{"title":"Technoeconomic analysis for near-term scale-up of bioprocesses","authors":"Tuhin K Poddar , Corinne D Scown","doi":"10.1016/j.copbio.2025.103258","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.copbio.2025.103258","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Growing the bioeconomy requires products and pathways that are cost-competitive. Technoeconomic analyses (TEAs) aim to predict the long-term economic viability and often use what are known as <em>n</em><sup>th</sup> plant cost and performance parameters. However, as TEA is more widely adopted to inform everything from early-stage research to company and investor decision-making, the <em>n</em><sup>th</sup> plant approach is inadequate and risks being misused to inform the early stages of scale-up. Some methods exist for conducting first-of-a-kind/pioneer plant cost analyses, but these receive less attention and have not been critically evaluated. This article explores TEA methods for early-stage scale-up, critically evaluates their applicability to biofuels and bioproducts, and recommends strategies for producing TEA results better suited to guiding prioritization and successful scale-up of bioprocesses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10833,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in biotechnology","volume":"92 ","pages":"Article 103258"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143001281","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Advances in designed bionanomolecular assemblies for biotechnological and biomedical applications","authors":"Jaka Snoj , Weijun Zhou , Ajasja Ljubetič , Roman Jerala","doi":"10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103256","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103256","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recent advances in protein engineering have revolutionized the design of bionanomolecular assemblies for functional therapeutic and biotechnological applications. This review highlights the progress in creating complex protein architectures, encompassing both finite and extended assemblies. AI tools, including AlphaFold, RFDiffusion, and ProteinMPNN, have significantly enhanced the scalability and success of <em>de novo</em> designs. Finite assemblies, like nanocages and coiled-coil-based structures, enable precise molecular encapsulation or functional protein domain presentation. Extended assemblies, including filaments and 2D/3D lattices, offer unparalleled structural versatility for applications such as vaccine development, responsive biomaterials, and engineered cellular scaffolds. The convergence of artificial intelligence–driven design and experimental validation promises strong acceleration of the development of tailored protein assemblies, offering new opportunities in synthetic biology, materials science, biotechnology, and biomedicine.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10833,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in biotechnology","volume":"92 ","pages":"Article 103256"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143001571","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mohammed S Noor , Sakib Ferdous , Rahil Salehi , Hannah Gates , Supantha Dey , Vaishnavey S Raghunath , Mohammad R Zargar , Ratul Chowdhury
{"title":"Next-generation metabolic models informed by biomolecular simulations","authors":"Mohammed S Noor , Sakib Ferdous , Rahil Salehi , Hannah Gates , Supantha Dey , Vaishnavey S Raghunath , Mohammad R Zargar , Ratul Chowdhury","doi":"10.1016/j.copbio.2025.103259","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.copbio.2025.103259","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Metabolic modeling is essential for understanding the mechanistic bases of cellular metabolism in various organisms, from microbes to humans, and the design of fitter microbial strains. Metabolic networks focus on the overall fluxes through biochemical reactions that implicitly rely on several biochemical processes, such as active or diffusive uptake (or export) of nutrients (or metabolites), enzymatic turnover of metabolites, and metal-cofactor enzyme interactions. Despite independent progress in biomolecular simulations, they have yet to be integrated to inform metabolic models. We explore the evolution of computational metabolic modeling approaches, starting with flux balance analysis, dynamic, kinetic delineations of metabolic shifts in single organisms within cells and across tissues, and mutually informing, community-level modeling frameworks and provide a narrative to tie in biomolecular simulations and machine learning predictions to usher the new phase of structure-guided synthetic biology applications. These additions and prospective novel ones are likely to open hitherto untapped paradigms for optimizing/understanding metabolic pathways toward improving bioproduction of protein and small molecule products with downstream applications in health, environment, energy, and sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10833,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in biotechnology","volume":"92 ","pages":"Article 103259"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143001332","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alexander Geidies , Marija LJ Medar , Hannes M Beyer
{"title":"Engineering organoids as cerebral disease models","authors":"Alexander Geidies , Marija LJ Medar , Hannes M Beyer","doi":"10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103253","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103253","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cerebral organoids pioneered in replicating complex brain tissue architectures <em>in vitro,</em> offering a vast potential for human disease modeling. They enable the <em>in vitro</em> study of human physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms of various neurological diseases and disorders. The trajectory of technological advancements in brain organoid generation and engineering over the past decade indicates that the technology might, in the future, mature into indispensable solutions at the horizon of personalized and regenerative medicine. In this review, we highlight recent advances in the engineering of brain organoids as disease models and discuss some of the challenges and opportunities for future research in this rapidly evolving field.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10833,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in biotechnology","volume":"92 ","pages":"Article 103253"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142983016","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Persephone Ma , Zhe Du , Qian Zhang , Michael Sadowsky , Carl Rosen
{"title":"Effects of sewage sludge ash as a recycled phosphorus source on the soil microbiome","authors":"Persephone Ma , Zhe Du , Qian Zhang , Michael Sadowsky , Carl Rosen","doi":"10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103254","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103254","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ash byproducts have been used as soil amendments to recycle nutrients and modify soil properties such as pH or density. Interest in these practices has continued with increasing emphasis on sustainability, particularly regarding phosphorus reuse from incinerated sewage sludge. Given recent advancements in microbial analyses, the impacts of these practices can now be studied from the soil microbiome perspective. Next-generation DNA sequencing technologies provide information about the taxonomic composition of bacterial, archaeal, and fungal communities in a complex environment like soil. In this review, we discuss the results of microbial analyses of soils amended with recycled ash products, including a pilot study of sewage sludge incinerator ash as a phosphorus source. These results indicated that changes in soil microbial community composition require high amounts of amendment for detectible effects. Future research efforts could include more focused investigations into phosphorus-related microorganisms, such as phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria or polyphosphate-accumulating organisms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10833,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in biotechnology","volume":"92 ","pages":"Article 103254"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142983047","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The role of wetland restoration in mediating phosphorus ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes","authors":"Julie R. Deslippe, Shannon B. Bentley","doi":"10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103227","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103227","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Phosphorus (P) is an essential plant nutrient that often limits agricultural productivity. Human activities, especially fertiliser use, have significantly altered the P cycle, causing eutrophication of aquatic systems. Restoring wetlands to agricultural landscapes can retain P, improving water quality and other ecosystem services. The effectiveness of P retention in restored wetlands varies with hydrology, soil properties, vegetation, and other factors. Challenges such as wetland P saturation, legacy P release, and plant invasions can limit P retention capacity. Furthermore, climate-related changes in temperature and hydrology have the potential to undermine long-term P retention. New methods such as Integrated Constructed Wetlands and new technologies that provide high-resolution temporal and spatial data enable managers to optimise multifunctionality in agricultural landscapes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10833,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in biotechnology","volume":"91 ","pages":"Article 103227"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2024-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142758922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Min Zheng , James Lloyd , Peter Wardrop , Haoran Duan , Tao Liu , Liu Ye , Bing-Jie Ni
{"title":"Path to zero emission of nitrous oxide in sewage treatment: is nitrification controllable or avoidable?","authors":"Min Zheng , James Lloyd , Peter Wardrop , Haoran Duan , Tao Liu , Liu Ye , Bing-Jie Ni","doi":"10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103230","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103230","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Amid growing concerns over climate change, the need to reduce nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O) emissions from sewage treatment is more urgent than ever. Sewage treatment plants are significant sources of N<sub>2</sub>O due to its production as an intermediate in nitrification and its release into the air during aeration. Effective management of the nitrification process is therefore vital for controlling or eliminating these emissions. Despite substantial efforts to quantify and understand N<sub>2</sub>O emissions from sewage treatment, success in reducing them has been limited. This review discusses and proposes promising solutions for reducing N<sub>2</sub>O emissions in sewage treatment, evaluates the potential of various strategies, and identifies ways to accelerate their development and implementation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10833,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in biotechnology","volume":"91 ","pages":"Article 103230"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2024-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142758921","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Multifunctionality of alkaline phosphatase in ecology and biotechnology","authors":"Daniel E M Saavedra , Federico Baltar","doi":"10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103229","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103229","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Multifunctional enzymes can significantly impact biotechnological applications by performing activities beyond their primary functions. This review explores the role of the multifunctionality of alkaline phosphatase, a key enzyme in the phosphorus cycle, focusing on the molecular mechanisms influencing its activity and its biotechnological potential. We argue that understanding these aspects can enhance the utility of alkaline phosphatase in research and industry, fostering innovations in enzyme engineering, environmental biotechnology, and metabolic engineering. By exploring enzyme promiscuity, we highlight alkaline phosphatase’s versatility, paving the way for advancements in sustainable agriculture, environmental remediation, and clinical diagnostics. Further research will unlock new applications and catalytic efficiencies, driving forward ecological and biotechnological progress.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10833,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in biotechnology","volume":"91 ","pages":"Article 103229"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2024-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142748054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Edward Apraku , McKenna Farmer , Chayse Lavallais , Danna A Soriano , Justin Notestein , Keith Tyo , Jennifer Dunn , William A Tarpeh , George F Wells
{"title":"Toward a circular nitrogen bioeconomy: integrating nitrogen bioconcentration, separations, and high-value products for nitrogen recovery","authors":"Edward Apraku , McKenna Farmer , Chayse Lavallais , Danna A Soriano , Justin Notestein , Keith Tyo , Jennifer Dunn , William A Tarpeh , George F Wells","doi":"10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103225","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103225","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recovering nitrogen (N) from wastewater is a potential avenue to reduce reliance on energy-intensive synthetic nitrogen fixation via Haber-Bosch and subsequent treatment of N-laden wastewaters through nitrification–denitrification. However, many technical and economic factors hinder widespread application of N recovery, particularly low N concentrations in municipal wastewater, paucity of high-efficiency separations technologies compatible with biological treatment, and suitable products and markets for recovered N. In this perspective, we contextualize the challenges of N recovery today, propose integrated biological and physicochemical technologies to improve selective and tunable N recovery, and propose an expanded product portfolio for recovered N products beyond fertilizers. We highlight cyanophycin, an N-rich biopolymer produced by a diverse range of bacteria, as a potential target for N bioconcentration and downstream recovery from municipal wastewater. This perspective emphasizes the equal importance of integrated biological systems, physicochemical separations, and market assessment in advancing nitrogen recovery from wastewater.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10833,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in biotechnology","volume":"91 ","pages":"Article 103225"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2024-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142720487","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Brian Senyange , Joshua Wesana , Guido Van Huylenbroeck , Xavier Gellynck , Hans De Steur
{"title":"Tissue engineering in the agri-food industry: current status, socio-economic overview and regulatory compliance","authors":"Brian Senyange , Joshua Wesana , Guido Van Huylenbroeck , Xavier Gellynck , Hans De Steur","doi":"10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103228","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103228","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The growing global demand for sustainable and safe food is a major challenge that increases the need for advanced alternatives such as tissue engineering (TE). TE offers promising solutions by improving yields, nutritional value and resilience of crops while also producing cultivated meat that reduces the environmental impact of livestock farming. The market potential for TE in meat production is considerable, and significant growth is expected. However, the regulatory framework for these innovations is developing slowly, and approval procedures vary across regions. This overview critically assesses the current applications of TE in the agri-food sector, their socio-economic potential and the regulatory challenges. It emphasises the need for harmonised, flexible and adaptive policies to effectively integrate engineered foods into the market.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10833,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in biotechnology","volume":"91 ","pages":"Article 103228"},"PeriodicalIF":7.1,"publicationDate":"2024-11-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142706305","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}