Enzymes—past, present, and future

The glorious history of the enzyme as a molecule is embedded in the contribution of eminent scientists and noble laureates that led to the development of enzymology as a distinct entity within Biochemistry. Although many noble laureates were from chemistry whose contribution to enzymology was of immense importance. The development of enzymology elucidated the nature of enzyme as a molecule and its common associated characteristic specificity and flexibility attempted to be explained by Koshland and Fischer, respectively. In the present scenario, enzymes are gaining industrial acceptance worldwide as an ecofriendly bioconversion tool, for the production of a wide variety of products and relevant processes. The future directions of enzymology research are directed toward resolutions in the molecule that is posing a hindrance in exhaustive usage of enzymes in the industrial sector. To make the industrial process totally free from chemical catalysts, the natural enzymes should be directed for rectification limitations viz. temperature and pH sensitivity, low catalytic rate, and denaturation. Enzyme engineering is looked upon in the future for an efficient tool for tailor-made catalytic molecules with robust speed and resistance toward industrial environment sensitivity.