Bacterial biopolymers: From production to applications in biomedicine

Abstract

Bacterial polymers obtained tremendous attention over the decades owing to its widespread use in biomedical applications. A better understanding on metabolic pathways and development of improved production strategies through metabolic engineering tools to synthesize tailor made polymer materials to meet their applicability in biomedicine. This review focuses on wide range of these biocompatible polymeric materials include polysaccharides, polyesters, polyamides and polyphosphates with wound healing, antioxidant, antitumor, antimicrobial activities. This review focuses on the advantages of various biomaterials to obtain controlled/sustained drug release and tissue engineering applications in biomedical field and the applications of microbial polysaccharides as drugs in pharmaceutical industry. This review describes the most prominent biomedical applications of bacterial biopolymer material as wound healing bandages, drug delivery, tissue engineering, ortho-dental applications and hydrogels. Reviews the future aspects based on economic feasibility and challenges in mass production and downstream processing of biopolymers and its tailor made synthesis to accomplish diverse applications.