Biomedical Applications of Biomolecules Isolated from Methanotrophic Bacteria in Wastewater Treatment Systems

Abstract

Wastewater treatment plants and other remediation facilities serve important roles, both in public health, but also as dynamic research platforms for acquiring useful resources and biomolecules for various applications. An example of this is methanotrophic bacteria within anaerobic digestion processes in wastewater treatment plants. These bacteria are an important microbial source of many products including ectoine, polyhydroxyalkanoates, and methanobactins, which are invaluable to the fields of biotechnology and biomedicine. Here we provide an overview of the methanotrophs’ unique metabolism and the biochemical pathways involved in biomolecule formation. We also discuss the potential biomedical applications of these biomolecules through creation of beneficial biocompatible products including vaccines, prosthetics, electronic devices, drug carriers, and heart stents. We highlight the links between molecular biology, public health, and environmental science in the advancement of biomedical research and industrial applications using methanotrophic bacteria in wastewater treatment systems.

Microbial Niche Differentiation during Nitrite-Dependent Anaerobic Methane Oxidation

“…Genes associated with nucleoside diphosphate saccharide production from the serine pathway were highly expressed in "M. sinica" at high nitrite input, providing materials for polymerization to EPS. 52 EPS is then secreted by the mechanism associated with increased expression of wza 53 and kpsM 54 providing a barrier from nitrite toxicity. 55 Similar genes are expressed at a low level (about 100−1000-fold less) in "Ca.…”

Production of Bacillus subtillis protein mass on the microbial mass of Methylococcus capsulatus

“…In Kazakhstan, biotechnological approaches using methanotrophic microorganisms are only at the stage of research and implementation in limited volumes in industrial production, while in other countries these methods are already in full use mainly for wastewater treatment. R. Salem et al (2021) indicate that wastewater treatment has yielded important products such as ectoine, polyhydroxyalkanoates and methanobactins, which are actively used in biotechnology and biomedicine.…”

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“…In Kazakhstan, biotechnological approaches using methanotrophic microorganisms are only at the stage of research and implementation in limited volumes in industrial production, while in other countries these methods are already in full use mainly for wastewater treatment. R. Salem et al (2021) indicate that wastewater treatment has yielded important products such as ectoine, polyhydroxyalkanoates and methanobactins, which are actively used in biotechnology and biomedicine.…”