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Microalgal assimilation of vitamin B 12 toward the production of a superfood
Author(s) -
Pereira João,
Simões Manuel,
Silva Joana L.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of food biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.507
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1745-4514
pISSN - 0145-8884
DOI - 10.1111/jfbc.12911
Subject(s) - vitamin b12 , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , food science , vitamin , microorganism , lactobacillus reuteri , assimilation (phonology) , bacteria , biochemistry , lactobacillus , fermentation , linguistics , genetics , philosophy
A network of components from different metabolic pathways is the building scaffold of an indispensable compound in the human organism—vitamin B 12 . The biosynthesis of this compound is restricted to a limited number of representatives of bacteria and archaea, while vitamin B 12 ‐dependent enzymes are spread through several domains of life. Different attempts have been performed to increase vitamin B 12 levels in dietary products, particularly in vegetarian and vegan dietary regimes. The integration of vitamin B 12 in microalgae through symbiosis with microorganisms generally recognized as safe, for example the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri , can even increase the nutritional value of the microalgal biomass. This study reviews the microbial production of vitamin B 12 based on genetic analyses and chemical studies. Recent genetic approaches are focused, particularly potential metabolic engineering targets to increase vitamin B 12 production. The bioincorporation of vitamin B 12 in microalgae as an attempt to provide a superfood is also reviewed. Practical applications Novel food habits (i.e., vegan lifestyle) may lack relevant nutrients, including vitamin B 12 . Therefore, there is an increased demand for dietary products rich in vitamin B 12 . Of potential interest is the provision of microbial‐based superfood rich in numerous nutrients, including this vitamin. This manuscript provides an in‐depth and timely overview on vitamin B 12 biosynthesis and the major advances on metabolic engineering for improved vitamin B 12 production by probiotic bacteria and other microorganisms generally recognized as safe. A relevant advance would result from the bioincorporation of vitamin B 12 in alternative microorganisms (non‐vitamin B 12 producers) increasingly recognized as superfood, that is microalgae.