Biochemical

Engineering
Dr. Syed Nadir Hussain

Contents
Fundamentals of Biochemistry

What is Biochemistry?
Study of life cyclic processes in terms of
chemicals
How life cycle proceeds with mutual
cooperation of various activities of living
beings
Energy is released by breaking of the high
energy storing molecules usually phosphate
containing molecules
Oxidation
of
NADH
(nicotinamide
adenine
dinucleotide ) in the mitochondria is one of the
main reactions

Biochemistry
Some of the chemical/biochemical reactions in the living organisms
are facilitated by another type of compounds called enzymes
Facilitation of a reaction is called as catalysis
Hence enzymes are called as biocatalysts or biological catalysts
Cells themselves contain some of the enzymes

Living organisms contain various bimolecules which are the building

blocks of the cell and also help in storing and releasing energy for
biotransformations
Living organisms contain a large number of bimolecules and they are
essentially composed of carbon and nitrogen. The bimolecules have high
molecular weights and are complex in structure
They include carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, vitamins etc.

LIPIDS
Class of compounds which are fatty/oily in
nature and present in cells and tissues
In addition to fats and oils, some other
biological materials including waxes,
cholesterol and some vitamins and
hormones are also classified as lipids.
General structure of fats and oils
Triglycerides are formed due to the reaction
of alcohol glycerol and long chain fatty
acids such as stearic acid

Characteristics of Lipids
In soluble in water
Soluble in non-polar solvents including hexane,
chloroform etc
Release a lot of energy on breakdown and
therefore considered as the energy storage media
Contain a large proportion of C-H bonds
Upon saponification, release fatty acids and
glycerol
They are synthesized by the cells from sugars
Some lipid compounds such as vitamins and
hormones have intense biological activity

Characteristics of Lipids
As bimolecules, they are constituted of cells wall and
form a protective coating to the cell and encourage
some species. They are also energy carriers and
release energy as and when cell requires it
Lipids also include a heterogeneous group of
structural component. Some lipids are combined with
other classes of compounds and they are known as:
Lipoproteins
Proteolipids
Lipoamino acids
Phosphatidopeptides
Lipopolysaccharides

Fatty acids
Generally available in the esterified
form in cells
May be saturated or unsaturated

GENERALIZED VIEW OF BIOPROCESS

RAW MATERIALS
UPSTREAM PROCESSES
Media Formulation
Inoculum
Equipment
and
Preparation
Sterilization
Sterilization
BIOREACTOR - FERMENTER
Reaction Kinetics Transport Phenomena Instrumentation
and Bioactivity
and Fluid Properties
and Control
DOWNSTREAM PROCESSES
Recovery and
Waste Recovery,
Separation
Purification
Reuse and Treatment
THE BOTTOM LINE
REGULATION

ECONOMICS HEALTH AND SAFETY

Microbiology
Study of microscopic organisms
Important branch of science
As a basic biological science
Deals with nature of life processes and
principles behind, genetics

As an applied biological science

Study of useful as well as pathogenic
microorganisms

Why microbiology is
important?
In biochemical engineering
To understand and analyze the process of
biotechnology
Design and operate different units in rational a way
Therefore, a basic knowledge of cell growth and
function is required
A living microorganism may be conceptualized as a
chemical reactor (take nutrients from environment,
grows, reproduces and releases products)
Products formed and released during cellular
activities could be commercially important

Why microbiology is
important?
Rates of nutrient utilization, growth and release
of products depends upon:
Type of the cells involved
Temperature
Composition of media etc.
Quantitative understanding of biological systems
(correlation of friction factor and Reynolds No.)
Understanding above interactions requires a
foundation built on microbiology and
biochemistry

Industrial Microbiology
Study of the exploitation of the
biochemical potential of microbes for
the production of various products
Antibiotics, vaccines, steroids,
solvents, vitamins etc.
Developments of new products using
genetic engineering

Genetic Engineering

Microsopy
Microorganisms are measured in
smaller units such as microns,
nanometers, millimicrons and
Angstrom
Various microscopes
Difference between ordinary and
electron microscope

Range of microscopic
measurements

Building block of organisms

All living organisms are composed of cells
What is true for Escherichia coli is true for
elephants
Cells are b/w 1 and 50 micrometer in diameter
Basic components of living cell
Cytoplasm
Cell membrane
Nucleus
Ribosome
Mitoch

Cell Nucleus (DNA

Structure)

Cell componets

DNA
DNA determines
Heredity
Cell reproduction
Protein synthesis
When DNA is damaged by foreign
substances, various toxic effects, including:

Mutations
Cancer
Birth effects
Defective immune system

Cell Membrane
Acts as a barrier from external environment
It closes the cell and regulates the passage of
ions, nutrients, metabolic products and fat
soluble substances into and out of it
It is composed of phospholipid bilayer about 8
nm thick
Highly selective membrane enabling the cell to
concentrate specific metabolites and excrete
waste
A number of complex transformation takes place
across the membrane

Cytoplasm
Colloidal in nature
Thick semi-transparent and has
higher water contents
It contains:
Hydrophilic components (protein
particles, carbohydrates and salts)
Hydrophobic components (lipids or fats)
Main function of cytoplasm is absorption
and excretion

Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes

Prokaryotic cell
Genetic material is not enclosed within the membrane
Cell walls contain complex polysaccharide
peptidoglycan
Simple method of reproduction
Size is usually 0.5 to 3 micrometer in diameter

Eukaryotic cell
Eukaryote means true nucleus
Genetic material enclosed in a specialized membrane
They are larger and more complex than prokaryotes
Size range from 2 to 200 micrometer

Applications of Prokaryotes
Metabolically the most diverse of all living systems
Responsible for most degradation processes
Can be grown aerobically and anaerobically
Form a wide range of organic products (this property has both
positive and negative impact on society)
Positive
represent a massive resource of biocatalysis for the
biotransformation of organic materials and the degradation of
herbicides, insecticides and other man-made chemicals
Negative
Represent the principal agents causing the deterioration of
biomaterial e.g food and wood and are major hazards to public
health (food poisoning and other diseases)

Classification of organisms
Classified according to their structure
and function
Divided into three kingdoms
Plants
Animals
Protists (Neither plants nor animals)
Most are unicellular but some have many cells
Cells have a membrane around the nucleus
(eukaryotes)

Classification of organisms
Classifications show differences in several
characteristics including:
Energy and nutritional requirements
Rates of growth and product release
Method of reproduction
Morphology

Classification of organisms

Morphology

Naming the microorganisms

They are named in Latin using binary
nomenclature
First name represents the group or genus
Second name represents the species
Escherichia coli C600
National collection of industrial and marine
bacteria (NCIMB)
American type culture collection (ATCC)
Strain (Astrainis a subset of abacterial
speciesdiffering from other bacteria of the same
species by some minor but identifiable difference)

Aspergillus awamori

Escherichia coli (E. coli)

Escherichia coli (E. coli) chosen as a test microorganism.

E. coli is currently the most specific indicator for faecal
contamination of a water source and therefore it is
considered as a model organism in laboratory research.
The cells are about 2 m long and 0.5 m in diameter, with
a cell volume of 0.6 0.7 m3 (Kubitschek, 1990).
Optimal growth of E. coli occurs at 37C. Under a
microscope,
E. coli is a rod-shaped prokaryotic cell which has a long,
rapidly rotating flagellum (tail) used for movement.
A strain of E. coli is a sub-group within the species that has
unique characteristics that distinguish it from other E. coli
strains.
These differences are often detectable on the molecular
level and may result in changes to the physiology or life
cycle of the bacterium.
For example, a strain may gain pathogenic capacity or the

Different Bacteria
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is a gramnegative rod shaped free living bacterium that is
ubiquitous in the environment
Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a gram positive
bacterium usually arranged in grape like irregular
clusters. Although it occurs widely in the environment
it is found mainly on skin and the mucous membranes
of animals. S. aureus can be released into
environments including swimming pools, spa pools and
other recreational waters by human contact.

 Legionella pneumophila
Legionella pneumophila (L.
pneumophila) is a gram negative rod
shaped bacterium.

Yeasts
Rhodosporidium turoloides
Rhodosporidium turoloides (R. turoloides) Y4 is
oil producing or oleaginous yeast (Wu et al.
2011). Since these species contain intracellular
valuable compounds such as lipids, therefore
the disruption of this yeast would be interesting
in order to release the lipids contained in
vacoules within the yeast cell. Once the lipids
are released biodiesel could be produced via a
conventional transesterification process.