The enhancement of strains in terms of performance and robustness requires the development of complex traits in a way that is difficult and sometimes even impossible to target with genetic engineering. In contrast, BioTork’s evolutionary optimization technology allows for the use of selection scenarios that greatly improve robustness and performance, as a consequence having large beneficial effects in terms of value creation (capital turnover, low operational costs).

Below is a complete list of possible selection scenarios using BioTork’s technology:

• Growth rate
• Biomass yield
• Improved utilization of nutrients that are already metabolizable, include carbon sources, nitrogen sources, etc…
• Improved utilization of nutrients in GMO organisms where novel nutrient assimilation pathways have been inserted
• Improved production of desired products in GMO organisms where novel pathways tied to growth have been inserted
• Adaptation to unrefined real-world substrates that are already metabolizable
• Secreted enzyme production
• Adaptation to alternative starting pH values
• Adaptation to alternative aeration levels
• Improved production of products/metabolites tied to growth rate
• Tolerance to inhibitory compounds and mixes of compounds
• Temperature tolerance below the normal threshold of death
• Selection for alternative morphologies (less/more flocculation or filamentous growth)
• Adaptation to higher feedstock loading
• Robustness with respect to a range of conditions
• Temperature tolerance above the normal threshold of death
• Reduction in undesirable co-products not tied to growth
• Utilization of suboptimal nutrients
• Photoautotrophic growth
• Adaptation to non-standard gas mixes
• Solid state fermentations
• Improved production of desired products in GMO organisms where novel pathways NOT tied to growth have been inserted
• Uncoupling gene regulation and expression for genes whose products encode functions essential for a particular growth condition
• Evolution of novel pathways requiring a single gene function not encoded by the existing genome but that require the retooling of an existing genetic homolog
• Evolution of novel polygenic pathways not encoded by the existing genome
• Improved utilization of nutrients not normally metabolized by the strain
• Improved production of secondary metabolites not tied to growth
• Scenarios requiring strict pH or DO control
• Selection for traits at the cellular level that are only expressed at the tissue level after cellular differentiation