Question

Protein engineering directed at subtilisin has been aimed to improve the activity in detergents by stabilizing it at even higher temperatures, pH and oxidant strength with some concerned alterations.

(a) True

(b) False

The question was posed to me in quiz.

This intriguing question originated from Future Prospects in chapter Enzyme Technology Future Prospects of Enzyme Technology

Answer 1

The correct answer is (a) True

For explanation: Protein engineering directed at subtilisin has been aimed to improve the activity in detergents by stabilizing it at even higher temperatures, pH and oxidant strength with some concerned alterations. The concerns are as follows:

• The P1 cleft which holds the amino acid on the carbonyl side of the targeted peptide bond.

• The oxyanion hole residue at 155 which stabilizes the tetrahedral intermediate.

• The neighborhood of the catalytic histidyl residue at 64 which has a general base role.

• The methionine residue at 222 which causes subtilisin lability to oxidation.

Hence the above statement is true.