Industrial Microbiology - Strain Improvement strategies
STRAIN DEVELOPMENT FOR INDUSTRIAL MICROBIOLOGY “Strain improvement is defined as improving the production and yielding capacity of a microorganism through the microbiological, biotechnological, or biochemical process” . Need for strain improvement: Microbes (fungi, bacteria, actinomyces) that live freely in soil or water and produce novel compounds of commercial interest, when isolated from their natural surroundings, are not ideal for industrial use. Wild strains need to make the product of commercial interest at higher yields to be economically viable. Microbial strain improvement requires alteration and reprogramming of the DNA (or the genes) in a desired fashion to shift or bypass the regulatory controls and checkpoints. Features of Improved strains 1. Ability to utilize inexpensive and complex raw materials efficiently. 2. Elimination of the production of compounds that may interfere with downstream processing 3. Increased productivity 4. Provide cellular morphology suitabl...