Biocatalysis in Agricultural Biotechnology

Abstract

There is a strong dependence of advances in enzymology on agriculture, based on both historical and present data. Discovery of enzymes and elucidation of many of their properties were by agricultural chemists. The earliest enzymes studied were primarily from agriculturally important animals, plants and microorganisms, with substantial levels of enzymes and ready availability of raw material. The rapidly developing broad field of biochemical engineering/biotechnology, and its tremendous promise for the future, have brought basic and applied scientists together in private venture companies, at universities, and in government and industrial laboratories. Knowledge of enzymes and their utilization for the betterment of humans is literally exploding. This chapter provides a brief history of the contributions of enzymology to agricultural biotechnology, present state of applications of enzymology and a look at some future directions where enzymology can contribute.