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Unveiling PHA-storing populations using molecular methods

Diogo Queirós1, Paulo C Lemos2, Simona Rossetti3

  • 1CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, Chemistry Department, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal.

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
|October 3, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Monitoring microbial populations is crucial for optimizing polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production. This review explores molecular methods for tracking PHA-storing microorganisms and enhancing evolutionary engineering strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Biotechnology
  • Environmental Science

Background:

  • Successful polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production relies on enriching mixed microbial cultures (MMCs) with PHA-storing microorganisms.
  • Monitoring MMC population dynamics is essential for understanding and improving PHA production performance and kinetics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review molecular methods for monitoring PHA-storing microbial populations.
  • To explore the integration of these methods with evolutionary engineering for process optimization.

Main Methods:

  • The review covers various culture-independent molecular techniques.
  • Methods discussed include fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), PCR-based methods (DGGE, T-RFLP, pyrosequencing), and quantitative PCR (qPCR).

Main Results:

  • A range of molecular techniques are available for analyzing microbial communities.
  • These techniques allow for the identification of different microbial groups and their correlation with PHA storage capacity.

Conclusions:

  • Molecular monitoring is vital for understanding and optimizing PHA production processes.
  • Combining molecular insights with evolutionary engineering can enhance overall process efficiency.
Keywords:
EcologyHybridizationMixed microbial culturePCR-based methodsPolyhydroxyalkanoates

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