Advances in Biotechnology and Application of Microbial Surfactants

Dear Colleagues,

Biotechnology is a rapidly evolving field that has a significant impact on various industries. The application of microbial surfactants is one of the most promising areas in this field. These biocompatible and eco-friendly compounds show great potential for applications in fields such as agriculture, healthcare and environmental remediation.

Our proposal in this Special Issue is to extract biosurfactants based on the pattern of production and modification of amphotericin B and analogues, as well as truncated polyketide intermediates produced by genetic engineering in Streptomyces nodosus. Amphotericin B and similar antibiotics also work as biosurfactants, as they have been investigated from an amphiphilic molecule viewpoint, along with acting as a powerful but toxic drug used against fungal infections and leishmaniases.  On a large scale, molecules and intermediates can be produced at a low cost by genetic modifications that have produced amphotericin B from Streptomyces nodosus. We propose improved methods for the manufacture and purification of such molecules (surfactants) with complete chemical analysis.  The new bacterial mutants will produce biological surface active agents for commercial and research purposes. Hamycin, another polyene antifungal antibiotic (also a biosurfactant) belonging to the group of heptaene polyantibiotics, is produced by Streptomyces pimprina, an actinomycete isolated from soil. The genetic modification of these bacteria has not been conducted so far, which offers an opportunity for researchers in this Special Issue. Potential oleaginous microorganisms that produce omega-3 fatty acid-based surfactants that are useful in many food and pharmaceutical industries will also be covered in this issue. Some of the microorganisms can produce up to 50% of the required lipids.

This Special Issue aims to introduce the latest advances in biotechnology and the application of microbial bio-surfactants, we welcome contributions from scholars in the field.

Dr. Yasushi Yamamoto
Guest Editor

Dr. Zameer Shervani
Guest Editor Assistant

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