Application notePDF
Microbial bioprocesses
Microbial bioprocessing harnesses the metabolic capabilities of microorganisms to produce valuable products or perform specific tasks. This technique is employed in life science research, food and beverage production, and agriculture and environmental management. By cultivating and manipulating bacteria, yeasts, or other microbes under controlled conditions, industries can generate pharmaceuticals, food additives, biofuels, and enzymes. Microbial bioprocessing also plays a role in waste treatment and bioremediation, offering solutions for environmental challenges.
Microbial bioprocesses
Microbial bioprocessing harnesses the metabolic capabilities of microorganisms to produce valuable products or perform specific tasks. This technique is employed in life science research, food and beverage production, and agriculture and environmental management. By cultivating and manipulating bacteria, yeasts, or other microbes under controlled conditions, industries can generate pharmaceuticals, food additives, biofuels, and enzymes. Microbial bioprocessing also plays a role in waste treatment and bioremediation, offering solutions for environmental challenges.
Exploring microbial bioprocessing applications
Microbial bioprocessing utilizes microorganisms' metabolic capabilities to produce compounds or perform tasks in life science research, food and beverage production, and agriculture and environmental management. This technique involves cultivating and manipulating microbes under controlled conditions.
In life science research, microbial bioprocessing aids in plasmid DNA production, which can be applied in genetic engineering and vaccine development. The food industry explores simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF), where certain microbes convert complex carbohydrates to simpler sugars while fermenting them, potentially offering process efficiencies in specific applications. Healthcare research investigates bacterial-based vaccines produced through bioprocessing, which may provide an additional avenue for vaccine development in some cases.
Microbial bioprocessing also contributes to waste treatment and bioremediation efforts, addressing specific environmental challenges. This approach continues to be studied and applied across various fields, influencing aspects of biotechnology, food production, and ecological practices.
Microbial bioprocess challenges
Inline SVG icon
Consistent scale-up
Transitioning microbial bioprocessing from laboratory to industrial scale presents challenges in maintaining process efficiency and product quality. Factors such as oxygen transfer, nutrient distribution, and heat dissipation can vary significantly between scales, potentially affecting plasmid DNA production, SSF processes, or vaccine manufacturing. Researchers and engineers work to develop strategies that ensure consistent performance across different production volumes.
Inline SVG icon
Precise monitoring and control
Effective microbial bioprocessing requires accurate monitoring and control of various parameters, including temperature, pH, oxygen levels, and nutrient concentrations. This is particularly crucial in applications like plasmid DNA production and bacterial-based vaccine manufacturing, where slight variations can impact product quality. Implementing robust sensor technologies and control systems is essential for maintaining optimal conditions throughout the bioprocess.
Inline SVG icon
Process reproducibility
Achieving consistent results across multiple batches is a key challenge in microbial bioprocessing. Variations in raw materials, microbial populations, or environmental conditions can lead to inconsistencies in product yield or quality. This is especially critical in applications such as SSF for food production or plasmid DNA synthesis, where batch-to-batch uniformity is crucial for regulatory compliance and product efficacy.
Inline SVG icon
Consistent scale-up
Transitioning microbial bioprocessing from laboratory to industrial scale presents challenges in maintaining process efficiency and product quality. Factors such as oxygen transfer, nutrient distribution, and heat dissipation can vary significantly between scales, potentially affecting plasmid DNA production, SSF processes, or vaccine manufacturing. Researchers and engineers work to develop strategies that ensure consistent performance across different production volumes.
Inline SVG icon
Precise monitoring and control
Effective microbial bioprocessing requires accurate monitoring and control of various parameters, including temperature, pH, oxygen levels, and nutrient concentrations. This is particularly crucial in applications like plasmid DNA production and bacterial-based vaccine manufacturing, where slight variations can impact product quality. Implementing robust sensor technologies and control systems is essential for maintaining optimal conditions throughout the bioprocess.
Inline SVG icon
Process reproducibility
Achieving consistent results across multiple batches is a key challenge in microbial bioprocessing. Variations in raw materials, microbial populations, or environmental conditions can lead to inconsistencies in product yield or quality. This is especially critical in applications such as SSF for food production or plasmid DNA synthesis, where batch-to-batch uniformity is crucial for regulatory compliance and product efficacy.
Advanced microbial bioprocessing applications
Microbial bioprocessing addresses challenges in scientific and industrial domains. This approach is applied in plasmid DNA production, simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF), and bacterial-based vaccine development. These processes use microorganisms' metabolic capabilities to produce genetic material, convert complex carbohydrates, and create vaccine components. Such applications contribute to ongoing work in biotechnology, healthcare research, food production, and environmental and agricultural management.
Plasmid DNA production
Microbial bioprocessing enables the production of plasmid DNA, essential for genetic engineering and some vaccine development processes. This technique involves cultivating bacteria, typically E. coli, under controlled conditions to replicate and express specific DNA sequences. The process requires careful optimization of growth conditions, nutrient supply, and extraction methods to ensure high yield and purity of the plasmid DNA. This application supports various biotechnology and pharmaceutical research efforts.
Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF)
SSF is a bioprocessing technique that combines the breakdown of complex carbohydrates into simple sugars (saccharification) with the fermentation of these sugars in a single step. This process, often using engineered microorganisms, can improve efficiency in biofuel production and food processing. SSF has applications in converting agricultural residues into valuable products, potentially reducing waste, and enhancing resource utilization in both food and environmental sectors.
Bacterial-based vaccines
This approach uses bioprocessing to produce vaccines using bacterial systems. Researchers engineer bacteria to produce specific antigens or immunogenic components. The process involves optimizing bacterial growth conditions, antigen expression, and purification methods. Bacterial-based vaccines offer potential advantages in production speed and scalability.
Plasmid DNA production
Microbial bioprocessing enables the production of plasmid DNA, essential for genetic engineering and some vaccine development processes. This technique involves cultivating bacteria, typically E. coli, under controlled conditions to replicate and express specific DNA sequences. The process requires careful optimization of growth conditions, nutrient supply, and extraction methods to ensure high yield and purity of the plasmid DNA. This application supports various biotechnology and pharmaceutical research efforts.
Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF)
SSF is a bioprocessing technique that combines the breakdown of complex carbohydrates into simple sugars (saccharification) with the fermentation of these sugars in a single step. This process, often using engineered microorganisms, can improve efficiency in biofuel production and food processing. SSF has applications in converting agricultural residues into valuable products, potentially reducing waste, and enhancing resource utilization in both food and environmental sectors.
Bacterial-based vaccines
This approach uses bioprocessing to produce vaccines using bacterial systems. Researchers engineer bacteria to produce specific antigens or immunogenic components. The process involves optimizing bacterial growth conditions, antigen expression, and purification methods. Bacterial-based vaccines offer potential advantages in production speed and scalability.
Related content
Scientific posterPDF
Application notePDF
White paperPDF
BrochurePDF
Related articles
See all05 Mar 2025•34 min read
Recombinant laccase biosynthesis for efficient polydopamine coating
In a study from the University of Aveiro, researchers leveraged the INFORS HT Minifors bench-top bioreactor to optimize recombinant laccase production in Komagataella phaffii. By fine-tuning cultivation conditions, they scaled laccase production and demonstrated its stability and effectiveness as a biocatalyst. Notably, this laccase was used to assist dopamine polymerization, achieving an innovative polydopamine coating on filter paper, an exciting advance in enzyme applications for material science.
05 Mar 2025•42 min read
Chemoorganotrophic electrofermentation by Cupriavidus necator using redox mediators
Researchers from the Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology at the University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen have made strides in chemoorganotrophic electrofermentation using Cupriavidus necator. By experimenting with different redox mediators, they identified ferricyanide as a key player in enhancing anodic respiration. With the INFORS HT Multitron providing precise environmental control, the team achieved remarkable current densities, offering a promising solution to the challenges of oxygen-driven fermentation systems.
05 Mar 2025•53 min read
Autotrophic adaptive laboratory evolution of the acetogen Clostridium autoethanogenum delivers the gas-fermenting strain LAbrini with superior growth, products, and robustness
Researchers at the University of Tartu, Institute of Bioengineering used adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) to evolve Clostridium autoethanogenum into a faster-growing, yeast extract-free strain named LAbrini. This strain demonstrates improved robustness and performance in continuous bioreactor cultures, offering new potential for sustainable production of renewable chemicals and fuels.
05 Mar 2025•34 min read
Recombinant laccase biosynthesis for efficient polydopamine coating
In a study from the University of Aveiro, researchers leveraged the INFORS HT Minifors bench-top bioreactor to optimize recombinant laccase production in Komagataella phaffii. By fine-tuning cultivation conditions, they scaled laccase production and demonstrated its stability and effectiveness as a biocatalyst. Notably, this laccase was used to assist dopamine polymerization, achieving an innovative polydopamine coating on filter paper, an exciting advance in enzyme applications for material science.
05 Mar 2025•42 min read
Chemoorganotrophic electrofermentation by Cupriavidus necator using redox mediators
Researchers from the Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology at the University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen have made strides in chemoorganotrophic electrofermentation using Cupriavidus necator. By experimenting with different redox mediators, they identified ferricyanide as a key player in enhancing anodic respiration. With the INFORS HT Multitron providing precise environmental control, the team achieved remarkable current densities, offering a promising solution to the challenges of oxygen-driven fermentation systems.
05 Mar 2025•53 min read
Autotrophic adaptive laboratory evolution of the acetogen Clostridium autoethanogenum delivers the gas-fermenting strain LAbrini with superior growth, products, and robustness
Researchers at the University of Tartu, Institute of Bioengineering used adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) to evolve Clostridium autoethanogenum into a faster-growing, yeast extract-free strain named LAbrini. This strain demonstrates improved robustness and performance in continuous bioreactor cultures, offering new potential for sustainable production of renewable chemicals and fuels.
Consult with our experts
Interested to learn how INFORS HT technologies could help optimize your microbial bioprocesses? Reach out to us today.