Shaping the Future with Industrial Biotechnology- New and Efficient Production Processes for Biopolymers

The large-scale production of biopolymers has been an emerging branch of industry for decades. Besides mere substitution of oil-based polymers, biopolymers with innovative features are in the focus of research and industry. This review highlights modern high-impact biopolymers, their respective industrial production processes and relevant applications. The vast majority of prominent commercial biopolymers are either made from sugars (such as cellulose derivatives), acids (such as poly lactic acid) or proteins (such as silk). Some of the more simple biopolymers such as γ-polyglutamic acid and bacterial cellulose are mainly produced in their native microorganisms. A more challenging trend in biopolymer production is the switch from traditional extraction or conversion of natural products to recombinant/heterologous production techniques in microorganisms. This is analyzed in detail for collagen, hyaluronic acid and silk. Despite the complexity of these biopolymers in structure and production, all share important features such as biocompatibility, adjustable shapes and slow biodegradation. The combination of properties renders these polymers ideal materials for biomedical scaffolding, surgery and wound care as well as related pharmaceutical applications and drug delivery.