ABSTRACT
Anthropogenic CO2 emissions have increased enormously post–Industrial Revolution, which has led to an unprecedented rise in the global earth’s surface temperature. This has severely affected living beings on earth. Carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) can be an effective solution that converts and stores carbon dioxide in stable and usable forms. Carbon sequestration by physical and geological approaches has certain disadvantages. High cost and risk of leakage are some of the chief concerns. Biological sequestration is an effective alternative for the capture and use of atmospheric CO2. In this regard, the utilization of nature’s own catalyst, carbonic anhydrase (CA), for CO2 sequestration purposes has attracted attention in recent years. Due to the high temperature of the flue gas emitted from coal-based thermal plants, the applicability of this enzyme for CO2 sequestration is often considered to be restricted. Extremoenzymes from extremophilic microbes and those evolved from the existing CAs by site-directed mutagenesis and directed evolution could be useful in biomimetic carbon sequestration. This chapter reviews developments in extremophilic microbial CAs and their characteristics and applicability in carbon sequestration.
