extremozyme

Putative name for the enzymes produced exclusively by extremophiles. A Good example is the S-layer protein produced by an archae that lives in temperatures up to 110 degrees centigrade (Heliobacter pylorii).

They are often used for industrial applications such as chemosynthesis or even such commonplace uses as washing powders (thus 'biological').

Have the strange virtue of often being easier to crystallise than normal proteins since they are pH or salt stable.

As a side note, easily the most well-known and common "extremozymes" are the high-temperature DNA-dependent DNA polymerases. These polymerases are purified from deep-sea vent/hot spring bacteria such as Thermus aquaticus and Pyrococcus furiosus, and function perfectly well (and do not quickly degrade) at temperatures over 100 ° C. These are used for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), as they eliminate the need for fresh polymerase to be added after every 94 ° C denaturing step. This allows automation of the reaction by a thermal cycler, without constant human intervention.