Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology – serie

This volume discusses both the latest experimental research in bioelectrosynthesis and current applications. Beginning with an introduction into the “electrification of biotechnology” as well as the underlying fundamentals, the volume then discusses a wide range of topics based on the interfacing of biotechnological and electrochemical reaction steps. It includes contributions on the different aspects of bioelectrochemical applications for synthesis purposes, i.e. the production of fine and platform chemicals based on enzymatically or microbially catalyzed reactions driven by electric energy. The volume finishes with a summary and outlook chapter which gives an overview of the current status of the field and future perspectives. Edited by experts in the field, and authored by a wide range of international researchers, this volume assesses how research from today’s lab bench can be developed into industrial applications, and is of interest to researchers in academia and industry.

This book reviews the latest advances in multiple fields of plant biotechnology and the opportunities that plant genetics, genomics and molecular biology have offered for agriculture improvement. Advanced technologies can dramatically enhance our capacity in understanding the molecular basis of traits and utilizing the available resources for accelerated development of high yielding, nutritious, input-use efficient and climate-smart crop varieties. In this book, readers will discover the significant advances in plant genetics, structural and functional genomics, trait and gene discovery, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, epigenomics, nanotechnology and analytical & decision support tools in breeding. This book appeals to researchers, academics and other stakeholders of global agriculture.

​This book reviews the latest biotechnological advances with pluripotent stem cells, exploring their application in tissue engineering and medicinal chemistry. Chapters from expert contributors cover topics such as the production of transgene-free induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), expansion, controlled differentiation and programming of pluripotent stem cells, and their genetic instability. Particular attention is given to the application of the pluripotent stem cells for vascularision of engineered tissue and for drug screening.This book will appeal to researchers working in regenerative medicine and drug discovery, and to bioengineers and professionals interested in stem cell research.

This volume explores how ionic liquids are used in different areas of biotechnology. It also provides insights on the interaction of ionic liquids with biomolecules and biomaterials. Ionic liquids have become essential players in the fields of synthesis, catalysis, extraction and electrochemistry, and their unique properties have opened a wide range of applications in biotechnology. Readers will discover diverse examples of the application of ionic liquids as solvents for biomaterials extraction and pretreatment, in enzymatic and whole cell catalysed reaction, and as activation agents for biocatalysis. Particular attention is given to the biologically functionalized ionic liquids employed in medical and pharmaceutical applications. Although ionic liquids are considered “green solvents”, the contributing authors will also explore their environmental impact when applied to biotechnology. Chemical, biological and medical scientists interested in ionic liquids and biotechnology will find this work instructive and informative.

This volume explores how ionic liquids are used in different areas of biotechnology. It also provides insights on the interaction of ionic liquids with biomolecules and biomaterials. Ionic liquids have become essential players in the fields of synthesis, catalysis, extraction and electrochemistry, and their unique properties have opened a wide range of applications in biotechnology. Readers will discover diverse examples of the application of ionic liquids as solvents for biomaterials extraction and pretreatment, in enzymatic and whole cell catalysed reaction, and as activation agents for biocatalysis. Particular attention is given to the biologically functionalized ionic liquids employed in medical and pharmaceutical applications. Although ionic liquids are considered “green solvents”, the contributing authors will also explore their environmental impact when applied to biotechnology. Chemical, biological and medical scientists interested in ionic liquids and biotechnology will find this work instructive and informative.

This book reviews the wide range of products and applications of solid state fermentation as well as the development of this cultivation technology over the last years. In this book, readers will also learn about the challenges of solid state fermentation, including process management, reactor design, scale-up and the formation of process-specific products. Solid fermentation is a traditional cultivation technique of food technology and involves all cultivations of microorganisms on a solid substrate without free liquid phase. In the course of development of Biotechnology it was replaced by liquid cultivation mainly in the western countries. Over the past few years, solid-state fermentation is now becoming more important and has moved more back into focus. Especially, it is suitable for the cultivation of filamentous organisms, like ascomycetes and basidiomycetes, but also for various yeasts and bacteria. The products and applications of solid-state fermentation are as diverse as the microorganisms. They range from enzyme production to the production of antibiotics and pigments to the use in environmental technology and energy production.

This book reviews the wide range of products and applications of solid state fermentation as well as the development of this cultivation technology over the last years. In this book, readers will also learn about the challenges of solid state fermentation, including process management, reactor design, scale-up and the formation of process-specific products. Solid fermentation is a traditional cultivation technique of food technology and involves all cultivations of microorganisms on a solid substrate without free liquid phase. In the course of development of Biotechnology it was replaced by liquid cultivation mainly in the western countries. Over the past few years, solid-state fermentation is now becoming more important and has moved more back into focus. Especially, it is suitable for the cultivation of filamentous organisms, like ascomycetes and basidiomycetes, but also for various yeasts and bacteria. The products and applications of solid-state fermentation are as diverse as the microorganisms. They range from enzyme production to the production of antibiotics and pigments to the use in environmental technology and energy production.

This volume reviews numerous reaction mechanisms and applications of nucleic acids with catalytic activity. Written by an interdisciplinary team of authors, it provides an essential overview of these acids’ fundamental aspects, while also addressing associated methodologies such as nucleic acid enzyme engineering, peroxidase-mimicking DNAzymes and Aptazymes.After the discovery of natural ribozymes – RNA molecules that mediate the cleavage and formation of phosphodiester bonds and the formation of peptide bonds – numerous artificial ribozymes with altered catalytic activities were produced by in vitro and in vivo selection. Unlike ribozymes, DNAzymes do not occur in nature. Although the catalytic activity of nucleic acid enzymes is usually much slower than that of proteins, nucleic acid enzymes with comparable catalytic activity have been obtained using stringent selection processes. The key advantages of these enzymes: they are e.g. smaller, easier to produce and purify than proteins, and can withstand denaturation, e.g. by heat.Over the last few years, the number of publications on the applications of enzymatic nucleic acids has grown steadily. Summarizing the fundamentals and applications of these acids, this book will not only be an excellent resource for experts in the field but will also guide young researchers just starting out in this significant area.

This volume reviews numerous reaction mechanisms and applications of nucleic acids with catalytic activity. Written by an interdisciplinary team of authors, it provides an essential overview of these acids’ fundamental aspects, while also addressing associated methodologies such as nucleic acid enzyme engineering, peroxidase-mimicking DNAzymes and Aptazymes.After the discovery of natural ribozymes – RNA molecules that mediate the cleavage and formation of phosphodiester bonds and the formation of peptide bonds – numerous artificial ribozymes with altered catalytic activities were produced by in vitro and in vivo selection. Unlike ribozymes, DNAzymes do not occur in nature. Although the catalytic activity of nucleic acid enzymes is usually much slower than that of proteins, nucleic acid enzymes with comparable catalytic activity have been obtained using stringent selection processes. The key advantages of these enzymes: they are e.g. smaller, easier to produce and purify than proteins, and can withstand denaturation, e.g. by heat.Over the last few years, the number of publications on the applications of enzymatic nucleic acids has grown steadily. Summarizing the fundamentals and applications of these acids, this book will not only be an excellent resource for experts in the field but will also guide young researchers just starting out in this significant area.

This book offers an authoritative review of biopharmaceuticals and their clinical relevance. Biopharmaceuticals have been showing high therapeutic potential by means of biological and biosimilar medicines, particularly for the treatment of cancer, chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes, Crohn's disease, psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis), neurodegenerative disorders (e.g. multiple sclerosis), and they have also been contributing to the progress of innovative therapies such as assisted reproductive medicine. Since the eighties, several biopharmaceuticals have been approved and, due to patents expiration, many biosimilars are also marketed.In this book, readers will find the most relevant updated information about the main clinical applications of pharmaceutical biotechnology. The authors provide expert analysis about the industrial challenges of recombinant proteins and the different classes of biopharmaceuticals, including monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, growth factors and stem cells. Topics such as bioprinting technologies in tissue engineering, gene therapy and personalized medicine are also covered in this book. Professionals, students and researchers interested in this field will find this work an important account.

This book offers an authoritative review of biopharmaceuticals and their clinical relevance. Biopharmaceuticals have been showing high therapeutic potential by means of biological and biosimilar medicines, particularly for the treatment of cancer, chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes, Crohn's disease, psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis), neurodegenerative disorders (e.g. multiple sclerosis), and they have also been contributing to the progress of innovative therapies such as assisted reproductive medicine. Since the eighties, several biopharmaceuticals have been approved and, due to patents expiration, many biosimilars are also marketed.In this book, readers will find the most relevant updated information about the main clinical applications of pharmaceutical biotechnology. The authors provide expert analysis about the industrial challenges of recombinant proteins and the different classes of biopharmaceuticals, including monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, growth factors and stem cells. Topics such as bioprinting technologies in tissue engineering, gene therapy and personalized medicine are also covered in this book. Professionals, students and researchers interested in this field will find this work an important account.

This book reviews the assessment of industrial biotechnology products and processes from a sustainable perspective. Industrial Biotechnology is a comparably young field which comes along with high expectations with regard to sustainability issues. These stem from the promise of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and replacing fossil resources in the near or later future and using green technology, i.e. more environmentally friendly technologies. The intended economic, ecological and social benefits, however, need to be proven, resulting in a variety of challenges, both from a methodological and application point of view.In this book, specific assessment and application topics of industrial biotechnology are addressed, highlighting challenges and solutions for both developers and users of assessment methods. In twelve chapters, experts in their particular fields define the scope, characterize industrial biotechnology and show in their contributions the state of the art, challenges and prospects of assessing industrial biotechnology products and processes.The chapter 'Societal and Ethical Aspects of Industrial Biotechnology' of this book is available open access under a CC BY 4.0 license at link.springer.com

This book reviews the assessment of industrial biotechnology products and processes from a sustainable perspective. Industrial Biotechnology is a comparably young field which comes along with high expectations with regard to sustainability issues. These stem from the promise of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and replacing fossil resources in the near or later future and using green technology, i.e. more environmentally friendly technologies. The intended economic, ecological and social benefits, however, need to be proven, resulting in a variety of challenges, both from a methodological and application point of view.In this book, specific assessment and application topics of industrial biotechnology are addressed, highlighting challenges and solutions for both developers and users of assessment methods. In twelve chapters, experts in their particular fields define the scope, characterize industrial biotechnology and show in their contributions the state of the art, challenges and prospects of assessing industrial biotechnology products and processes.The chapter 'Societal and Ethical Aspects of Industrial Biotechnology' of this book is available open access under a CC BY 4.0 license at link.springer.com

This book is devoted to alkaliphiles, their microbiology, biotechnological applications and adaptive mechanisms. Alkaliphiles are extremophilic organisms that are adapted to thrive in alkaline environments. Over the years, a wide variety of alkaliphiles belonging to domain Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya have been isolated and studied. These organisms use various adaptive mechanisms to thrive in ‘extreme’ alkaline environments, and some of these adaptive mechanisms are of immense importance to a range of biotechnological applications. In this book, readers will learn about the adaptive strategies of alkaliphiles in colonizing alkaline habitats, with a main focus on: (1) the production of enzymes that are active and stable in the high pH environment, and (2) the production of acids that decrease the pH of their immediate surrounding environment. Enzymes that are operationally stable at high pH (also known as alkaline active enzymes) are desirable in several applications such as detergent formulating and leather tanning processes, and they are among the major selling enzymes and the most important industrial enzymes. The growing demand in many existing and emerging biotechnological applications led to the discovery, characterization, engineering and evaluation of diverse types of alkaline active enzymes. In addition to the use of these fascinating enzymes in biotechnological applications, readers will discover the mechanisms of action and stability of these enzymes at extreme pH. Studies have shown that some alkaliphiles decrease the severity of the high pH of their media by producing substantial amount of organic acids, which could be of great interest in various applications presented in this book. In addition to enzymes and organic acids, other products of biotechnological importance such as carotenoids, bioactive substances, and chelators have also attracted researchers’ attention. Whole-cells of alkaliphiles have been used as food and feed, and are also useful in environmental applications such as in waste treatment and construction.

This book is devoted to alkaliphiles, their microbiology, biotechnological applications and adaptive mechanisms. Alkaliphiles are extremophilic organisms that are adapted to thrive in alkaline environments. Over the years, a wide variety of alkaliphiles belonging to domain Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya have been isolated and studied. These organisms use various adaptive mechanisms to thrive in ‘extreme’ alkaline environments, and some of these adaptive mechanisms are of immense importance to a range of biotechnological applications. In this book, readers will learn about the adaptive strategies of alkaliphiles in colonizing alkaline habitats, with a main focus on: (1) the production of enzymes that are active and stable in the high pH environment, and (2) the production of acids that decrease the pH of their immediate surrounding environment. Enzymes that are operationally stable at high pH (also known as alkaline active enzymes) are desirable in several applications such as detergent formulating and leather tanning processes, and they are among the major selling enzymes and the most important industrial enzymes. The growing demand in many existing and emerging biotechnological applications led to the discovery, characterization, engineering and evaluation of diverse types of alkaline active enzymes. In addition to the use of these fascinating enzymes in biotechnological applications, readers will discover the mechanisms of action and stability of these enzymes at extreme pH. Studies have shown that some alkaliphiles decrease the severity of the high pH of their media by producing substantial amount of organic acids, which could be of great interest in various applications presented in this book. In addition to enzymes and organic acids, other products of biotechnological importance such as carotenoids, bioactive substances, and chelators have also attracted researchers’ attention. Whole-cells of alkaliphiles have been used as food and feed, and are also useful in environmental applications such as in waste treatment and construction.

This book reviews the development, characterization and applications of aptamers in different areas of biotechnology ranging from therapeutics to diagnostics and protein purification. Hailed as chemical antibodies, these single-stranded nucleic acid receptors were predicted to supersede antibodies in traditional assays, such as ELISA, within a short time. While this has yet to happen, readers will find in this book a deep insight into the progress of aptamer technology and a critical discussion about the limitations that need to be overcome in order to find wider acceptance and use outside of the still relatively small aptamer-community.This book covers all aspects of aptamer generation and application for the aptamer-experienced reader and curious novice alike, with the addition of an industry perspective on the future of aptamer-use in biotechnology.

This book reviews the development, characterization and applications of aptamers in different areas of biotechnology ranging from therapeutics to diagnostics and protein purification. Hailed as chemical antibodies, these single-stranded nucleic acid receptors were predicted to supersede antibodies in traditional assays, such as ELISA, within a short time. While this has yet to happen, readers will find in this book a deep insight into the progress of aptamer technology and a critical discussion about the limitations that need to be overcome in order to find wider acceptance and use outside of the still relatively small aptamer-community.This book covers all aspects of aptamer generation and application for the aptamer-experienced reader and curious novice alike, with the addition of an industry perspective on the future of aptamer-use in biotechnology.

This book reviews the latest trends in glycobiotechnology, it offers an authoritative discussion about future directions of glycoengineering, and it provides a comprehensive overview about the current and emerging approaches to identify, quantify and characterize glycosylated proteins.Divided into 14 chapters, the book outlines recombinant glycoprotein expression in mammalian cells, insect cells, yeast, and bacterial systems. It covers the chemical and enzymatic syntheses of glycans and glyconjugates, and addresses the impact of glycosylation on protein function for the development of biologicals including vaccines. In the final chapters of the book, readers will discover more about the state-of-the-art in glycomics, glycoproteomics and glycan array technologies.

This book reviews the latest trends in glycobiotechnology, it offers an authoritative discussion about future directions of glycoengineering, and it provides a comprehensive overview about the current and emerging approaches to identify, quantify and characterize glycosylated proteins.Divided into 14 chapters, the book outlines recombinant glycoprotein expression in mammalian cells, insect cells, yeast, and bacterial systems. It covers the chemical and enzymatic syntheses of glycans and glyconjugates, and addresses the impact of glycosylation on protein function for the development of biologicals including vaccines. In the final chapters of the book, readers will discover more about the state-of-the-art in glycomics, glycoproteomics and glycan array technologies.

This is the second of two volumes that together provide an overview of the latest advances in the generation and application of digital twins in bioprocess design and optimization.Both processes have undergone significant changes over the past few decades, moving from data-driven approaches into the 21st-century digitalization of the bioprocess industry. Moreover, the high demand for biotechnological products calls for efficient methods during research and development, as well as during tech transfer and routine manufacturing. In this regard, one promising tool is the use of digital twins, which offer a virtual representation of the bioprocess. They reflect the mechanistics of the biological system and the interactions between process parameters, key performance indicators and product quality attributes in the form of a mathematical process model. Furthermore, digital twins allow us to use computer-aided methods to gain an improved process understanding, to test and plan novel bioprocesses, and to efficiently monitor them. This book focuses on the application of digital twins in various contexts, e.g. computer-aided experimental design, seed train prediction, and lifeline analysis. Covering fundamentals as well as applications, the two volumes offers the ideal introduction to the topic for researchers in academy and industry alike.

This is the second of two volumes that together provide an overview of the latest advances in the generation and application of digital twins in bioprocess design and optimization.Both processes have undergone significant changes over the past few decades, moving from data-driven approaches into the 21st-century digitalization of the bioprocess industry. Moreover, the high demand for biotechnological products calls for efficient methods during research and development, as well as during tech transfer and routine manufacturing. In this regard, one promising tool is the use of digital twins, which offer a virtual representation of the bioprocess. They reflect the mechanistics of the biological system and the interactions between process parameters, key performance indicators and product quality attributes in the form of a mathematical process model. Furthermore, digital twins allow us to use computer-aided methods to gain an improved process understanding, to test and plan novel bioprocesses, and to efficiently monitor them. This book focuses on the application of digital twins in various contexts, e.g. computer-aided experimental design, seed train prediction, and lifeline analysis. Covering fundamentals as well as applications, the two volumes offers the ideal introduction to the topic for researchers in academy and industry alike.

This is the first of two volumes that together provide an overview of the latest advances in the generation and application of digital twins in bioprocess design and optimization.Both processes have undergone significant changes over the past few decades, moving from data-driven approaches into the 21st-century digitalization of the bioprocess industry. Moreover, the high demand for biotechnological products calls for efficient methods during research and development, as well as during tech transfer and routine manufacturing. In this regard, one promising tool is the use of digital twins, which offer a virtual representation of the bioprocess. They reflect the mechanistics of the biological system and the interactions between process parameters, key performance indicators and product quality attributes in the form of a mathematical process model. Furthermore, digital twins allow us to use computer-aided methods to gain an improved process understanding, to test and plan novel bioprocesses, and to efficiently monitor them. This book explains the mathematical structure of digital twins, their development and the model’s respective parts, as well as concepts for the knowledge-driven generation and structural variability of digital twins. Covering fundamentals as well as applications, the two volumes offer the ideal introduction to the topic for researchers in academy and industry alike.

This is the first of two volumes that together provide an overview of the latest advances in the generation and application of digital twins in bioprocess design and optimization.Both processes have undergone significant changes over the past few decades, moving from data-driven approaches into the 21st-century digitalization of the bioprocess industry. Moreover, the high demand for biotechnological products calls for efficient methods during research and development, as well as during tech transfer and routine manufacturing. In this regard, one promising tool is the use of digital twins, which offer a virtual representation of the bioprocess. They reflect the mechanistics of the biological system and the interactions between process parameters, key performance indicators and product quality attributes in the form of a mathematical process model. Furthermore, digital twins allow us to use computer-aided methods to gain an improved process understanding, to test and plan novel bioprocesses, and to efficiently monitor them. This book explains the mathematical structure of digital twins, their development and the model’s respective parts, as well as concepts for the knowledge-driven generation and structural variability of digital twins. Covering fundamentals as well as applications, the two volumes offer the ideal introduction to the topic for researchers in academy and industry alike.

This book reviews the current knowledge on tunable hydrogels, including the range of different materials and applications, as well as the existing challenges and limitations in the field. It covers various aspects of the material design, particularly highlighting biological responsiveness, degradability and responsiveness to external stimuli.In this book, readers will discover original research data and state-of-the-art reviews in the area of hydrogel technology, with a specific focus on biotechnology and medicine. Written by leading experts, the contributions outline strategies for designing tunable hydrogels and offer a detailed evaluation of the physical and synthetic methods currently employed to achieve specific hydrogel properties and responsiveness.This highly informative book provides important theoretical and practical insights for scholars and researchers working with hydrogels for biomedical and biotechnological applications.

This book reviews the current knowledge on tunable hydrogels, including the range of different materials and applications, as well as the existing challenges and limitations in the field. It covers various aspects of the material design, particularly highlighting biological responsiveness, degradability and responsiveness to external stimuli.In this book, readers will discover original research data and state-of-the-art reviews in the area of hydrogel technology, with a specific focus on biotechnology and medicine. Written by leading experts, the contributions outline strategies for designing tunable hydrogels and offer a detailed evaluation of the physical and synthetic methods currently employed to achieve specific hydrogel properties and responsiveness.This highly informative book provides important theoretical and practical insights for scholars and researchers working with hydrogels for biomedical and biotechnological applications.

This new volume introduces the applications of microfluidic systems to facilitate biotechnological and biomedical processes. It provides an overview on cutting-edge technologies, summarizes traditional and modern fabrication methods and highlights recent advances regarding the application of lab-on-a-chip (LoC) systems for bioanalytical purposes. This book is ideal for research scientists and students interested at the cross-section between biotechnology, chemistry and chemical engineering.

This new volume introduces the applications of microfluidic systems to facilitate biotechnological and biomedical processes. It provides an overview on cutting-edge technologies, summarizes traditional and modern fabrication methods and highlights recent advances regarding the application of lab-on-a-chip (LoC) systems for bioanalytical purposes. This book is ideal for research scientists and students interested at the cross-section between biotechnology, chemistry and chemical engineering.

This book offers a comprehensive review of the latest developments, challenges and trends in C1-based (one-carbon based) bioproduction, and it presents an authoritative account of one-carbon compounds as promising alternative microbial feedstocks. The book starts with a perspective on the future of C1 compounds as alternative feedstocks for microbial growth, and their vital role in the establishment of a sustainable circular carbon economy, followed by several chapters in which expert contributors discuss about the recent strategies and address key challenges regarding one or more C1 feedstocks. The book covers topics such as acetogenic production from C1 feedstocks, aerobic carboxydotrophic bacteria potential in industrial biotechnology, bioconversion of methane to value-added compounds, combination of electrochemistry and biology to convert C1 compounds, and bioprocesses based on C1-mixotrophy. Particular attention is given to the current metabolic engineering, systems biology, and synthetic biology strategies applied in this field.

This book offers a comprehensive review of the latest developments, challenges and trends in C1-based (one-carbon based) bioproduction, and it presents an authoritative account of one-carbon compounds as promising alternative microbial feedstocks. The book starts with a perspective on the future of C1 compounds as alternative feedstocks for microbial growth, and their vital role in the establishment of a sustainable circular carbon economy, followed by several chapters in which expert contributors discuss about the recent strategies and address key challenges regarding one or more C1 feedstocks. The book covers topics such as acetogenic production from C1 feedstocks, aerobic carboxydotrophic bacteria potential in industrial biotechnology, bioconversion of methane to value-added compounds, combination of electrochemistry and biology to convert C1 compounds, and bioprocesses based on C1-mixotrophy. Particular attention is given to the current metabolic engineering, systems biology, and synthetic biology strategies applied in this field.