https://www.cell.com/trends/biotechnology/pdf/S0167-7799(00)01457-8.pdf

Bioencapsulation within synthetic polymers (Part 1): sol–gel encapsulated biologicals

Immobilized microbial cells have been used extensively in various industrial and scientific endeavours. However, immobilized cells have not been used widely for environmental applications. This review examines many of the scientific and technical aspects involved in using immobilized microbial cells in environmental applications, with a particular focus on cells encapsulated in biopolymer gels. Some advantages and limitations of using immobilized cells in bioreactor studies are also discussed.

Environmental applications of immobilized microbial cells: A review

The composition of the soil microbial community can be altered dramatically due to association with individual plant species, and these effects on the microbial community can have important feedbacks on plant ecology. Negative plant-soil feedback plays primary roles in maintaining plant community diversity, whereas positive plant-soil feedback may cause community conversion. Host-specific differentiation of the microbial community results from the trade-offs associated with overcoming plant defense and the specific benefits associated with plant rewards. Accumulation of host-specific pathogens likely generates negative feedback on the plant, while changes in the density of microbial mutualists likely generate positive feedback. However, the competitive dynamics among microbes depends on the multidimensional costs of virulence and mutualism, the fine-scale spatial structure within plant roots, and active plant allocation and localized defense. Because of this, incorporating a full view of microbial dynamics is essential to explaining the dynamics of plant-soil feedbacks and therefore plant community ecology.

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Microbial population and community dynamics on plant roots and their feedbacks on plant communities.

Microbial remediation of nitro-aromatic compounds: an overview.

Microbial biofilms: a concept for industrial catalysis?

On the merits of viable-cell immobilisation.

Metabolic flux distribution for the optimized production of l-glutamate

Viable Cell Immobilization. Improved Biological Stability. Improved Biomass Holdup. Improved Mass Transfer. Improved Product Yields. Improved Reactor Choice. Other Process Improvements. Potential Disadvantages. Diffusion and Biological Reaction-Practical Applications of the Conventional Theory. Misinterpretation of Effective Diffusivities. Heterogeneities. The Future. Subject Index.

Studies in viable cell immobilization

In this work, the stoichiometric metabolic network of Escherichia coli has been formulated as a comprehensive mathematical programming model, with a view to identifying the optimal redirection of metabolic fluxes so that the yield of particular metabolites is maximized. Computation and analysis has shown that the over-production of a given metabolite at various cell growth rates is only possible for a finite ordered set of metabolic structures which, in addition, are metabolite-specific. Each regime has distinct topological features, although the actual flux values differ. Application of the model to the production of 20 amino acids on four carbon sources (glucose, glycerol, lactate, and citrate) has also indicated that, for fixed cell composition, the maximum amino acid yield decreases linearly with increasing cell growth rate. However, when the cell composition varies with cell growth rate, the amino-acid yield varies in a nonlinear manner. Medium optimization studies have also demonstrated that, of the above substrates, glucose and glycerol are the most efficient from the energetic viewpoint. Finally, model predictions are analyzed in the light of experimental data.

George A. Dervakos

Papers

On the merits of viable-cell immobilisation.

Metabolic flux distribution for the optimized production of l-glutamate

Studies in viable cell immobilization

On the topological features of optimal metabolic pathway regimes.

Building a database system to take a critical look at immobilized cell fermentation technology