Locus Fermentation Solutions’ Post

Biocatalysts, often in the form of enzymes, are biological molecules that drive chemical reactions in living organisms. These remarkable catalysts play a vital role in numerous biological processes and find extensive applications across various industries. Enzymes are highly specific, three-dimensional structures that catalyze reactions by binding to specific substrates at their active sites, facilitating the conversion of substrates into products. One of the key advantages of biocatalysts is their unparalleled specificity, allowing them to catalyze reactions with remarkable precision. This specificity arises from the complementary shape and chemical properties of the enzyme's active site and the substrate molecules. Biocatalysis offers significant advantages over traditional chemical catalysts in terms of efficiency, selectivity, and sustainability. Enzymes operate under mild conditions of temperature and pH, which are often compatible with biological systems. This mild reaction environment not only reduces energy consumption but also minimizes unwanted side reactions and the generation of hazardous byproducts. Additionally, biocatalytic reactions typically proceed with high selectivity, producing the desired products without the formation of unwanted byproducts. This selectivity is crucial in industries such as pharmaceuticals, where the production of pure compounds is essential. The versatility of biocatalysts extends across various industries, including pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, agriculture, environmental remediation, and bioenergy. In pharmaceutical synthesis, enzymes are employed in the production of drugs and drug intermediates with high purity and efficiency. In the food industry, enzymes are used to improve food texture, flavor, and nutritional value. Enzymes also play a crucial role in environmental engineering, where they are utilized in wastewater treatment, bioremediation of contaminated sites, and the production of biofuels from renewable resources. Moreover, biocatalysts offer promising solutions in the quest for sustainability. Their renewable nature, biodegradability, and minimal environmental impact make them attractive alternatives to traditional chemical catalysts. With advances in enzyme engineering and bioprocess optimization, the potential applications of biocatalysis continue to expand, offering innovative solutions to engineering challenges and contributing to a more sustainable future. #biocatalys #biocatalysis #bioprocess #chemicalengineering #decarbonization #engineering #sustainability

📢 Exciting News! Our latest research article titled “Ionic Liquids toward Enhanced Carotenoid Extraction from Bacterial Biomass” has been published in the journal Molecules! In this study, we explored the use of ionic liquids to improve carotenoid extraction from Gordonia alkanivorans strain 1B, a bacterium known for producing valuable pigments. Our new method boosts extraction efficiency by 264%, while reducing processing time and energy consumption. This breakthrough could pave the way for more sustainable carotenoid extraction in industries such as pharmaceuticals, food, and cosmetics. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the incredible team at LNEG. It’s truly gratifying to contribute to science and be part of a project that has the potential to reduce environmental impact while advancing innovation. Check out the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dYNtAubx #Research #IonicLiquids #Sustainability #Biotechnology #Carotenoids #GreenChemistry #MDPI

US #biomanufacturing capacity is 40-50 years old and was built for pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and biofuels, says Liberation Labs CEO Mark Warner. It can make the next generation of #bioproducts, he says, “but not at the scale or cost structure that’s needed.” What’s needed, he argues, are modern facilities that can produce everything from enzymes, colors and flavors to dairy proteins, ag biologics and infant formula ingredients, with cost structures that give them a fighting chance to compete. We caught up with Warner at the SynBioBeta conference in San Jose to discuss: - The current state of biomanufacturing capacity in the US. - Building—and funding—the new Liberation Labs site in Richmond, Indiana. - The role of government in advancing the #bioeconomy. - What else—aside from fit-for-purpose biomanufacturing capacity—the industry needs. #foodtech #agtech #microbialfermentation #precisionfermentation #fermentation #syntheticbiology Agronomics Limited

The fungus Talaromyces verruculosus can produce the erythro-isocitric acid directly from cheap plant waste, thus making it interesting for industrial utilization. Using the natural abilities of the non-genetically modified fungus, a research team from Jena has discovered a method for the efficient conversion of cellulose into a form of isocitric acid. The new production method could significantly simplify the previously complex and multi-stage process for obtaining platform chemicals from cellulose by requiring only a single bioprocess. Thanks to the new cost-effective method, the rarely utilized sister molecule of the intensively used citric acid can benefit a sustainable circular economy—provided there is a market for it. The study was published by a research team from the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology—Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI) in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. Citric acid is produced industrially in large quantities using the mold fungus Aspergillus niger. With an annual production of around 2.8 million tons worldwide, it is one of the highest-volume biotechnological products of all. Its range of applications is enormous: whether as a descaling agent, preservative, care product or flavor enhancer—the versatile natural chemical is an important and also cheap additive in industry, as biotechnological production is extremely efficient and uncomplicated. The production of bioplastics and biofuels from citric acid is also technically possible. However, as citric acid is produced from sugar and is therefore in direct competition with food production, these fields of application have so far been neither economical nor sustainable. In fact, the production of citric acid currently consumes more than 1% of global sugar production. Isocitric acid is very similar to citric acid. Citric acid and isocitric acid have almost identical properties and it can be assumed that the iso form would be just as widely applicable. The reason why this is not the case is that there has not yet been an efficient production process for pure isocitric acid, so it is currently only available as a research chemical. One kilogram of the substance at the moment costs about 18,000 euros. However, the new production process enables sustainable and inexpensive production from plant waste and residues such as straw, waste paper or wood residues, which could make it possible to produce isocitric acid even more cheaply than citric acid in the future. Expensive enzymes were needed to first break down the cellulose enzymatically into sugar so that it could finally be utilized by the microorganisms. In screening tests, first author Ivan Schlembach discovered that the wild type of T. verruculosus isolated from nature can convert lignocellulose directly into erythro-isocitric acid, en masse and very efficiently in a single process in which the fungus itself produces all the enzymes required for this.

🔬 A recent study found that Medium chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates (mcl-PHAs), a type of polymer, can be efficiently synthesized from fatty acids in non-sterile conditions. This may have significant implications for reducing production costs. The anti-microbial properties of fatty acids can limit the growth of microbial competitors, allowing the bacteria Pseudomonas putida LS46 to dominate and produce mcl-PHAs. After testing in a sequential batch reactor for 28 days, 47% of the total biomass observed was mcl-PHA. This suggests that we can produce these polymers in an open and continuous cultivation process, potentially cutting both fixed and operating costs. This is the first study of its kind to report the production of purely mcl-PHAs after prolonged periods in a non-sterile environment. It's an exciting step forward for scientific research and could have important implications for the industry. 🔍 Read more: https://lnkd.in/e7655dWz #Research #Science #Innovation #PHA #sustainability #plasticpollution

𝗔 #𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗴𝘂𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘂𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹 #𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 #𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹: The fungus #Talaromyces #verruculosus can produce the chemical #erythro-#isocitric #acid, which has received little attention on the market to date, directly from cheap plant waste and thus make it interesting for industrial utilization. Using the natural abilities of the non-genetically modified fungus, a research team from Jena has discovered a method for the efficient conversion of cellulose into a form of isocitric acid. The new production method could significantly simplify the previously complex and multi-stage process for obtaining platform chemicals from cellulose by requiring only a single bioprocess. Thanks to the new cost-effective method, the rarely utilized sister molecule of the intensively used citric acid can benefit a sustainable circular economy – provided there is a market for it. The study was published by a research team from the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI) in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. 𝗔 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼-𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: https://lnkd.in/eDhs9vJJ Leibniz-Institut für Naturstoff-Forschung und Infektionsbiologie - Hans-Knöll-Institut, American Chemical Society, Ivan Schlembach, Bettina Bardl, Lars Regestein, Miriam A. Rosenbaum

Researchers are breaking ground in the #microbial conversion of #biomass into valuable products, offering a #green alternative to #petroleum-based processes. The team engineered acid-tolerant yeast that achieved record-breaking succinic acid production at low pH levels, opening new possibilities for eco-friendly manufacturing. With this biorefinery having the potential to reduce #GreenhouseGas emissions significantly and cut down on production costs, it could revolutionise the industry. Find out more in the full paper from Nature Portfolio: https://ow.ly/j4CH50Q9MZI #SustainableProduction #GreenTechology #BioChemistry

🌟🔬 Exciting Research Alert from Japan! 🔬🌟 Dive into the Future of Bioproduction with Synthetic Sugars! 🌱 Imagine a world where valuable materials are bioproduced from chemically synthesized sugars, revolutionizing sustainability in fuel and chemical production! 🌍 This latest study explores the potential of Corynebacterium glutamicum (C. glutamicum) to utilize non-natural sugar solutions for the bioproduction of lactate, even under oxygen-limited conditions. 🧪 Discoveries reveal that while these synthetic sugars hold promise, some compounds inhibit cell growth, prompting innovative strategies for enhanced biomanufacturing efficiency. 💡 A remarkable study for Chemistry, sustainability and Bioproduction. 🎉 #Bioproduction #Sustainability #Innovation #SyntheticSugars 🌱🔬💡 https://lnkd.in/evacsepn

Next week, @The 3rd Fermentation-Enabled Alternative Protein Summit Europe will be held in Amsterdam from July 2-4, and Francisco Kuhar, Chief Scientific Officer of Innomy, will be part of this prestigious event as a speaker and moderator. This flagship forum will bring together over 140 industry leaders, from investors to innovative start-ups, established players, and strategic partners, aiming to tackle the technical challenges of bringing precision and biomass protein products and ingredients to market 🌟🚀 🗓️ Tuesday, July 2nd at 12:15 PM Francisco will be as roundtable Discussion Moderator:   **Topic:** "Sharing Best Practices for Dossier Submission for an Effective Go-To-Market Strategy" - Discussing effective methods to engage with regulatory bodies. - Assessing the approaches of similar industries to reach consensus on the path forward. - Scanning the horizon for potential bottlenecks. 🗓️ Wednesday, July 3rd at 5:15 PM Francisco will be as Keynote Speaker: **Topic:** "Utilizing Major Commodities as Alternative Feedstocks to Improve Cost Parity & Sustainability" - Identifying cheaper, unrefined novel alternatives to typical carbon sources that can be scaled industrially to commercial quantities. - Troubleshooting the lack of consistency in the quality and composition of agricultural by-products to improve fermentation quality control and satisfy regulators. - Figuring out an inputting system that allows continuous input of feedstocks. 🔗 Join us at this unmissable event and be part of building a more sustainable food system. We look forward to seeing you in July as we witness the future of fermentation-enabled alternative proteins in Europe!

𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝: 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐠𝐚𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 The algae products market is undergoing a significant transformation driven by innovative technologies and applications that enhance sustainability and efficiency. Advances in cultivation methods, such as photobioreactors and vertical farming, allow for more controlled and productive algae growth, maximizing yields while minimizing land use and environmental impact. These innovations enable producers to cultivate algae in diverse settings, including urban environments, which opens new avenues for local production and reduces transportation costs. Additionally, improvements in processing techniques, such as supercritical CO2 extraction, are enhancing the efficiency of extracting valuable compounds like proteins, pigments, and biofuels from algae, making these products more commercially viable. Furthermore, the application of biotechnology in developing genetically modified algae strains is revolutionizing the market by enabling the production of specific high-value compounds that cater to various industries, from food and cosmetics to pharmaceuticals and biofuels. 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗮 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁:- https://lnkd.in/gqZQQ9pQ 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀:- DSM | BASF | Corbion | International Flavours & Fragrances (India) Limited | CP Kelco | Cargill | Algea Care #algaeproducts #sustainability #greeninnovation #biofuels #nutritionalbenefits #algaefarming #foodindustry #biotechnology #naturalingredients #ecofriendly #plantbased #markettrends