α-Amylases from Microbial Sources and Its Potential Applications in Various Industries

Amylases are widely distributed and are one of the most studied enzymes. Such enzymes hydrolyze the starch molecules into polymers composed of glucose units. Amylases have potential application in a wide number of industrial processes such as food, fermentation and pharmaceutical industries. Amylases can be obtained from plants, animals and microorganisms. However, enzymes from fungal and bacterial sources have dominated applications in industrial sectors. The microbial source of amylase is preferred to other sources because of its plasticity and vast availability. The production of α-amylase is essential for conversion of starches into oligosaccharides. Starch is an important constituent of the human diet and is a major storage product of many economically important crops such as wheat, rice, maize, tapioca, and potato. The properties of each α-amylase such as thermostability, pH profile, pH stability, and Ca-independency are important in the development of fermentation process. This review focuses on the isolation, substrates of α-amylases, production of bacterial and fungal α-amylases, properties of α-amylases, and the use of these enzymes in industrial applications.