The modern biotechnology industry has a demand for macromolecules that can function in extreme environments. One example is cold-adapted proteases, possessing advantages such as maintaining high catalytic efficiency at low temperature and low energy input during production and inactivation. Meanwhile, cold-adapted proteases are characterised by sustainability, environmental protection, and energy conservation; therefore, they hold significant economic and ecological value regarding resource utilisation and the global biogeochemical cycle. Recently, the development and application of cold-adapted proteases have gained gaining increasing attention; however, their applications potential has not yet been fully developed, which has seriously restricted the promotion and application of cold-adapted proteases in the industry. This article introduces the source, related enzymology characteristics, cold resistance mechanism, and the structure-function relationship of cold-adapted proteases in detail. This is in addition to discussing related biotechnologies to improve stability, emphasise application potential in clinical medical research, and the constraints of the further developing of cold-adapted proteases. This article provides a reference for future research and the development of cold-adapted proteases.
Keywords: cold-adapted proteases; green energy conservation; medical applications; stability.