Industrial Microbiology

What is Industrial Microbiology?

According to the Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, industrial microbiology can be defined as, Industrial Microbiology therefore includes areas such as:

• Wine and beer production
• Pharmaceuticals
• Diagnostic and testing services
• Agricultural products
• Industrial enzymes

Historical Overview of Industrial Microbiology

Human beings, unknowingly, have been using microorganisms for thousands of years. The Egyptians used yeast for baking and the Chinese used molds and other microorganisms to ferment foods. The significant events in the history of Industrial Microbiology include: In the 20th century, advances in genetic and molecular biology gave rise to modern biotechnology. Consequently, the scope of industrial microbiology has been broadened. Now it not only involves the traditional fermentation and waste treatment processes but also includes genetic engineering and other modern technological applications.

Industrial Microbiology Applications

Microorganisms have been greatly utilised in certain areas of Industrial activity. These activities include the production of pharmaceuticals, food, beverages, biotechnology, and even cleaning products and are heavily reliant on the work of these tiny creatures.

Role of Industrial Microbiology in Healthcare

It's fascinating to note the contribution of industrial microbiology to healthcare. Healthcare products such as vaccines, antibiotics, insulin, and other medicinal drugs are all produced industrially through the use of microbial processes. The first widely used antibiotic was Penicillin, derived from the Penicillium mould. Alexander Fleming discovered it in 1928. Large scale production of this 'wonder drug', however, started in the 1940s after the industrial microbiology processes were applied. Moreover, genetically modified bacteria have been used to produce insulin, as well as other proteins for medical use.

Industrial Microbiology in Agriculture and Food Production

Industrial Microbiology has significant applications in agriculture and food production. Microorganisms are used in the production of fermented foods where their activity results in a desirable change in the final product. This includes food and drink products like cheese, yoghurt, bread, wine, and beer. Microorganisms also have a significant part to play in agriculture. Certain bacteria like Rhizobium live in the root nodules of leguminous plants and fix atmospheric nitrogen into a form usable by the plant. The use of this 'biological fertiliser' greatly reduces the need for chemical nitrogenous fertilisers. Lastly, microorganisms are used in the production of biofuels and are vital in waste treatment processes, converting organic waste into inoffensive substances such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water.

Processes in Industrial Microbiology

In industrial microbiology, two major types of processes are predominantly used to cultivate microorganisms and produce the desired products: the Batch Process and the Continuous process. Both of these methods have unique features, advantages, and disadvantages. Industrial microbiologists choose the right method based on the specific requirement of the product and the characteristics of the microorganisms involved.

Batch Process in Industrial Microbiology

Moreover, in batch processing, an isolated and fixed amount of nutrient solution is added to the system at the beginning of the process. The microorganisms, upon inoculation, start to grow and produce the desired products. Once the nutrient solution gets exhausted, the product recovery is undertaken, and the system or the fermenter is cleaned before the next batch starts. Batch processing requires different phases for its execution:

• Lag phase: A period of adaptation where the microorganisms adapt to the new environment.
• Log phase or Exponential phase: The growth of microorganisms is the fastest, and the substrate (nutrient solution) gets utilised maximally. The desired product formation also kicks off during this phase.
• Stationary phase: The growth of microorganisms comes to a halt due to a decrease in nutrients and an increase in waste products. The rate of new cell production equals the rate of dying cells.
• Death phase: Nutrient exhaustion and a toxic environment due to waste products result in the death of the microorganisms.

Batch processing has the advantage of being simple and requiring a lower initial investment. However, its major disadvantages include non-continuous operation, inconsistency in product quality, and the requirement for intermittent cleaning.

Continuous Process in Industrial Microbiology

The continuous process, on the other hand, is different from batch processing in the sense that it operates indefinitely by the continuous supply of nutrients and removal of products. This process avoids the lag phase and death phase seen in batch processing, thereby increasing productivity. Continuous fermentation is widely adopted for the production of alcohol, organic acids, solvents, and certain secondary metabolites. One of the significant advantages of continuous fermentation is the higher productivity due to the elimination of downtime for cleaning and set up. It also ensures a steady and high-quality product output. However, the disadvantages are that continuous fermentation systems require complicated controlling and monitoring systems and have a higher risk of contamination over a long period. Overall, both processes have specific applications and advantages. The selection of the type of process depends on factors such as the type of microorganism, the product, the duration of the process, operational advantages, and installation and operational costs. The understanding of these two processes forms an integral part of Industrial Microbiology and is central to the design and operation of bioreactors in the industry.

Products from Industrial Microbiology

Industrial Microbiology offers a wide array of products that find their use in various industries and everyday life. The magic lies in leveraging specific properties of microorganisms for the large scale production of such products. The products range across sectors such as healthcare, food processing, agriculture, and environmental management. Some key products include antibiotics, enzymes, biofuels, fermented foods, probiotics, and even more complex, genetically engineered products such as insulin.

Antibiotics Production in Industrial Microbiology

Antibiotics have revolutionised healthcare and pioneered a new era in medical science. A significant part of antibiotic production is an ingenious application of industrial microbiology. The process involves the cultivation of specific moulds or bacteria, leading to the production of antibiotic substances. At the core, antibiotics are secondary metabolites produced by microorganisms to combat other microorganisms in their natural environment. Exploiting this, industrial microbiologists utilise strains of organisms that are strong producers of these secondary metabolites. The process begins with the searching and identification of a potent strain, followed by its mutation and selection for an enhanced, high-yielding strain. Particularly, antibiotics like Penicillin and Cephalosporin are products of the moulds Penicillium and Cephalosporium respectively. These moulds are grown in large fermentation tanks with controlled temperature, aeration, and sterile conditions. The tanks are filled with culture media that provide necessary nutrients, and the moulds produce antibiotics as secondary metabolites. Here, it's crucial to have a thorough understanding of the growth cycle of the mould and the right time to harvest the antibiotics. The produced antibiotics are then separated from the fermentation broth, purified and converted into dosage forms. The process requires significant quality control since the products are used in healthcare.

Industrial Production of Enzymes

Enzymes are protein molecules that catalyse biochemical reactions. They are crucial for various industrial processes and generated by utilising the metabolic activity of microorganisms. Industrial production of enzymes involves the selection of an enzyme-producing microorganism, developing an optimal environment for it to produce enzymes, and then extracting and purifying the enzymes. Enzyme production is largely dependent on the nature of the organism used, and its environmental conditions. Factors such as temperature, pH, aeration, and concentration of nutrients can have a significant impact on the production of enzymes. Thus, the industrial process is targeted towards maintaining optimal conditions for maximum enzyme production. The enzymes are then harvested from the fermentation broth, separated, and purified before being converted into a product suited for its application. Enzymes find their application in a variety of sectors. For instance, protease enzymes are used in detergents to break down protein-based stains, while amylase and cellulase enzymes are used in the paper industry for breaking down starch and cellulose respectively. Industrial production of enzymes and antibiotics are two standout examples of Industrial Microbiology's contribution towards healthcare and biotechnology sectors. Each process involves the selection, optimisation, and management of microbial cultures in a carefully controlled environment to yield high-quality and reliable products.

Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology

Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology complement each other to bring out novel solutions for complex challenges in different fields. Biotechnology, a broader discipline, involves the use of biological processes, organisms, or systems to manufacture products. On the other hand, Industrial Microbiology, a vital branch of Biotechnology, uses microorganisms for the production of such valuable products. Together, they can yield significant benefits including medical advancements, environmental sustainability, and agricultural productivity. Bioinformatics and Genetic Engineering are two critical tools that have profound implications in Industrial Microbiology.

Bioinformatics in Industrial Microbiology

Bioinformatics is the application of computer technology to manage biological data. In the context of Industrial Microbiology, bioinformatics tools help annotate, store, retrieve, organise, analyse, share, and visualise complex datasets associated with microbiology. Bioinformatics plays a vital role in identifying microbial genes, understanding their functions, predicting their interactions, and revealing their role in producing valuable products. It deals with genomic sequencing, proteomic analysis, metabolic pathway construction, and a range of other intricate analyses. Industrial Microbiology processes like strain improvement, protein engineering, fermentation optimisation, can greatly benefit from bioinformatics. For instance, bioinformatics tools can aid in predicting a strain’s metabolic rate, thus leading to more effective strain improvement strategies. Additionally, bioinformatics has a pivotal role in enhancing our understanding of microbial diversity and ecology, contributing to the development of better environmental and waste management strategies. A few key applications of Bioinformatics in Industrial Microbiology are:

• Microbial Genome Annotation: With the onset of high throughput sequencing techniques, there is a surge in microbial genome data. Bioinformatics tools help annotate these genomic sequences, identifying genes and predicting their functions. This aids in the selection and manipulation of microbes for specific industrial applications.
• Proteomic Analysis: Bioinformatics aids in the study of the whole set of proteins that a microbe can produce. Understanding these proteins can help in the design of industrial processes that exploit these proteins.
• Metabolic Pathway Construction: Bioinformatics allows the mapping and analysis of metabolic pathways of microbes. This helps in the optimisation of microbes for maximum production output in industries.

Genetic Engineering in Industrial Microbiology

Genetic Engineering involves the direct manipulation of an organism’s genes using biotechnology. It offers promising solutions for amplifying the yield and efficiency of products in Industrial Microbiology. Genetic Engineering, utilised thoroughly in Industrial Microbiology, caters for the design and construction of new biological parts, devices, and systems. Moreover, it allows re-designing of existing, natural biological systems for useful purposes. Microbes can be genetically engineered to enhance their ability to produce the desired products in larger quantities or to introduce completely new production pathways. Key applications of Genetic Engineering in Industrial Microbiology include:

• Production of Synthetic Insulin: By inserting the gene responsible for insulin production into a bacterium, the bacterium can produce human insulin on a large scale.
• Strain Improvement: Microorganisms can be genetically modified to improve their efficiency in product formation. For example, yeast strains used in brewing industries are often genetically modified to improve their alcohol tolerance, thereby increasing the net yield of alcohol.
• Environmental applications: Microbes can be genetically engineered to degrade specific pollutants, providing treatments for industrial waste or oil spills.

Genetic Engineering serves as an accelerator in enhancing the capabilities of microbes. In essence, Bioinformatics and Genetic Engineering serve as catalysts in augmenting the efficiency, scope, and potential of Industrial Microbiology. Together, they bring in synergies to drive innovations and developments in Biotechnology on a global stage.

Fermentation Process in Industrial Microbiology

Fermentation has a central role in Industrial Microbiology. Being an anaerobic process wherein organic substances are broken down by microorganisms, it's used extensively to produce a diverse range of products including biofuels, organic acids, enzymes, fermented foods, and alcohol. The process navigates towards optimising the growth conditions for the selected microorganisms, offering them an ideal environment to carry out the fermentation reactions.

Significance of Fermentation in Industrial Microbiology

The significance of fermentation in Industrial Microbiology cannot be overstated. Not only is it instrumental in producing a multitude of products that touch almost every aspect of human life, but it also leverages eco-friendly means, utilising renewable resources to make bio-based products. In terms of healthcare, fermentation forms the basis for the production of antibiotics, vaccines, and other therapeutic proteins. One notable example is the production of insulin for the treatment of diabetes. Instead of extracting insulin from animal pancreases, recombinant DNA technology enables inserting human insulin genes into bacteria like Escherichia coli, and utilising the fermentation process, these bacteria proceed to produce human insulin at a large scale. Moreover, fermented foods such as cheese, yogurt, and fermented beverages, owe their existence to the process of fermentation. In these instances, beneficial bacteria are nurtured to ferment sugars and produce diverse arrays of dairy products, each with distinct taste, texture and nutritional benefits. In the domain of renewable energy, the fermentation process is vital for producing biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel. Using microorganisms to ferment biomass into such fuels is a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and tapping into renewable resources.

Types of Fermentation Techniques in Industrial Microbiology

There are various types of fermentation techniques deployed in Industrial Microbiology, each tailored to the needs of the specific product and the characteristics of the microorganism involved.

• Batch Fermentation: This is a closed-system process where the fermentation medium and microorganisms are placed inside a fermenter at the start, and there is no further addition or removal of material until the end of fermentation. The process is repeated in successive cycles known as batches. It's a simple setup with low operating costs and widely used in the production of alcohol and organic acids.
• Fed-batch Fermentation: Similar to batch fermentation but with one major distinction- nutrients are added during the process. This ensures a continuous supply of nutrients for microbial growth, preventing nutrient exhaustion. It is commonly used in the production process of antibiotics and enzymes.
• Continuous Fermentation: In this process, fresh medium is continuously supplied while the fermented medium is continuously removed. This ensures a steady state of microbial growth. It's particularly beneficial for products that are secreted extracellularly. However, it requires strict control of environmental conditions which can potentially make it more costly than batch or fed-batch fermentation.

The table below illustrates a comparison between the three types of fermentation techniques: In conclusion, each fermentation technique comes with its own set of merits and drawbacks, and the choice of technique depends strongly on the specifics of the process, the nature of the product and microorganism, and the industrial feasibility of the operations.