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Special Issue "Microbial Biotechnology Products for a Sustainable Bioeconomy"

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2023 | Viewed by 10904

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Diogo Neves Proença

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Guest Editor

Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: environmental microbiology; microbiomes; genomes; biobased products; biological control; taxonomy

Prof. Dr. Paula Maria Vasconcelos Morais

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Guest Editor

Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: environmental microbiology; microbiomes from anthropogenic impacted environments; bacteria metal resistance mechanisms; biotool design; taxonomy

Prof. Dr. Dirk Tischler

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Guest Editor

Microbial Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
Interests: microbial biotechnology; oxidoreductases; functional genomics; secondary metabolites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue on “Microbial Biotechnology Products for a Sustainable Bioeconomy” aims to promote the potential of microbial biotechnology products for a sustainable bioeconomy. The discovery of new products has been addressed by multidisciplinary teams, for example, combining knowledge on microbiology, biotechnology, and chemistry. Therefore, this Special issue should focus on screenings and characterization of new bio-based products, new microbial producers, and optimization of biotechnological processes by reducing production waste and cost, leading to more sustainable processes and enhancing the circular economy.

Known microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, yeasts, and microalgae that have been explored are comparatively few but with an incredible level of diversity available. They have been isolated from multienvironments such as soils, plants, water, humans, and animals, and several of their bio-based products aim to minimize the health and environmental risks. Understanding the metabolic pathways can help toward the design of microbial cell factories to produce novel biopolymers.

This issue will focus on the following areas:

i) Circular economy by finding new products, new biodegradable microbial polymers, new processes that can create value-added products from wastes or from other secondary metabolites, and by reducing the cost of the production;

ii) Sustainable agriculture through microbial products such as biopesticides and biofertilizers with low impact to human health and which potentiate the sustainability;

iii) Environmental remediation using microbes or their products as effective tools to reduce environmental contaminants;

iv) Emerging technologies through a combination of multi-omics potentiating and accelerating the discovery of new microbial products.

Dr. Diogo Neves Proença
Prof. Dr. Paula Maria Vasconcelos Morais
Prof. Dr. Dirk Tischler
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

microbial products
biotechnology
circular economy
sustainability
raw materials
bioeconomy
pest management

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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Open AccessArticle

Isolation and Characterization of a Biosurfactant Producing Strain Planococcus sp. XW-1 from the Cold Marine Environment

and

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(2), 782; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19020782 - 11 Jan 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1278

Abstract

One cold-adapted strain, named Planococcus sp. XW-1, was isolated from the Yellow Sea. The strain can produce biosurfactant with petroleum as sole source of carbon at low temperature (4 °C). The biosurfactant was identified as glycolipid-type biosurfactant species by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). It reduced the surface tension of water to 26.8 mN/m with a critical micelle concentration measurement of 60 mg/L. The produced biosurfactant possesses high surface activity at wide ranges of temperature (−18–105 °C), pH values (2–12), and salt concentrations (1–18%). The biosurfactant exhibited higher surface activity and higher growth rate of cells with hexadecane and diesel as carbon source. The strain Planococcus sp. XW-1 was also effective in degrading crude oil, after 21 days of growth at 4 °C in medium with 1% crude oil and 1% (v/v) bacteria broth, 54% of crude oil was degraded. The results suggest that Planococcus sp. XW-1 is a promising candidate for use in the bioremediation of petroleum-contaminated seawater in the Yellow Sea during winter. This study reported for the first time that Planococcus isolated from the Yellow Sea can produce biosurfactant using petroleum as the sole carbon source at low temperature (4 °C), showing its ecological role in the remediation of marine petroleum pollution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Biotechnology Products for a Sustainable Bioeconomy)

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Open AccessArticle

Influence of Amino Acid Feeding on Production of Calcimycin and Analogs in Streptomyces chartreusis

Kirstin I. Arend

and

Julia E. Bandow

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(16), 8740; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168740 - 19 Aug 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1534

Abstract

Streptomyces chartreusis NRRL 3882 produces the polyether ionophore calcimycin and a variety of analogs, which originate from the same biosynthetic gene cluster. The role of calcimycin and its analogs for the producer is unknown, but calcimycin has strong antibacterial activity. Feeding experiments were performed in chemically defined medium systematically supplemented with proteinogenic amino acids to analyze their individual effects on calcimycin synthesis. In the culture supernatants, in addition to known calcimycin analogs, eight so far unknown analogs were detected using LC-MS/MS. Under most conditions cezomycin was the compound produced in highest amounts. The highest production of calcimycin was detected upon feeding with glutamine. Supplementation of the medium with glutamic acid resulted in a decrease in calcimycin production, and supplementation of other amino acids such as tryptophan, lysine, and valine resulted in the decrease in the synthesis of calcimycin and of the known intermediates of the biosynthetic pathway. We demonstrated that the production of calcimycin and its analogs is strongly dependent on amino acid supply. Utilization of amino acids as precursors and as nitrogen sources seem to critically influence calcimycin synthesis. Even amino acids not serving as direct precursors resulted in a different product profile regarding the stoichiometry of calcimycin analogs. Only slight changes in cultivation conditions can lead to major changes in the metabolic output, which highlights the hidden potential of biosynthetic gene clusters. We emphasize the need to further study the extent of this potential to understand the ecological role of metabolite diversity originating from single biosynthetic gene clusters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Biotechnology Products for a Sustainable Bioeconomy)

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Open AccessArticle

Biodecolourisation of Reactive Red 120 as a Sole Carbon Source by a Bacterial Consortium—Toxicity Assessment and Statistical Optimisation

Mohd Izuan Effendi Halmi

and

Mohd Yunus Abd Shukor

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(5), 2424; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052424 - 02 Mar 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1464

Abstract

The application of microorganisms in azo dye remediation has gained significant attention, leading to various published studies reporting different methods for obtaining the best dye decolouriser. This paper investigates and compares the role of methods and media used in obtaining a bacterial consortium capable of decolourising azo dye as the sole carbon source, which is extremely rare to find. It was demonstrated that a prolonged acclimation under low substrate availability successfully isolated a novel consortium capable of utilising Reactive Red 120 dye as a sole carbon source in aerobic conditions. This consortium, known as JR3, consists of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain MM01, Enterobacter sp. strain MM05 and Serratia marcescens strain MM06. Decolourised metabolites of consortium JR3 showed an improvement in mung bean’s seed germination and shoot and root length. One-factor-at-time optimisation characterisation showed maximal of 82.9% decolourisation at 0.7 g/L ammonium sulphate, pH 8, 35 °C, and RR120 concentrations of 200 ppm. Decolourisation modelling utilising response surface methodology (RSM) successfully improved decolourisation even more. RSM resulted in maximal decolourisation of 92.79% using 0.645 g/L ammonium sulphate, pH 8.29, 34.5 °C and 200 ppm RR120. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Biotechnology Products for a Sustainable Bioeconomy)

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Review

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Open AccessReview

The Role of Bacterial Polyhydroalkanoate (PHA) in a Sustainable Future: A Review on the Biological Diversity

Diogo Vicente

Diogo Neves Proença

and

Paula V. Morais

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 2959; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20042959 - 08 Feb 2023

Viewed by 645

Abstract

Environmental challenges related to the mismanagement of plastic waste became even more evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. The need for new solutions regarding the use of plastics came to the forefront again. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) have demonstrated their ability to replace conventional plastics, especially in packaging. Its biodegradability and biocompatibility makes this material a sustainable solution. The cost of PHA production and some weak physical properties compared to synthetic polymers remain as the main barriers to its implementation in the industry. The scientific community has been trying to solve these disadvantages associated with PHA. This review seeks to frame the role of PHA and bioplastics as substitutes for conventional plastics for a more sustainable future. It is focused on the bacterial production of PHA, highlighting the current limitations of the production process and, consequently, its implementation in the industry, as well as reviewing the alternatives to turn the production of bioplastics into a sustainable and circular economy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Biotechnology Products for a Sustainable Bioeconomy)

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Open AccessReview

Microbial Degradation of Azo Dyes: Approaches and Prospects for a Hazard-Free Conversion by Microorganisms

Anna Christina R. Ngo

and

Dirk Tischler

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(8), 4740; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19084740 - 14 Apr 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2172

Abstract

Azo dyes have become a staple in various industries, as colors play an important role in consumer choices. However, these dyes pose various health and environmental risks. Although different wastewater treatments are available, the search for more eco-friendly options persists. Bioremediation utilizing microorganisms has been of great interest to researchers and industries, as the transition toward greener solutions has become more in demand through the years. This review tackles the health and environmental repercussions of azo dyes and its metabolites, available biological approaches to eliminate such dyes from the environment with a focus on the use of different microorganisms, enzymes that are involved in the degradation of azo dyes, and recent trends that could be applied for the treatment of azo dyes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Biotechnology Products for a Sustainable Bioeconomy)

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Open AccessReview

Microbiological Reduction of Molybdenum to Molybdenum Blue as a Sustainable Remediation Tool for Molybdenum: A Comprehensive Review

Hafeez Muhammad Yakasai

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(11), 5731; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18115731 - 27 May 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2274

Abstract

Molybdenum (Mo) microbial bioreduction is a phenomenon that is beginning to be recognized globally as a tool for the remediation of molybdenum toxicity. Molybdenum toxicity continues to be demonstrated in many animal models of spermatogenesis and oogenesis, particularly those of ruminants. The phenomenon has been reported for more than 100 years without a clear understanding of the reduction mechanism, indicating a clear gap in the scientific knowledge. This knowledge is not just fundamentally important—it is specifically important in applications for bioremediation measures and the sustainable recovery of metal from industrial or mine effluent. To date, about 52 molybdenum-reducing bacteria have been isolated globally. An increasing number of reports have also been published regarding the assimilation of other xenobiotics. This phenomenon is likely to be observed in current and future events in which the remediation of xenobiotics requires microorganisms capable of degrading or transforming multi-xenobiotics. This review aimed to comprehensively catalogue all of the characterizations of molybdenum-reducing microorganisms to date and identify future opportunities and improvements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Biotechnology Products for a Sustainable Bioeconomy)

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