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Understanding gradients in industrial bioreactors
Gisela Nadal-Rey1, Dale D McClure2, John M Kavanagh2
1Process and Systems Engineering Center (PROSYS), Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Building 228A, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
Biotechnology Advances
|November 22, 2020
Summary
Gradients in industrial bioreactors affect microbial physiology and process performance. Understanding these gradients is crucial for optimizing industrial microbial processes through integrated experimental and computational approaches.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology and biochemical engineering
- Microbial physiology and metabolism
- Process systems engineering
Background:
- Environmental gradients in industrial bioreactors significantly impact microbial physiology, leading to altered metabolomes, transcriptomes, and population heterogeneity.
- These physiological changes directly influence critical process parameters such as substrate yield and overall productivity in industrial microorganisms.
- Understanding and mitigating gradient effects are therefore essential for both academic research and industrial applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the causes and physiological impacts of gradients in industrial bioreactors.
- To critically evaluate current methodologies for investigating these gradients.
- To identify future research directions for a comprehensive understanding of bioreactor gradients.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on bioreactor gradients, microbial physiology, and fluid dynamics.
- Critical examination of experimental approaches, including large-scale studies and scale-down models.
- Analysis of computational (in silico) methods for simulating and understanding gradient effects.
Main Results:
- Gradients arise from various factors within bioreactors, impacting microbial physiology and process outcomes.
- Current methods for studying gradients, while informative, have limitations.
- A significant need exists for the coordinated development of in silico and experimental tools.
Conclusions:
- Addressing gradients in industrial bioreactors is critical for enhancing microbial process efficiency and yield.
- Integrated approaches combining fluid dynamics, microbial physiology, and advanced modeling are necessary.
- Future research should focus on developing synergistic computational and experimental tools for better gradient management.
