Application of Enzymes in Bioengineering

Dear Colleagues,

The application of enzymes in several bioengineering processes can positively impact the development of sustainability in several industrial sectors. In fact, enzymes are already present in the manufacturing of foods, cosmetics, drugs, fertilizers, biostimulants, and biofuels, among other products. Also, the catalytic action of enzymes is important in environmental processes, particularly in the bioremediation of effluents and in the recycling of biological wastes and byproducts. In this sense, enzyme utilization in bioengineering can boost the sustainability of industrial processes due to their high efficiency and specificity in producing desired reaction products. Moreover, their ability to operate under both mild and harsh conditions with non-toxic compounds underscores their environmentally friendly nature.

Microbial enzymes remain the most utilized in industrial bioprocess; however, the exploitation of underutilized biomass—such as fishery and agro-industrial wastes, and even unexplored native vegetal species—is emerging as a promising source for producing enzymes with diverse potential applications. In addition, microbial enzymes extracted from non-conventional sources can be subjected to immobilization, offering several advantages, with the primary one being the increase in structural stability, which allows for longer operational lifetimes under harsh conditions (e.g., elevated temperatures, extreme pH values, etc.). In addition, immobilized biocatalysts can be recovered or recycled easily when compared to their free forms.

This Special Issue will be dedicated to new perspectives in the extraction, stabilization (e.g., via encapsulation or immobilization) and application in bioengineering processes of enzymes obtained from microbial sources, fishery and agro-industrial wastes, as well as other non-conventional sources.

This Special Issue will focus on the impact of enzymes in bioprocesses, focusing on the development of novel biocatalytic systems, as a sustainable approach to developing bioengineering advances.

Prof. Dr. Emmanuel Martínez-Montaño
Prof. Dr. Jesús Salazar-Leyva
Guest Editors

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