Microbial biofilms as a platform for diverse biocatalytic applications

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Biotechnology
• Biocatalysis

Background:

• Microbial biofilms are resilient, structured communities with metabolic potential, widely used in wastewater treatment.
• Their applications extend to chemical synthesis, bioelectricity, and enzyme immobilization, but engineered biofilms are under-explored.
• Existing reviews focus on natural biofilms, leaving a gap in understanding engineered biofilm applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the potential of engineered microbial biofilms in biocatalysis.
• To review strategies for engineering biofilms for enhanced functionality.
• To bridge the knowledge gap regarding artificially engineered biofilms.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on engineered biofilms and their biocatalytic applications.
• Exploration of biofilm engineering strategies: genetic modification, synthetic biology, and process manipulation.
• Analysis of challenges and future directions for biofilm-based platforms.

Main Results:

• Engineered biofilms present significant untapped potential for diverse biocatalytic applications.
• Various strategies exist for engineering biofilms, including genetic and synthetic biology approaches.
• Key challenges in large-scale implementation and future research needs were identified.

Conclusions:

• Engineered microbial biofilms are promising for advanced biocatalytic applications.
• Strategic engineering can unlock novel functionalities and improve existing processes.
• Further research is needed to overcome challenges for industrial-scale adoption.