Microbial Pectinases

The biotechnological potential of pectinolytic enzymes from microorganisms has drawn a great deal of attention for use as biocatalysts in a variety of industrial processes. The role of acidic pectinases in extraction and clarification of fruit juices is well established. Recently, these have emerged as important industrial enzymes with wide-ranging applications in textile processing, degumming of plant bast fibers, pretreatment of pectic wastewater, papermaking, and coffee and tea fermentation. This chapter describes key features for screening, production (liquid and solidstate fermentation), purification, characterization, applications, and gene cloning of pectinases.