Production of biocatalysts

The development of sustainable biotechnological processes for the production of platform and fine chemicals requires high-performance biocatalysts. Depending on the specific application, these can be enzymes or microorganisms as whole cell catalysts.

 

From screening to production on pilot scale

The development of stable, highly active enzymes begins with screening for new enzymes, e.g. in soil samples or, if there is sufficient data on structure-function relationships, in sequence databases. Once suitable candidates have been found, we use bacteria or yeasts for the efficient production of the enzymes. We establish and optimize their cultivation from shaking flask scale to laboratory reactors and pilot plant scale.

We design scalable processes and carry them out on a laboratory and pilot plant scale. We transfer these model tests up to the pilot scale (10 m³) and carry out the processes at project partners and customers or at Fraunhofer CBP.

We also use this expertise for suitable whole-cell catalysts. Here we use organisms that we optimize through metabolic analyses and strain development. In this way, the potential of the organisms can be optimally used and adapted to the target process.