Microbial Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Synthetic Biology and Systems Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 1304

Special Issue Editors

School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Interests: food microbiology; mycoproteins; synthetic biology; microbial manufacturing; plant natural products

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Guest Editor
Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
Interests: synthetic biology; bulk chemicals; biopolymers; metabolic engineering

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Guest Editor
Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, China
Interests: synthetic biology; edible fungi; fungal biology; secondary metabolites

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

The global society and economy are facing formidable challenges as climate change, environmental crises, and energy-resource shortages trigger profound transformations in the world’s industrial landscape. Microbial biomanufacturing is poised to revolutionize global industrial paradigms across the chemical, pharmaceutical, and food sectors, thereby ushering in a new epoch of sustainable economic growth, characterized by its environmentally friendly nature, high efficiency, and renewable capabilities.

This Special Issue will focus on microbial biotechnology and biomanufacturing for industrial microorganisms, exploring cutting-edge synthetic biology tools as well as sustainable biomanufacturing processes for future foods, pharmaceutical chemicals, bulk chemicals, high-value-added plant natural products, and so on.

Submissions including original research articles, reviews, perspectives, and short communications are welcome.

Dr. Sheng Tong
Dr. Dexin Wang
Dr. Guirong Tang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • synthetic biology tools
  • microbial biomanufacturing
  • future foods
  • bulk chemicals
  • plant natural products

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

15 pages, 1102 KB  
Review
A Paradigm Shift in Microbial Protein Manufacturing
by Xinyu Zhuo, Yanzi Xie, Jiali Yu, Wandi Xue, Yijie Weng and Sheng Tong
Life 2026, 16(1), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/life16010129 - 14 Jan 2026
Viewed by 921
Abstract
Against the backdrop of the global protein crisis and the textural limitations of alternative proteins, microorganisms are increasingly recognized as versatile structural materials to address these challenges. This review systematically analyzes three key microbial strategies: employing mycelial solid-state fermentation to engineer fibrous meat [...] Read more.
Against the backdrop of the global protein crisis and the textural limitations of alternative proteins, microorganisms are increasingly recognized as versatile structural materials to address these challenges. This review systematically analyzes three key microbial strategies: employing mycelial solid-state fermentation to engineer fibrous meat analogues; utilizing bacterial cellulose scaffolds to enhance the texture of both cultured meat and plant-based products; and applying synthetic biology to design tailored functional proteins. Existing studies confirm that mycelial fermentation significantly improves product texture and production sustainability. In parallel, bacterial cellulose provides highly biocompatible nanoscaffolds, while synthetic biology enables the efficient production and nutritional enhancement of complex animal proteins. Although challenges in scaling production and optimizing flavor persist, advanced bioprocess optimization and genetic engineering offer promising solutions. Future breakthroughs are expected to transition from structural mimicry to true functional creation, establish decentralized production networks, and advance dynamic 4D-printed foods, which will collectively contribute to a more sustainable and resilient global food system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing)
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