Amylases-Bioprocess and Potential Applications: A Review

Amylases are enzymes which hydrolyze starch molecules to give diverse products including dextrin and progressively smaller polymers composed of glucose units. These enzymes are of great significance in present day industries ranging from food, fermentation, textile, paper to pharmaceutical industries. Based on growing concern and aware of environmental issues, industries find enzymes as a good alternative over other chemical catalysts. Enzymes from fungal and bacterial sources have dominated applications in industrial sectors. The ease of production and broad spectrum of applications make α-Amylase an industrially valuable biocatalyst. This review focuses on the production of bacterial and fungal α-amylases, their distribution, structural-functional aspects and their use in industrial applications.