Cyanobacterial enzyme
expression of enantioselective enzymes
is a sustainable
source of biocatalysts for the chemical industry.
Bartsch et al.
Microbial Cell Factories 2015 14:53
doi:10.1186/s12934-015-0233-5
Cyanobacteria can manufacture biocatalysts for the industry
Sustainable production: photosynthesis as energy source
(August 6, 2015) Using
photosynthetically active microorganisms, researchers at the Ruhr-Universität
Bochum (RUB) have succeeded in manufacturing several biocatalysts suitable for
industrial application: a crucial step towards sustainable chemical processes,
according to Dr Marc Nowaczyk from the Chair for Plant Biochemistry and
Jun.-Prof Dr Robert Kourist, Junior Research Group Microbial Biochemistry.
Sustainable
manufacture of enzymes for the industry
Seeing as our planet's fossil resources are limited,
researchers are looking for new methods for the production of certain
substances, which are not dependent on mineral oil. Photoautotrophic organisms,
which gain their energy from light, could be a key to success. The preparation
of enzymes allows industrial applications as detergents and for the manufacture
of food The only source materials that organisms such as cyanobacteria require
for enzyme synthesis are light, water, nutrient salts and CO2. Complex carbon
sources such as sugar are not needed, making the approach a sustainable and
renewable alternative to the use of agricultural products for cultivation. The
researchers from RUB are attempting to develop such "green cell
factories".
Bartsch et al.
Microbial Cell Factories 2015 14:53
doi:10.1186/s12934-015-0233-5
Feasibility study
successful: cyanobacteria compatible with enzyme production
Using cyanobacteria, the researchers from Bochum
manufactured enzymes which, in turn, can be used for producing valuable
pharmaceutical substances. For this purpose, they planted genes for enzyme
synthesis into the microorganisms. "A particularly important observation
was that cell components of cyanobacteria do not interfere with the catalytic
activity," Robert Kourist sums up the results of the study. "Using
photosynthesis for the production of industrial enzymes from carbon dioxide and
water is a novel and environmentally friendly approach."
Process generates
pure products
Many catalytic processes result in not only the desired
product, but also in a number of by-products, which have to be painstakingly
filtered out. Chemical reactions often generate two substances whose chemical
structures behave like image and mirror image, so called enantiomers. Using the
cyanobacterial, the Bochum researchers have succeeded in generating primarily
one structure – an important requirement for pharmaceutical application. They
published the results in the journal "Microbial Cell Factories".