Flow Bioreactors as Complementary Tools for Biocatalytic Process Intensification.

Lucia Tamborini, Pedro Fernandes, Francesca Paradisi, Francesco Molinari

Journal: Trends in biotechnology 2018;36(1):73-88

PMID: 29054312

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

Biocatalysis has widened its scope and relevance since new molecular tools, including improved expression systems for proteins, protein and metabolic engineering, and rational techniques for immobilization, have become available. However, applications are still sometimes hampered by low productivity and difficulties in scaling up. A practical and reasonable step to improve the performances of biocatalysts (including both enzymes and whole-cell systems) is to use them in flow reactors. This review describes the state of the art on the design and use of biocatalysis in flow reactors. The encouraging successes of this enabling technology are critically discussed, highlighting new opportunities, problems to be solved and technological advances.

Address: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (DISFARM), University of Milan, via Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].; Department of Bioengineering and IBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal; Faculty of Engineering, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Av. Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal.; School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.; Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, via Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milano, Italy.

DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2017.09.005

Link outs

Free resources

Other Literature Sources:

Subscription / membership required

Full Text Sources:

MeSH Terms: Biocatalysis, Bioreactors, Biotechnology, Enzymes, Immobilized