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Purple non-sulfur bacteria and the circular economyArpita Bose, Associate Professor at Washington University in St. Louis, discusses the potential of microbial solutions in supporting sustainable and environmentally responsible alternatives to the traditional linear economy. Earth’s climate is undergoing unprecedented changes due to human activities, primarily the emission of greenhouse gases. Widespread petroleum-based production of fuels and plastics releases large amounts of pollution, contributing to rising global temperatures, extreme weather events, and ecosystem disruptions. Finding feasible solutions to the climate crisis is crucial to preserve essential resources and protect human and environmental health. Harnessing and strengthening the natural capabilities of microorganisms and microbial communities with synthetic biology will be the key to reducing and upcycling waste for a greener global economy.
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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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