Current Biotechnology - Volume 6, Issue 3, 2017

BACKGROUND: Chitin is one of the world’s most abundant biopolymers, but in contrast to cellulose its potential has so far been fairly underrated. Compared to cellulose, chitin features an additional amino-group on the hexose sugar ring that renders it a promising substrate for functional biopolymers in biomedical applications as well as biochemical synthesis of specialty and fine chemicals. Fungi with specialized life styles, Read More

Background: Plant natural products (PNPs) play a key role in human health and life quality through the treatment of diseases and as supplements in the food and healthcare industry. These high-value metabolites are traditionally extracted from the natural resource, but ongoing research is exploring the possibilities to construct efficient microbial cell factories that can replace current production methods. Objective: This revi Read More

Background: Fungi are key organisms in the biotechnological production of a plethora of products relevant for mankind. Recently several new products from fungi have entered the markets, including biosurfactants. Biosurfactants are microbial produced surface active compounds with emulsifying properties which proved to be an interesting alternative to petrochemically or palm oil derived surfactants. Methods: We hav Read More

Background: Itaconic acid is a C5 dicaboxylic acid that can serve as a building block to be used in industry to synthesize polymers that are currently based on petroleum-based components. Methods: An overview of the recent literature on microbial itaconic acid production is given in this minireview. The biosynthetic pathways as they are known in Aspergillus terreus and Ustilago maydis are described. Major advances hav Read More

Background: Marine-derived fungi are an underexploited source of lipids for health and nutrition. Little is known about the impact of sugar type on the lipid diversity produced by a marine-derived fungi. Objective: Traditionally glucose is used as the main sugar source for fungal growth. Thus, this study aimed to reveal the glycolipid alteration induced by glucose replacement by galactose. Methods: The marine-derived Acremonium Read More

Background: Glucose oxidase (GoxA) catalyzes the reaction from β-D-glucose to gluconic acid. It has a wide range of applications, for example as a sugar sensor for diabetes monitoring or as a prominent additive in food industry. The fungus Aspergillus niger naturally expresses and secretes GoxA. Currently, GoxA is produced by A. niger on yeast peptone dextrose media or by yeasts on media containing sugars in high concen Read More

Background: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are gaseous at room temperature, readily dissipate throughout the environment, and may be of anthropogenic or biogenic origin. Despite an increasing scientific interest in the role VOCs play in interspecific interactions, there remains a limited understanding of the impact of VOCs on fungi living in a shared space. Objective: In this study, we aimed to determine the sensitivity of t Read More

Background: There is a growing interest in utilizing endophytes as biofertilizers or biological controls. Beneficial effects may be obtained by synthesizing phytohormones, enzymes and antagonistic substances, fixing nitrogen and carbon dioxide, inducing defence mechanisms and competing colonizing sites and nutrients. Endophytes enhance plant growth and health through plant growth promoting rhizobacteria. E Read More

Background: Scenedesmus sp. AMDD (S-AMDD) has been the focus of several studies to assess its potential as a feedstock for biofuels and bioremediation, while the evaluation of its potential suitability as a novel animal feed ingredient has only just begun. In an initial study, S-AMDD demonstrated rapid growth rate and biomass productivity during exponential growth phase and the resulting biomass appeared to have Read More

Background: The two pathological hallmarks associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) include the accumulation of senile plaques and the generation of neurofibrillary tangles. Although it is a known fact that both amyloid beta (Aβ) and Tau exist together in mitochondria, to date, there is no reasonable explanation for the Aβ and Tau interaction in particular. Objective: The cross-seeding interactions between Aβ and Tau we Read More