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Asian Congress on Biotechnology 2019
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This is the proceedings introduction for the 14th Asian Congress on Biotechnology 2019, covering a range of biotechnology fields including environmental applications. It is not a primary research paper on microplastics.
This special issue of Biotechnology Journal is devoted to the 14th Asian Congress on Biotechnology 2019 (ACB 2019) organized by the Asian Federation of Biotechnology (AFOB) and the Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering Society of Taiwan (BEST). ACB 2019 was held in Tamsui, New Taipei City, Taiwan, in July 1–4, 2019, and involved 5 plenary lectures and 57 academic sessions in various fields of biotechnology including topical discussion on Biotechnology for 2020 and Beyond. The congress also delivered five industrial sessions featuring the growth of bioindustry. Over a thousand participants from 32 countries around the world attended. This special issue is comprised of six reviews and six original research articles selected from the presentations. The reviews in this issue mainly focus on technical advances in molecular biotechnology fields for sophisticated control of living organisms, for applications to emerging fields, and for sustainability of our planet. Prof. Jia Wang and colleagues summarize recent advances of synthetic biology tools based on bacterial quorum sensing system,[1] while Prof. Jeong Wook Lee and coauthors introduce various gas sensing regulators in the living organisms.[2] In some emerging areas related to biotechnology, molecular engineering tools are being developed quickly. Genetic engineering tools for lactic acid bacteria, main players in gut microbiome, are discussed.[3] Also, recent progress of biomolecular engineering tools in the field of biochips and bioelectronic devices are summarized.[4] Biotechnology has great potential to contribute to the sustainability of human society. Microorganisms that can produce biodegradable polymers or degrade the exiting plastic, which can provide solution for microplastic pollution, are summarized.[5] On the other hand, natural and synthetic microorganisms that can utilize C1 compounds as a carbon source are discussed.[6] Three research articles report successful results of engineering in various types of living system. Overexpression of KDEL (representing lysine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and leucine motif) receptor 1 improved antibody production in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells.[7] A CO2-driven syntrophic consortium of two engineered bacteria succeeded in conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, a biomass-derived byproduct, to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid.[8] A conversion of xylose to xylitol was demonstrated using light-driven reducing power in cyanobacteria.[9] The other three articles present useful tools or new findings that can be used in various biotechnology fields. Metabolic fluxes of engineered bacteria to overproduce gamma-aminobutyrate were successfully monitored using 13C metabolic flux analysis.[10] Software performances for template-based protein structure modeling were compared using thousands of structural dataset.[11] Also, characterization of oxygen sensing mechanism of ArcA in Escherichia coli was attempted.[12] In this special issue of Biotechnology Journal, two forum articles were specially added to cover timely and urgent problem we met in all over the world, which is pandemic COVID-19. The first article explains the molecular composition and characterization of the virus, molecular targets for detection and diagnosis, social ethics, etc.[13] The second article introduces the scientific background for COVID-19 vaccine development.[14] We hope this pandemic situation is eased or ended soon with the development of vaccine and therapeutics. In next year, 15th Asian Congress on Biotechnology (ACB 2021) is being organized by the Asian Federation of Biotechnology, with the schedule and venue at July 4–8, 2021 in Bali, Indonesia. We anticipate to have another prosperous meeting together in Bali next year. Prof. Min-Kyu Oh Prof. Yasuyuki Sakai Prof. Yu-Chen Hu
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Emerging Frontiers in Environmental Biotechnology
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This chapter examines how biotechnology can address microplastic pollution generated by industrialization, reviewing bio-based degradation pathways, nanobiotechnology applications, and the role of engineered organisms in reducing plastic use and waste. The authors assess the future potential of environmental biotechnology as a sustainable tool for managing hazardous microplastic contamination across industries.
A concept for the biotechnological minimizing of emerging plastics, micro- and nano-plastics pollutants from the environment: A review.
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This review examined biotechnological strategies for remediating plastics, micro-, and nano-plastics from the environment, cataloguing microbial and enzymatic degradation approaches, discussing their mechanistic basis, and proposing an integrated biotechnology framework for minimizing plastic pollution across terrestrial and aquatic systems.
One Day National Seminar on Advanced Nanomaterials for Microplastic Mitigation
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This is a conference proceedings volume from a one-day national seminar held in India focused on using advanced nanomaterials to remove or mitigate microplastic pollution. Not a primary research study, but a compiled collection of short research contributions from that event.
Biotechnology for the Management of Plastics and Microplastics
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This review paper explains how plastic waste, including tiny fragments called microplastics, ends up polluting our rivers and oceans, often through everyday sources like washing machine runoff from synthetic clothing and tire wear from cars. It highlights that our current recycling system isn't equipped to handle all this waste, meaning much of it escapes into the environment where it can eventually make its way into water, food, and potentially our bodies. Understanding these pollution pathways is a key first step toward developing better solutions to reduce our exposure to microplastics.
Advances in microplastic mitigation: current progress and future directions
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This review synthesizes recent advances in biotechnology-based approaches to microplastic remediation, including microbial degradation, engineered enzyme systems, and AI-driven monitoring. Researchers found that while promising enzymes and engineered biofilm systems have been demonstrated in the lab, translating these solutions to diverse polymer types and real-world field applications remains a major challenge. The study proposes a unified roadmap for scaling sustainable biotechnology solutions to address the global microplastic crisis.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.