An overview of anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria and their applications in environmental biotechnology for sustainable Resource recovery

Drishya M George; Annette S Vincent; Hamish R Mackey

doi:10.1016/j.btre.2020.e00563

An overview of anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria and their applications in environmental biotechnology for sustainable Resource recovery

Biotechnol Rep (Amst). 2020 Nov 19:28:e00563. doi: 10.1016/j.btre.2020.e00563. eCollection 2020 Dec.

Authors

Drishya M George¹, Annette S Vincent^{1

2}, Hamish R Mackey^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar.
² Biological Sciences Program, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, Qatar.
³ Division of Sustainable Development, College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar.

Abstract

Anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria (APB) are a phylogenetically diverse group of organisms that can harness solar energy for their growth and metabolism. These bacteria vary broadly in terms of their metabolism as well as the composition of their photosynthetic apparatus. Unlike oxygenic phototrophic bacteria such as algae and cyanobacteria, APB can use both organic and inorganic electron donors for light-dependent fixation of carbon dioxide without generating oxygen. Their versatile metabolism, ability to adapt in extreme conditions, low maintenance cost and high biomass yield make APB ideal for wastewater treatment, resource recovery and in the production of high value substances. This review highlights the advantages of APB over algae and cyanobacteria, and their applications in photo-bioelectrochemical systems, production of poly-β-hydroxyalkanoates, single-cell protein, biofertilizers and pigments. The ecology of ABP, their distinguishing factors, various physiochemical parameters governing the production of high-value substances and future directions of APB utilization are also discussed.

Keywords: ALA, 5-Aminolevulinic acid; APB, Anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria; Anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria (APB); BChl, Bacteriochlorophyll; BES, Bioelectrochemical systems; BPV, Biophotovoltaic; BPh, Bacteriopheophytin; Bacteriochlorophyll (BChl); Chl, Chlorophyll; CoQ10, Coenzyme Q10; DET, Direct electron transfer; DNA, Deoxyribonucleic acid; DO, Dissolved oxygen; DXP, 1 deoxy-d-xylulose 5-phosphate; FPP, Farnesyl pyrophosphate; Fe-S, Iron-Sulfur; GNSB, Green non sulfur bacteria; GSB, Green sulfur bacteria; IPP, Isopentenyl pyrophosphate isomerase; LED, light emitting diode; LH2, light-harvesting component II; MFC, Microbial fuel cell; MVA, Mevalonate; PH3B, Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate; PHA, Poly-β-hydroxyalkanoates; PHB, Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate; PNSB, Purple non sulfur bacteria; PPB, Purple phototrophic bacteria; PSB, Purple sulfur bacteria; Pheo-Q, Pheophytin-Quinone; Photo-BES, Photosynthetic bioelectrochemical systems; Photo-MFC, Photo microbial fuel cell; Poly-β-hydroxyalkanoates (PHA); Purple phototrophic bacteria (PPB); Resource recovery; RuBisCO, Ribulose-1,5-biphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase; SCP, Single-cell protein; SOB, Sulfide oxidizing bacteria; SRB, Sulfate reducing bacteria; Single-cell proteins (SCP).

Publication types

Review