Industrial Biotechnology (industrial + biotechnology)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Industrial biotechnology: Tools and applications

BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL, Issue 12 2009
Weng Lin Tang
Abstract Industrial biotechnology involves the use of enzymes and microorganisms to produce value-added chemicals from renewable sources. Because of its association with reduced energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste generation, industrial biotechnology is a rapidly growing field. Here we highlight a variety of important tools for industrial biotechnology, including protein engineering, metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, systems biology, and downstream processing. In addition, we show how these tools have been successfully applied in several case studies, including the production of 1, 3-propanediol, lactic acid, and biofuels. It is expected that industrial biotechnology will be increasingly adopted by chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and agricultural industries. [source]


Microbial metagenomes: moving forward industrial biotechnology

JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 5 2007
Manuel Ferrer
Abstract Biotechnology, in terms of exploitation of catalytic activities for industrial applications, is increasingly recognized as one of the pillars of the knowledge-based economy that we are heading for. Comprehensive knowledge of enzymology should be of practical importance for effective intervention on whole cell processes and enzymatic networks. Over the last decade metagenome-based technologies have been developed to take us farther and deeper into the enzyme universe from uncultivable microbes. This sophisticated platform, which identifies new enzymes from vast genetic pools available, and assesses their potential for novel chemical applications, should be increasingly important in the discovery of advanced biotechnological resources. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry [source]


Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the fructofuranosidase from Schwanniomyces occidentalis

ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION F (ELECTRONIC), Issue 11 2009
Aitana Polo
Schwanniomyces occidentalis invertase is an extracellular enzyme that releases ,-fructose from the nonreducing termini of various ,- d -fructofuranoside substrates. Its ability to produce 6-kestose by transglycosylation makes this enzyme an interesting research target for applications in industrial biotechnology. The enzyme has been expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Recombinant and wild-type forms, which showed different glycosylation patterns, were crystallized by vapour-diffusion methods. Although crystallization trials were conducted on both forms of the protein, crystals suitable for X-ray crystallographic analyses were only obtained from the wild-type enzyme. The crystals belonged to space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 105.78, b = 119.49, c = 137.68,Å. A diffraction data set was collected using a synchrotron source. Self-rotation function and sedimentation-velocity experiments suggested that the enzyme was dimeric with twofold symmetry. [source]


Die Geschichte der Kolibakterien.

BIOLOGIE IN UNSERER ZEIT (BIUZ), Issue 3 2010
Vom Darmbewohner zum Bioreaktor
Abstract Das von Theodor Escherich vor 125 Jahren entdeckte E. coli -Bakterium hat wie kein anderes die Entwicklung der molekularbiologischen Forschung und der medizinischen und industriellen Biotechnologie beeinflusst. Vor allem die Eigenschaften des K12-Stammes im Hinblick auf Apathogenität, Kultivierbarkeit und Transformierbarkeit haben E. coli zum "Haustier" der Genetiker und Molekularbiologen gemacht. Die Leichtigkeit, mit der gentechnisch veränderte E. coli hergestellt werden können, ließen dieses Bakterium zum beliebten Produktionsorganismus in der modernen Biotechnologie zur Erzeugung von Medikamenten und Feinchemikalien werden. Als physiologischer Darmbewohner von Menschen und Tieren wird E. coli als Indikatororganismus für fäkale Verunreinigungen von Grund- und Trinkwasser verwendet. Neben seiner mikroökologischen Rolle im Magen-Darm-Trakt kommt ihm in Form von pathogenen Stämmen auch eine Bedeutung als Erreger von Durchfallerkrankungen zu. The history of colibacteria The E. coli bacterium discovered by Theodor Escherich 125 years ago has influenced the development of molecular-biological research and medicinal and industrial biotechnology like no other bacterium. In particular, the characteristics of the K12-strain with respect to apathogenicity, culturability and transformability made E. coli the "workhorse" of geneticists and molecular biologists. The easiness with which genetically modified E. coli can be made let this bacterium become a popular production organism of modern biotechnology for the making of drugs and fine chemicals. As a physiological inhabitant of the intestine of humans and animals, E. coli is used as an indicator organism of faecal pollution of ground and drinking water. Alongside its micro-ecological role in the gastrointestinal tract, the E. coli bacterium, in terms of pathogenic strains, also has significance as a causative agent of diarrhoeal diseases. [source]


Industrial biotechnology: Tools and applications

BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL, Issue 12 2009
Weng Lin Tang
Abstract Industrial biotechnology involves the use of enzymes and microorganisms to produce value-added chemicals from renewable sources. Because of its association with reduced energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste generation, industrial biotechnology is a rapidly growing field. Here we highlight a variety of important tools for industrial biotechnology, including protein engineering, metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, systems biology, and downstream processing. In addition, we show how these tools have been successfully applied in several case studies, including the production of 1, 3-propanediol, lactic acid, and biofuels. It is expected that industrial biotechnology will be increasingly adopted by chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and agricultural industries. [source]


Future societal issues in industrial biotechnology

BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL, Issue 9 2007
Daan Schuurbiers
Abstract Three international stakeholder meetings were organized by the Netherlands-based "Kluyver Center for Genomics of Industrial Fermentation" with the objective to identify the future societal issues in the field of industrial biotechnology and to develop a coordinated strategy for public dialogue. The meetings resulted in five unanimous recommendations: (i) that science, industry and the European Commission in conjunction with other stakeholders create a comprehensive roadmap towards a bio-based economy; (ii) that the European Commission initiate a series of round-table meetings to further articulate the views, interests and responsibilities of the relevant stakeholders and to define policy; (iii) that the development of new innovative communication activities is stimulated to increase public engagement and to discuss the ways that we do or do not want technologies to shape our common future; (iv) that further social studies are undertaken on public attitudes and behaviors to the bio-based economy and that novel methods are developed to assess public views of future technological developments; and (v) that the concept of sustainability is further operationalized and taken as a core value driving research and development and policy making. [source]


Energielösungen für die Zukunft?

CHEMIE IN UNSERER ZEIT (CHIUZ), Issue 2 2007
Weiße Biotechnologie
Abstract Angesichts hoher Ölpreise und der sich abzeichnenden globalen Klimaveränderungen erscheinen biotechnisch hergestellte Energieträger als vielversprechende Zukunftsoption. Mit seinen Jahresproduktionsmengen von 2 Mio t Biodiesel, 560.000 t Bioethanol und seinen 2.700 Biogasanlagen befindet sich Deutschland in Sachen Bioenergie in der vorderen Hälfte der Industrienationen. Vorgestellt werden die Möglichkeiten, die die weiße Biotechnologie zur Herstellung von Energieträgern bietet. In view of the high price of oil and the emerging global climate changes, biotechnologically produced energy sources appear to be a promising option for the future. Of the industrial nations, Germany with annual production figures of 2 m tons of biodiesel, 560,000 tons of bioethanol and some 2,700 biogas plants is in the upper half of the bioenergy rankings. Here, the potential of industrial biotechnology for energy production is presented in detail. [source]


SusChem Reaction & Process Design,Sustainable and Competitive Chemical Production in Europe

CHEMSUSCHEM CHEMISTRY AND SUSTAINABILITY, ENERGY & MATERIALS, Issue 8-9 2008
Alexis Bazzanella Dr.
Sustainability in action: The European Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry (SusChem) has become a significant focus for the chemical, chemical engineering and biotechnology community across Europe. Its three key technology areas, namely materials technology, industrial biotechnology and reaction & process design, are discussed in more detail in this series of Viewpoints. [source]