Recent advances in microbial glutaminase production and applications—a concise review

Abstract

This article focuses on significant advances in the production and applications of microbial glutaminases and provides insight into the structures of different glutaminases. Glutaminases catalyze the deamidation of glutamine to glutamic acid, and this unique ability forms the basis of their applications in various industries such as pharmaceutical and food organizations. Microbial glutaminases from bacteria, actinomycetes, yeast, and fungi are of greater significance than animal glutaminases because of their stability, affordability, and ease of production. Owing to these notable benefits, they are considered to possess considerable potential in anticancer and antiviral therapy, flavor enhancers in oriental foods, biosensors and in the production of a nutraceutical theanine. This review also aims to fully explore the potential of microbial glutaminases and to set the pace for future prospects.

Keywords:

• Glutaminase
• amidohydrolases
• antioxidants
• antibacterial
• antitumor
• umami

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr Peter Biely, Slovak Academy of Sciences, and Prof. Ashok Pandey, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, for critically reviewing the article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of South Africa under grant numbers [UID 105447 and UID 114227].