Advances in Enzymatic Biotechnology and Biological Systems for Sustainable Bioeconomy

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Biological Processes and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2027 | Viewed by 2570

Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
São Carlos Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, Campus 2, Avenida Joo Dagnone, 1100, Jardim Santa Angelina, São Carlos 13563-120, Brazil
Interests: structural biology; molecular biotechnology; protein crystallography; SAXS; lignocellulosic biomass; enzymatic hydrolysis; second-generation bioethanol; prebiofics; microbial biofilms
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa (UNISA), Johannesburg 1709, South Africa
Interests: biogas; bioenergy; renewable energy; green technologies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
Interests: biocatalysis; biofuels and biomass utilization; enzymology; lifestyle diseases; phytochemicals; prebiotics and gut health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Progress in enzymatic biotechnology and biological systems is crucial for building a sustainable and renewable bioeconomy. This Special Issue aims to cover advances in enzymatic biotechnology and biological systems, seeking papers on a variety of topics, including (but not limited to) the following:

- Progress in enzymatic processes;

- Plant biomass valorization;

- Enzymatic catalysis;

- Enzyme engineering;

- Elicitors and Prebiotics;

- Green nanotechnology and its application in agriculture, health and well-being.

Moreover, we welcome papers that explore the development of technology for microbial biofilm enzymatic degradation and microbial fermentation.

Prof. Dr. Igor Polikarpov
Dr. Tonderayi Matambo
Dr. Samkelo Malgas
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Processes 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 2400 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

  • biotechnology
  • enzymes
  • plant biomass valorization
  • prebiotics
  • microbial biofilms
  • elicitors
  • bioinspired nanotechnology

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

12 pages, 1164 KB  
Article
Effects of Increasing Microbial Fertilizers on Phenolic Acids in Fritillaria taipaiensis P. Y. Li Soil
by Wenwu Yang, Mei Huang, Dan Wang, Huanyu Wang, Yan Wu, Nong Zhou, Rui Yan, Li Wan, Shixin He and Qiangsheng Wu
Processes 2026, 14(7), 1037; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14071037 - 24 Mar 2026
Viewed by 400
Abstract
To investigate the effect of microbial fertilizers on phenolic acids in the cultivation soil of Fritillaria taipaiensis P. Y. Li, a quantitative approach utilizing ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography was applied to assess the phenolic acid levels in both rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils of F. [...] Read more.
To investigate the effect of microbial fertilizers on phenolic acids in the cultivation soil of Fritillaria taipaiensis P. Y. Li, a quantitative approach utilizing ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography was applied to assess the phenolic acid levels in both rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils of F. taipaiensis P. Y. Li under five different microbial fertilizer regimes. Detection of six key phenolic acids (p-hydroxybenzoic, p-coumaric, vanillic, syringic, chlorogenic, and ferulic) was consistent in all soil samples, regardless of rhizosphere status or inoculation treatment. Among these, chlorogenic acid had the highest content in both rhizosphere (17.651 μg/g, accounting for 55.51%) and non-rhizosphere (25.975 μg/g, accounting for 42.38%) soils, while vanillic acid (0.903 μg/g, accounting for 8.27% in rhizosphere soil) and p-hydroxybenzoic acid (0.086 μg/g, accounting for 1.34% in non-rhizosphere soil) were the lowest in their respective soils. Whereas the control (CK) showed higher levels, inoculation with Claroideoglomus claroideum resulted in a marked decrease in all six phenolic acids within the F. taipaiensis soil. In contrast, the other treatment groups exhibited higher overall phenolic acid content than CK. Correlation analysis indicated a subset of significant positive correlations among phenolic acids in the non-rhizosphere soil; by contrast, their intercorrelations within the rhizosphere soil were universally positive and significant. The phenolic acid content in F. taipaiensis soil was significantly altered by the application of different microbial fertilizers. Among them, C. claroideum was the most effective in reducing phenolic acid accumulation. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 2208 KB  
Article
Dye Photocatalytic Degradation and Water Treatment Using Biosynthetic ZnO Nanoparticles Produced Using Annatto Tree Leaf Extract
by Aparecido de J. Bernardo, Andrei N. G. Dabul, Moudo Thiam, Vanessa O. A. Pellegrini, Mariana A. Silva, Sreedevi Vallabhapurapu, Sachin Desarada, Vijaya Srinivasu Vallabhapurapu, Carla R. Fontana and Igor Polikarpov
Processes 2026, 14(3), 459; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14030459 - 28 Jan 2026
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1763
Abstract
The biosynthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using plant extracts offers several important advantages, including low residue generation, reduced costs, and potentially faster production as compared to traditional chemical methods. In this study, for the first time, ZnO NPs were biosynthesized using [...] Read more.
The biosynthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using plant extracts offers several important advantages, including low residue generation, reduced costs, and potentially faster production as compared to traditional chemical methods. In this study, for the first time, ZnO NPs were biosynthesized using an annatto plant (Bixa orellana) leaf extract and characterized using a range of analytical techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies, thermogravimetric analysis, and point of zero charge measurements, thus ensuring a comprehensive elucidation of their physicochemical properties. Subsequently, photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) dye using the biosynthesized ZnO NPs was successfully demonstrated. The photodegradation studies showed that the ZnO NPs were capable of decomposing over 95% of MB after 110 min of UV irradiation. In addition, the potential application of ZnO NPs for water disinfection was evaluated by assessing their ability to eliminate microbial pathogens. Furthermore, cell-free singlet oxygen and intracellular ROS detection assays were performed to investigate the NP antibacterial molecular mechanisms. Overall, our results reveal that the ZnO NPs exhibit excellent potential for photodegradation applications and may contribute to the development of more effective and sustainable solutions for water treatment and quality control. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

32 pages, 2043 KB  
Review
Myceliophthora thermophila as a Biotechnological Platform for Cellulase Production and Lignocellulose Valorization
by Julia Ortega, Martha I. Vélez-Mercado, Gabriela Martínez-Machado, Lizbeth A. Ibarra-Muñoz, Gabriela L. Berto and Fernando Segato
Processes 2026, 14(17), 2682; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14172682 (registering DOI) - 22 Aug 2026
Abstract
Lignocellulosic biomass deconstruction requires robust biocatalysts capable of operating under demanding industrial conditions. The thermophilic fungus Myceliophthorathermophila is a promising biotechnological platform for cellulase production and lignocellulose valorization because of its naturally thermostable CAZyme repertoire. Extensive knowledge has accumulated across diverse research [...] Read more.
Lignocellulosic biomass deconstruction requires robust biocatalysts capable of operating under demanding industrial conditions. The thermophilic fungus Myceliophthorathermophila is a promising biotechnological platform for cellulase production and lignocellulose valorization because of its naturally thermostable CAZyme repertoire. Extensive knowledge has accumulated across diverse research fields, alongside its taxonomic reclassification as Thermothelomyces thermophila, emphasizing the need to integrate findings across research contexts. This review synthesizes knowledge generated using publicly available M. thermophila strains, retaining the historically prevalent name M. thermophila to facilitate cross-disciplinary comparison. Emphasis is placed on the C1 strain, whose longstanding use as a production platform provides a foundation for current advances in strain engineering and protein production. We provide a genetics-focused perspective on this biotechnological platform, integrating advances in genetic engineering, transcriptional regulation, and protein production. We discuss CRISPR systems applied to M. thermophila, strategies to improve protein production through extracellular protease elimination, optimization of secretion and unfolded protein response pathways, carrier proteins, and synthetic expression systems. We further summarize the transcriptional regulation of cellulase expression, the repertoire of characterized thermostable cellulases, and opportunities for protein engineering. Collectively, these advances position M. thermophila as a versatile biotechnological platform for producing industrial enzymes and other value-added bioproducts for biorefinery applications. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop