title: Characterization of Amylolytic Enzyme Activities Associated with the Hyperthermophilic Archaebacterium Pyrococcus furiosus.
abstract: The hyperthermophilic archaebacterium Pyrococcus furiosus produces several amylolytic enzymes in response to the presence of complex carbohydrates in the growth medium. These enzyme activities, alpha-glucosidase, pullulanase, and alpha-amylase, were detected in both cell extracts and culture supernatants. All activities were characterized by temperature optima of at least 100 degrees C as well as a high degree of thermostability. The existence of this collection of activities in P. furiosus suggests that polysaccharide availability in its growth environment is a significant aspect of the niche from which it was isolated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, and Center of Marine Biotechnology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Costantino
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Kelly