subtilisin

biochemstry

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Last updated

July 21, 2026

Quick Summary

Subtilisin is a protease secreted by the soil bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Proteases are enzymes that break down proteins into smaller fragments called peptides and amino acids through a process called proteolysis.12

Subtilisin belongs to the group of serine proteases, which are a major class of proteolytic enzymes. These enzymes are crucial in various biological processes and are found across many organisms, including bacteria, animals, and plants. Bacillus species, like the one that produces subtilisin, are rod-shaped bacteria commonly found in soil and water. Some Bacillus species are known for producing antibiotics or toxins, and their genes are studied for applications in genetic modification.23

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Frances Arnold
She altered the enyzme subtilisin E, which breaks down the protein casein, so it would work in the solvent dimethylformamide (DMF) instead of in the watery environment of a cell. She introduced many random mutations into the genetic code of bacteria that made subtilisin E, and she introduced her
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She altered the enyzme subtilisin E, which breaks down the protein casein, so it would work in the solvent dimethylformamide (DMF) instead of in the watery environment of a cell. She introduced many random mutations into the genetic code of bacteria that made subtilisin E, and she introduced her
Read More