title: Crossing boundaries: the importance of cellular membranes in industrial biotechnology.
abstract: How small molecules cross cellular membranes is an often overlooked issue in an industrial microbiology and biotechnology context. This is to a large extent governed by the technical difficulties to study these transport systems or by the lack of knowledge on suitable efflux pumps. This review emphasizes the importance of microbial cellular membranes in industrial biotechnology by highlighting successful strategies of membrane engineering towards more resistant and hence better performing microorganisms, as well as transporter and other engineering strategies for increased efflux of primary and secondary metabolites. Furthermore, the benefits and limitations of eukaryotic subcellular compartmentalization are discussed, as well as the biotechnological potential of membrane vesicles.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sylwia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jezierska
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium. Inge.VanBogaert@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Inge N A
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8144-6466
authors.initials: INA
authors.lastname: Van Bogaert
mesh_terms: D001692:Biological Transport; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D007218:Industrial Microbiology / Q000379:methods*; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000378:metabolism*
keywords: Cellular membrane; Efflux; Export; Subcellular compartmentalization; Toxicity