Joerg M. Buescher, A. Margaritis
Jan 1, 2007
Citations
10
Influential Citations
231
Citations
Quality indicators
Journal
Critical Reviews in Biotechnology
Abstract
ABSTRACT This review article provides an updated critical literature review on the production and applications of Polyglutamic Acid (PGA). α-PGA is synthesized chemically, whereas γ-PGA can be produced by a number of microbial species, most prominently various Bacilli. Great insight into the microbial formation of γ-PGA has been gained thanks to the development of molecular biological techniques. Moreover, there is a great variety of applications for both isoforms of PGA, many of which have not been discovered until recently. These applications include: wastewater treatment, food products, drug delivery, medical adhesives, vaccines, PGA nanoparticles for on-site drug release in cancer chemotherapy, and tissue engineering.