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Purple bacteria and their less known applicationsJungwoo Lee, High-School Student, and Arpita Bose, Associate Professor at Washington University in St. Louis, guide us through purple bacteria and their less-known applications, including wastewater treatment and biofertilization. Purple bacteria, also known as purple photosynthetic bacteria, which belong to the phylum Proteobacteria, can be classified into purple sulfur bacteria (PSB) and purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB). In contrast to PSB, PNSB demonstrate the ability to utilize various electron donors and acceptors, which further expands their applications. Their adaptable metabolism, coupled with well-defined genetic manipulation techniques, positions PNSB as ideal models for elucidating the intricacies of metabolic pathways, which hold significant implications for diverse biotechnological applications, including wastewater treatment, and as biofertilizers.
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Purple non-sulfur bacteria for biotechnological applications
Abstract In this review, we focus on how purple non-sulfur bacteria can be leveraged for sustainable bioproduction to support the circular economy. We discuss the state of the field with respect to the use of purple bacteria for energy production, their role in wastewater treatment, as a fertilizer, and as a chassis for bioplastic production. We explore their ability to serve as single-cell protein and production platforms for fine chemicals from waste materials. We also introduce more Avant-Garde technologies that leverage the unique metabolisms of purple bacteria, including microbial electrosynthesis and co-culture. These technologies will be pivotal in our efforts to mitigate climate change and circularize the economy in the next two decades. One-sentence summaryPurple non-sulfur bacteria are utilized for a range of biotechnological applications, including the production of bio-energy, single cell protein, fertilizer, bioplastics, fine chemicals, in wastewater treatment and in novel applications like co-cultures and microbial electrosynthesis.
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- PAR ID:
- 10566427
- Publisher / Repository:
- Oxford University Press
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology
- Volume:
- 52
- ISSN:
- 1367-5435
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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