Gastrointestinal bioreactor is a type of biological device that uses the animal gastrointestinal tract as a "natural culture system" and utilizes its physiological environment to synthesize target proteins, active substances, or regulate gut microbiota. Its application scenarios mainly focus onBiomedical, agricultural breeding, food industry, intestinal health researchThe specific fields are as follows:
This is one of the core application directions of gastrointestinal bioreactors, with the advantage of utilizing the cell expression system and natural secretion mechanism of animal gastrointestinal tract to produce high activity recombinant protein drugs at low cost.
Medicinal protein expressionUsing genetic engineering technology to modify the intestinal epithelial cells of animals (such as rabbits, pigs, sheep, etc.) to specifically express target medicinal proteins in the gastrointestinal tract, such asHuman lactoferrin, insulin, growth hormone, antibody fragmentsWait. These proteins will be excreted with intestinal secretions or feces, and can be further isolated and purified to produce drugs. Compared to traditional fermentation tanks, they have lower costs and protein activity that is closer to their natural state.
Oral vaccine developmentIntroduce the gene of vaccine antigen into the host gut microbiota or intestinal cells, allowing the gastrointestinal tract to continuously express the antigen. After animal ingestion, antigens can stimulate intestinal mucosal immune responses, producing mucosal antibodies (IgA), achievingIn situ production and immunization of oral vaccinesIt is suitable for preventing intestinal infectious diseases (such as rotavirus, Escherichia coli infection, etc.), and does not require cold chain transportation, making it more convenient to use.
In situ synthesis of feed additivesTransforming the gut microbiota of farmed animals (chickens, pigs, cows) to synthesize essential nutrients for animals in the gastrointestinal tract, such asAmino acids (lysine, methionine), vitamins (B group, K group), enzyme preparations (phytase, amylase)Wait. This can reduce the amount of artificial additives added to feed, lower breeding costs, improve nutrient absorption efficiency, and promote animal growth.
Prevention and control of animal intestinal diseasesConstructing a gastrointestinal bioreactor expressing antimicrobial peptides and probiotic factors, regulating the balance of gut microbiota, inhibiting the proliferation of harmful bacteria (such as Salmonella and Clostridium perfringens), enhancing animal immunity, reducing the use of antibiotics, and lowering the risk of diseases during the breeding process.
Preparation of functional active substancesUsing microbial based gastrointestinal bioreactors (such as engineered lactic acid bacteria and yeast) to synthesize active ingredients required for functional foods in a simulated human intestinal environment, such asProbiotics, prebiotics, short chain fatty acids, antioxidant peptidesWait. These ingredients can be directly added to yogurt, meal replacement powders, and health foods to regulate the intestines and have antioxidant effects.
Resource utilization of food wastePut agricultural or food processing waste (such as straw, soybean residue, fruit peels) into a biomimetic gastrointestinal bioreactor, utilize the fermentation effect of gut microbiota, convert cellulose, hemicellulose, etc. in the waste into edible protein feed or fermented food raw materials, and achieve resource recycling.
Research on gut microbiota and disease mechanisms: BuildIn vitro biomimetic gastrointestinal bioreactor(Simulates the physiological environment of human stomach small intestine large intestine, including temperature, pH, peristalsis, flora composition, etc.), which is used to study the interaction mechanism between intestinal flora and host, as well as the relationship between flora imbalance and obesity, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease and other diseases, providing theoretical basis for disease prevention and treatment.
Personalized nutrition and drug screeningBased on an in vitro biomimetic reactor, simulate the intestinal characteristics of different populations (such as microbiota type and metabolic capacity), screen personalized dietary plans suitable for specific populations, or evaluate the absorption and metabolism of drugs in the intestine, and optimize drug formulations (such as oral sustained-release formulations).
A gastrointestinal bioreactor constructed using engineered gut microbiota can degrade difficult to degrade pollutants in the environment, such as allowing specific animal gut microbiota to degrade soil or waterPesticide residues, plastic micro particlesThrough the feeding and metabolic processes of animals, harmless treatment of pollutants can be achieved.