Food tech and bioengineering
TalTech priority area
Research classification (Frascati)
Industrial biotechnology 2.9
Head of the research group
Research group member
Doctoral students
Keyword
yeast
synthetic biology
systems biology
cell factories
biotechnology
local substrate valorization
Overview
Our research is focused on addressing globalchallenges of bio-sustainability, including sustainable production of food and feed, but alsobiochemicals and materials. We are developing novel bio-based processes where microbialcell factories are used to convert various wastecarbon like food- and wood industry waste intovalue-added products.Relying on the multi-disciplinary skill-set in ourresearch group, we have established the DesignBuild-Test-Learn cycle of cell factory designand bioprocess optimization. We use advancedmetabolic modeling for the design of novel cellfactories; we develop novel synthetic biology toolsfor the more efficient engineering of cell factories;and use our lab-scale bioreactor platform for theprocess characterization and optimization. Weare additionally utilizing the advancements ofadditive manufacturing to develop ’living materials’, which will improve biotechnology-basedproduction processes.By combining these approaches, we aim totranslate fundamental science results in industrial biotechnology applications by constructingmore efficient producer cells. Together with ourglobal and local partners, we are developing thewhole value chains in circular economy for thesustainable production of value-added productswith minimal waste streams.
Related projects
Related department
Teadusgrupiga seotud publikatsioonid
- Bonturi, N., Pinheiro, M.J., de Oliveira, P.M., Rusadze, E., Eichinger, T., Liudžiūtė, G., De Biaggi, J.S., Brauer, A., Remm, M., Miranda, E.A., Ledesma-Amaro, R., Lahtvee, P.-J. Development of a dedicated Golden Gate Assembly Platform (RtGGA) for Rhodotorula toruloides // Metabolic engineering communications (2022) vol. 15, art. e00200.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mec.2022.e00200 - Monteiro de Oliveira, P., Aborneva, D., Bonturi, N., Lahtvee, P.-J. Screening and growth characterization of non-conventional yeasts in a hemicellulosic hydrolysate // Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology (2021) vol. 9, art. 659472.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2021.659472 - Priks, H., Butelmann, T., Illarionov, A., Johnston, T.G., Fellin, C., Tamm, T., Nelson, A., Kumar, R., Lahtvee, P.-J. Physical confinement impacts cellular phenotypes within living materials // ACS Applied Bio Materials (2020) Vol. 7, Issue 7, p. 4273 - 4281.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsabm.0c00335 - Lopes, H.J.S., Bonturi, N., Kerkhoven, E.J., Miranda, E.A., Lahtvee, P.-J. C/N ratio and carbon source-dependent lipid production profiling in Rhodotorula toruloides // Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology (2020) Vol. 104, Issue 6, p. 2639 - 2649.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-020-10386-5 - Illarionov, A., Lahtvee, P.-J., Kumar, R. Potassium and sodium salt stress characterization in the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Kluyveromyces marxianus, and Rhodotorula toruloides // Applied and Environmental Microbiology (2021) vol. 87, 13, art. e03100-20.
https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.03100-20 - Santos Lopes, H. J., Bonturi, N., Miranda, E. A. Induction of resistance mechanisms in Rhodotorula toruloides for growth in sugarcane hydrolysate with high inhibitor content // Applied Microbial and Cell Physiology (2021) vol. 105, p. 9261-9272.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-021-11687-z - Butelmann, T., Priks, H., Parent, Z., Johnston, T. G., Tamm, T., Nelson, A., Lahtvee, P.-J., Kumar, R. Metabolism control in 3D-printed living materials improves fermentation // ACS Applied Bio Materials (2021) vol. 4, 9, p. 7195-7203.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsabm.1c00754 - Rocha-Meneses, L., Otor, O.F., Bonturi, N., Orupõld, K., Kikas, T. Bioenergy yields from sequential bioethanol and biomethane production: An optimized process flow // Sustainability (2020) vol. 12, 1, art. 272.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010272 - Reier, K., Lahtvee, P.-J., Liiv, A., Remme, J. A conundrum of r-protein stability : unbalanced stoichiometry of r-proteins during stationary phase in Escherichia coli // mBio (2022) vol. 13, 5, art. e01873-22 : ill.
https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.01873-22 - Klochko, V. V., Lipova, I. I., Chuiko, N. V., Avdeeva, L. V. Ecological aspect of antibiotic batumin synthesis by pseudomonas batumici // Mikrobiolohichnyi Zhurnal (2021) vol. 83, 3, p. 14-23.
https://doi.org/10.15407/microbiolj83.03.014 - Kattel, A., Morell, I., Aro, V., Lahtvee, P.-J., Vilu, R., Jõers, A., Nahku, R. Detailed analysis of metabolism reveals growth-rate-promoting interactions between Anaerostipes caccae and Bacteroides spp // Anaerobe (2023) vol. 79
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anaerobe.2022.102680 - Reķena, A., Pinheiro, M. J., Bonturi, N., Belouah, I., Tammekivi, E., Herodes, K., Kerkhoven, E. J., Lahtvee, P-J. Genome-scale metabolic modeling reveals metabolic trade-offs associated with lipid production in Rhodotorula toruloides // PLoS computational biology (2023) vol. 19, 4, art. e1011009.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011009 - Pismennõi, D., Kattel, A., Belouah, I., Nahku, R., Vilu, R., Kobrin, E-G. The Quantitative Measurement of Peptidoglycan Components Obtained from Acidic Hydrolysis in Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria via Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Mass Spectrometry // Microorganisms (2023) vol. 11, 9, art. 2134.
https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11092134