Genetically Engineered Microorganisms and Their Impact on Human Health

With the current spread of clinically relevant multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, insufficient unearthing of new anti-infectives, and the high cost required for approval of new antimicrobial agents, a strong need for getting these agents via more economic and other alternative routes has emerged. With the discovery of the biosynthetic pathways of various antibiotics pointing out the role of each gene/protein in their antibiotic-producing strains, it became apparent that the biosynthetic gene clusters can be manipulated to produce modified antibiotics. This new approach is known as the combinatorial biosynthesis of new antibiotics which can be employed for obtaining novel derivatives of these valuable antibiotics using genetically modified antibiotic-producing strains (pathway engineering). In this review and based on the available biosynthetic gene clusters of the major aminoglycoside antibiotics (AGAs), the possible alterations or modifications that could be done by co-expression of certain gene(s) previously known to be involved in unique biosynthetic steps have been discussed. In this review defined novel examples of modified AGA using this approach were described and the information provided will act as a platform of researchers to get and develop new antibiotics by the antibiotic-producing bacterial strains such as Streptomyces, Micromonospora,…etc. This way, novel antibiotics with new biological activities could be isolated and used in the treatment of infectious diseases conferring resistance to existing antibiotics.

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Biological Treatment Techniques for Sewage: Aerobic and Anaerobic Processes

Mbamalu Ezeh,

Chinedu Agu,

Aworabhi

2024

Sewage - Management and Treatment Techniques [Working Title]

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Sewage treatment is crucial to safeguard public health and the environment. Various techniques are available for treating wastewater, and the selection of one often depends on factors like the wastewater composition, environmental conditions, and treatment objectives. One of the most widely used methods of biological treatment for sewage is activated sludge, which employs aerobic bacteria to degrade organic matter. This process involves blending wastewater with a mixture of bacteria and flocs, with the bacteria consuming the organic matter to produce clear water while the flocs settle. Another commonly employed method is anaerobic digestion, which employs anaerobic bacteria to decompose organic matter in the absence of oxygen. These methods generate biogas, containing methane and carbon dioxide, and digestate, a nutrient-rich sludge suitable as soil amendment or fertilizer. This chapter explores the mechanisms and applications of activated sludge and anaerobic digestion in biological sewage treatment, highlighting their advantages and downsides, the factors that influence their performance, such as pH, temperature, and substrate concentration. It covers the latest improvements in biological sewage treatment, including the use of new microbial strains and hybrid treatment systems.

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Genetically Engineered Microorganisms and Their Impact on Human Health

Cited by 3 publications

References 279 publications

Application of microbial enzymes in medicine and industry: current status and future perspectives

Application of microbial enzymes in medicine and industry: current status and future perspectives

Combinatorial biosynthesis of novel aminoglycoside antibiotics via pathway engineering

Biological Treatment Techniques for Sewage: Aerobic and Anaerobic Processes

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