcia2, Francesco Secundo3, Roberto Fernandez-Lafuente4,*
1*Alfenas Federal University, Faculty of Nutrition, 700 Gabriel Monteiro da Silva St, Alfenas, MG 37130-000,
Brazil Tel./Fax: +55 34 3299-1110
e-mail address: tavanool@yahoo.com.br
2Inorganic Chemistry Department and Materials Science Institute, Alicante University, Ap. 99, E-03080, Alicante,
Spain
This review presents some of the hottest topics in biotechnological applications which is proteases in biocatalysis.
Obviously, one of the most relevant areas of application is in the hydrolysis of proteins in food technology, and that
has led to a massive use on proteomics. Their aim is to identify the different proteins via peptide maps obtained after
a specific protease hydrolysis. However, concepts like degradomics are taking a more relevant importance in the use
and study of proteases and will be also properly discussed. Other protease applications like in cleaning (detergents
development), pharmaceutical or fine chemistry will be analyzed. This review goes from basic areas such as
protease classification to a discussion of the preparation of protease immobilized biocatalysts, considering the
different problems raised by the use of immobilized proteases due to the peculiar features of the substrates, large
macromolecules. Production of bioactive peptides via limited hydrolysis of proteins will occupy an important place
in this review.
