South Africa's indigenous microbial diversity for industrial applications: A review of the current status and opportunities
The unique metagenomic, metaviromic libraries and indigenous micro diversity within Southern Africa have the potential for global beneficiation in academia and industry. Microorganisms that flourish at high temperatures, adverse pH conditions, and high salinity are likely to have enzyme systems that...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023039300 |
| _version_ | 1797807203158065152 |
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| author | Varsha Chhiba Priyen Pillay Sibongile Mtimka Ghaneshree Moonsamy Lusisizwe Kwezi Ofentse J. Pooe Tsepo L. Tsekoa |
| author_facet | Varsha Chhiba Priyen Pillay Sibongile Mtimka Ghaneshree Moonsamy Lusisizwe Kwezi Ofentse J. Pooe Tsepo L. Tsekoa |
| author_sort | Varsha Chhiba |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The unique metagenomic, metaviromic libraries and indigenous micro diversity within Southern Africa have the potential for global beneficiation in academia and industry. Microorganisms that flourish at high temperatures, adverse pH conditions, and high salinity are likely to have enzyme systems that function efficiently under those conditions. These attributes afford researchers and industries alternative approaches that could replace existing chemical processes. Thus, a better understanding of African microbial/genetic diversity is crucial for the development of “greener” industries. A concerted drive to exploit the potential locked in biological resources has been previously seen with companies such as Diversa Incorporated and Verenium (Badische Anilin-und SodaFabrik-BASF) both building business models that pioneered the production of high-performance specialty enzymes for a variety of different industrial applications. The market potential and accompanying industry offerings have not been fully exploited in South Africa, nor in Africa at large. Utilization of the continent's indigenous microbial repositories could create long-lasting, sustainable growth in various production sectors, providing economic growth in resource-poor regions. By bolstering local manufacture of high-value bio-based products, scientific and engineering discoveries have the potential to generate new industries which in turn would provide employment avenues for many skilled and unskilled laborers. The positive implications of this could play a role in altering the face of business markets on the continent from costly import-driven markets to income-generating export markets. This review focuses on identifying microbially diverse areas located in South Africa while providing a profile for all associated microbial/genetically derived libraries in this country. A comprehensive list of all the relevant researchers and potential key players is presented, mapping out existing research networks for the facilitation of collaboration. The overall aim of this review is to facilitate a coordinated journey of exploration, one which will hopefully realize the value that South Africa's microbial diversity has to offer. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T06:19:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cb61b6b8322b478db13ef82bafe38522 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T06:19:02Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-cb61b6b8322b478db13ef82bafe385222023-06-10T04:28:08ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402023-06-0196e16723South Africa's indigenous microbial diversity for industrial applications: A review of the current status and opportunitiesVarsha Chhiba0Priyen Pillay1Sibongile Mtimka2Ghaneshree Moonsamy3Lusisizwe Kwezi4Ofentse J. Pooe5Tsepo L. Tsekoa6Future Production: Chemicals Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South AfricaFuture Production: Chemicals Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South AfricaFuture Production: Chemicals Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa; School of Life Sciences, Discipline of Biochemistry, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaFuture Production: Chemicals Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South AfricaFuture Production: Chemicals Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South AfricaSchool of Life Sciences, Discipline of Biochemistry, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaFuture Production: Chemicals Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa; Corresponding author. P.O. Box 395, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa.The unique metagenomic, metaviromic libraries and indigenous micro diversity within Southern Africa have the potential for global beneficiation in academia and industry. Microorganisms that flourish at high temperatures, adverse pH conditions, and high salinity are likely to have enzyme systems that function efficiently under those conditions. These attributes afford researchers and industries alternative approaches that could replace existing chemical processes. Thus, a better understanding of African microbial/genetic diversity is crucial for the development of “greener” industries. A concerted drive to exploit the potential locked in biological resources has been previously seen with companies such as Diversa Incorporated and Verenium (Badische Anilin-und SodaFabrik-BASF) both building business models that pioneered the production of high-performance specialty enzymes for a variety of different industrial applications. The market potential and accompanying industry offerings have not been fully exploited in South Africa, nor in Africa at large. Utilization of the continent's indigenous microbial repositories could create long-lasting, sustainable growth in various production sectors, providing economic growth in resource-poor regions. By bolstering local manufacture of high-value bio-based products, scientific and engineering discoveries have the potential to generate new industries which in turn would provide employment avenues for many skilled and unskilled laborers. The positive implications of this could play a role in altering the face of business markets on the continent from costly import-driven markets to income-generating export markets. This review focuses on identifying microbially diverse areas located in South Africa while providing a profile for all associated microbial/genetically derived libraries in this country. A comprehensive list of all the relevant researchers and potential key players is presented, mapping out existing research networks for the facilitation of collaboration. The overall aim of this review is to facilitate a coordinated journey of exploration, one which will hopefully realize the value that South Africa's microbial diversity has to offer.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023039300AfricaMicrobial diversityCulture collectionMetagenomicsMetaviromicsResearch networks |
| spellingShingle | Varsha Chhiba Priyen Pillay Sibongile Mtimka Ghaneshree Moonsamy Lusisizwe Kwezi Ofentse J. Pooe Tsepo L. Tsekoa South Africa's indigenous microbial diversity for industrial applications: A review of the current status and opportunities Heliyon Africa Microbial diversity Culture collection Metagenomics Metaviromics Research networks |
| title | South Africa's indigenous microbial diversity for industrial applications: A review of the current status and opportunities |
| title_full | South Africa's indigenous microbial diversity for industrial applications: A review of the current status and opportunities |
| title_fullStr | South Africa's indigenous microbial diversity for industrial applications: A review of the current status and opportunities |
| title_full_unstemmed | South Africa's indigenous microbial diversity for industrial applications: A review of the current status and opportunities |
| title_short | South Africa's indigenous microbial diversity for industrial applications: A review of the current status and opportunities |
| title_sort | south africa s indigenous microbial diversity for industrial applications a review of the current status and opportunities |
| topic | Africa Microbial diversity Culture collection Metagenomics Metaviromics Research networks |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023039300 |
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