Biopharmaceuticals

The regiospecific and stereospecific nature of enzymes, coupled to the possibility of genetic engineering, mean that microorganisms can be used to make significant quantities of proteins and metabolites for therapeutic use.  As more enzymes are studied with a view to industrial application, those from the extremophiles seem more attractive. Although bacteria growing at high temperature or extremes of pH are often easier to keep sterile on a large scale, protein yields are often low. Cloning into well studied prokaryotes such as E. coli or Bacillus subtilis allows much more controlled and efficient heterologous overexpression.