Strain Improvement Strategies of Industrially Important Microorganisms

Microorganisms are subjected to strain improvement techniques to improve the performance of metabolites produced and increase the efficiency of existing enzymes and pathways that produce compounds of industrial relevance. Strain improvement techniques are used to modify native pathways or to explore previously unknown properties of a non-model organism to synthesize the product of our interest. Recombinant DNA technology is a standard method for introducing desired mutations through plasmid transfer via techniques like transformation or electroporation into the host organism. These microorganisms are introduced with foreign properties by vital genetic manipulations like gene deletion, gene insertion, or overexpression to produce metabolites of industrial interest. Modern-day strategies like the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technique are excellent methods for performing genetic modifications in such cases. In this chapter, we elucidate the various strategies used to introduce gene modifications in these industrially relevant microorganisms toward the proper utilization of natural resources for the betterment of our society.