BIOTECHNOLOGY - V. H. Herasymenko - 2006

Part II. Specialized Biotechnologies

Chapter 19. BIOTECHNOLOGIES FOR L-AMINO ACID PRODUCTION

The industrial synthesis of BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE SUBSTANCES—microbial metabolites—has acquired immense importance driven by the demands of the national economy. It is carried out using various Methods, the primary one being microbiological. However, alongside Biosynthesis, many biologically active substances can also be obtained through fine organic synthesis. Therefore, the choice of a specific production method is determined by the comparative economic efficiency of chemical and biological (microbiological) manufacturing processes, which Complement each other. Consequently, the industrial synthesis of microbial metabolites is impossible without applying chemical engineering methods at various stages, which are widely used in fine organic synthesis. In turn, the latter cannot do without certain technological stages performed using microorganisms or isolated Enzymes and enzyme systems.

Amino Acids are nitrogen-containing compounds whose molecules contain a carboxyl (—COOH) and an amine (—NH₂) group, capable of reacting with each other to form a covalent peptide bondThey serve as the primary Building Blocks of the body from which Peptides and Proteins are formed, functioning as the monomeric units of proteins. The order in which amino acids are incorporated into a polypeptide chain is determined by METABOLISM/28.html">The Genetic Code (via mRNA).

Most microorganisms and plants can synthesize all (20) amino acids. Humans and animals lack this ability. Their bodies can synthesize only 10 amino acids, known as non-Essential Amino Acids. The other 10 amino acids are not synthesized in the Human and Animal body and must be obtained from external sources—through food or feed. These are termed essential amino acids. Among them are amino acids such as Lysine, Methionine, and Tryptophan, which are also referred to as critical due to their biological effects. Essential amino acids include lysine, methionine, tryptophan, Histidine, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, Threonine, valine, and Arginine. A deficiency of even one of these amino acids in the diet causes delayed growth in children and animals and contributes to The Development of various pathologies. Furthermore, amino acids (both essential and non-essential) serve as vital raw Materials for numerous biotechnological processes and are widely used in medicine and the food industry.