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Robotics for enzyme technology: innovations and technological perspectives

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Abstract

The use of robotics in the life science sector has created a considerable and significant impact on a wide range of research areas, including enzyme technology due to their immense applications in enzyme and microbial engineering as an indispensable tool in high-throughput screening applications. Scientists are experiencing the advanced applications of various biological robots (nanobots), fabricated based on bottom-up or top-down approaches for making nanotechnology scaffolds. Nanobots and enzyme-powered nanomotors are particularly attractive because they are self-propelled vehicles, which consume biocompatible fuels. These smart nanostructures are widely used as drug delivery systems for the efficient treatment of various diseases. This review gives insights into the escalating necessity of robotics and nanobots and their ever-widening applications in enzyme technology, including biofuel production and biomedical applications. It also offers brief insights into high-throughput robotic platforms that are currently being used in enzyme screening applications for monitoring and control of microbial growth conditions.

Key points

• Robotics and their applications in biotechnology are highlighted.

• Robotics for high-throughput enzyme screening and microbial engineering are described.

• Nanobots and enzyme-powered nanomotors as controllable drug delivery systems are reviewed.

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Funding

The infrastructural support from the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, Govt. of India, through FIST grant (Grant No. 1196 SR/FST/LS-I/ 2017/4) and Department of Biotechnology, Government of India (Grant no. BT/PR27437/BCE/8/1433/2018). MD acknowledges the Junior Research Fellowship from CSIR, India (Award No.09/382(0211)/2019-EMR-I).

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  1. Pratyoosh Shukla

    Present address: School of Biotechnology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Enzyme Technology and Protein Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, 124001, India

    Mandeep Dixit, Kusum Panchal & Pratyoosh Shukla

  2. Department of Biotechnology, Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya (A Central University), Sagar, M.P., 470003, India

    Dharini Pandey

  3. Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, 75, Gr, 11855, Athens, Greece

    Nikolaos E. Labrou

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  1. Mandeep Dixit
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  3. Dharini Pandey
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  4. Nikolaos E. Labrou
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Contributions

MD, KP, and DP performed the literature search, collected the data in tables, prepared the figures, and wrote the first draft. PS conceptualized the idea, and PS and NL edited and proofread the manuscript before its submission.

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Correspondence to Pratyoosh Shukla.

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Dixit, M., Panchal, K., Pandey, D. et al. Robotics for enzyme technology: innovations and technological perspectives. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 105, 4089–4097 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-021-11302-1

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