Bio-manufacturing process
The process of making a biocomposite material utilize a bacterial species and a fungal species in an agricultural feedstock composed of a substrate of non-nutrient discrete particles and a nutrient material wherein the bacterial species imparts mechanical properties to the biocomposite material and the fungal species binds the biocomposite material. Both bacterium and fungus can be genetically engineered to produce desired properties within the microbial communities.
1. A process comprising:
obtaining a feedstock including non-nutrient discrete particles, a nutrient material and at least one native microbial species;
isolating said at least one native microbial species from said feedstock;
subjecting said isolated native microbial species to genetic processing to transform said native microbial species into a genetically engineered microbial species having predetermined characteristics;
thereafter returning said genetically engineered microbial species into said feedstock; and
cohabitating at least one filamentous fungal species with said genetically engineered microbial species in the feedstock, thereby producing a biocomposite material with desired properties.
2. The process of claim 1 , wherein said native microbial species is at least one of Bacillus spp. and Streptomyces spp.
3. The process of claim 2 , wherein at least one of said characteristics is producing a bio-film containing poly-gamma-glutamic acid in said feedstock, producing natamycin in said feedstock and producing an antifungal protein (AFP1) native to Streptomyces tendae in said feedstock.
4. The process of claim 2 , wherein said native microbial species is Bacillus spp.
5. The process of claim 4 , wherein at least one of said characteristics is producing a bio-film containing poly-gamma-glutamic acid in said feedstock.
6. The process of claim 4 , wherein at least one of said characteristics is producing natamycin in said feedstock.
7. The process of claim 4 , wherein at least one of said characteristics is producing an antifungal protein (AFP1) native to Streptomyces tendae in said feedstock.
8. The process of claim 2 , wherein said native microbial species is Streptomyces spp.
9. The process of claim 8 , wherein said native microbial species is Streptomyces natalensis.
10. The process of claim 9 , wherein at least one of said characteristics is producing a bio-film containing poly-gamma-glutamic acid in said feedstock.
11. The process of claim 9 , wherein at least one of said characteristics is producing natamycin in said feedstock.
12. The process of claim 9 , wherein at least one of said characteristics is producing an antifungal protein (AFP1) native to Streptomyces tendae in said feedstock.
13. The process of claim 8 , wherein said native microbial species is Streptomyces tendae.
14. The process of claim 13 , wherein at least one of said characteristics is producing a bio-film containing poly-gamma-glutamic acid in said feedstock.
15. The process of claim 13 , wherein at least one of said characteristics is producing natamycin in said feedstock.
16. The process of claim 13 , wherein at least one of said characteristics is producing an antifungal protein (AFP1) native to Streptomyces tendae in said feedstock.
17. The process of claim 8 , wherein said native microbial species is Streptomyces alboniger.
18. The process of claim 17 , wherein at least one of said characteristics is producing a bio-film containing poly-gamma-glutamic acid in said feedstock.
19. The process of claim 17 , wherein at least one of said characteristics is producing natamycin in said feedstock.
20. The process of claim 17 , wherein at least one of said characteristics is producing an antifungal protein (AFP1) native to Streptomyces tendae in said feedstock.
21. The process of claim 1 , wherein obtaining comprises obtaining the feedstock further including the at least one filamentous fungal species.
22. The process of claim 1 , further comprising subjecting said filamentous fungal species to genetic processing to transform said filamentous fungal species into a genetically engineered filamentous fungal species having predetermined characteristics.
23. The process of claim 22 , wherein returning further comprises returning said genetically engineered filamentous fungal species into said feedstock.
24. The process of claim 1 , wherein said desired properties is at least one of mechanical properties, morphological properties, and antimicrobial properties.