The story began, perhaps, with a seed of curiosity about nature's mysteries. When we gaze upon snow-capped mountains, seeing the barren landscape blanketed in pristine white, a question always stirs within us: How can life persist so tenaciously in such a harsh, frigid, and barren environment? This curiosity, like a faint light, guided us onto a journey of exploration.
In our relentless pursuit of answers through continuous learning and research, we gradually peeled back the veil of life's mysteries—those organisms capable of surviving in extreme environments carry unique survival wisdom encoded within their genes, and plasmids serve as vital carriers of these "codes of wisdom." This discovery filled us with excitement and sparked our desire to delve deeper into this field.
With this passion, we interviewed and learned from seniors researching related issues. Through our exchanges with them, we gained insight into the rigidity of factory base strains compared to natural microbial strains, gaining our first real understanding of the challenges facing microbial fermentation factories. Drawing from their internship experiences, they detailed production challenges: fermentation strains are highly sensitive to environmental conditions, where even minor fluctuations in temperature or pH can reduce strain activity, ultimately impacting product yield and quality.
To maintain stable fermentation conditions, factories must invest heavily in purchasing and operating equipment for temperature control, acid adjustment, and other processes, significantly increasing production costs. Furthermore, deviations in environmental control can cause batch-to-batch product quality inconsistencies, resulting in substantial economic losses for enterprises.
At the same time, we sought out Professor Yue Haitao as our principal investigator. Under Professor Yue's meticulous guidance alongside senior peers, we systematically mastered methods and techniques for microbial research. From designing experimental protocols to operating laboratory instruments with precision, and analyzing experimental data—every step reflected their dedicated efforts.
With our mentor's support, we not only acquired the "keys" to unlocking nature's wisdom but also clarified our research direction: exploring the potential value of microbial plasmids in extreme environments to offer novel solutions for overcoming industrial fermentation challenges.
When our laboratory research into literature and theoretical analysis reached a pause, we understood that to truly unravel the "survival puzzle" of extreme environment microorganisms, we must step beyond the classroom and into the land of Xinjiang—a place nurturing unique life forms.
There, the deserts and mountains are not only geographically extreme regions but also natural "treasure troves of microbial stress-resistant genes." Guided by preliminary hypotheses about plasmid functions and under the mentorship of senior lab members, we embarked on this challenging yet profoundly meaningful journey of field exploration. We were determined to unravel the "genetic threads" within nature's intricate fabric that could empower industrial fermentation.
We ventured into the desert of Turpan. By day, the scorching sun bakes the earth, with surface temperatures often exceeding 50 degrees Celsius. The sand beneath our feet burns intensely, making every step an arduous struggle. Yet come nightfall, the desert temperature plummets to around 10 degrees Celsius. This extreme dichotomy between day and night tests every member of our sampling team. Yet it was precisely in this extreme environment that we collected numerous microbial samples. These organisms grow silently in the desert, as if demonstrating life's resilience to us.
Leaving the scorching desert behind, we turned our attention to Tianchi Lake in the Tianshan Mountains. Here, at a higher elevation, temperatures are cooler with significant diurnal fluctuations. The lake water is crystal clear, and the surrounding vegetation is sparse. In the soil and water around Tianchi, we sought microorganisms capable of adapting to low temperatures and surviving in this fluctuating thermal environment. Their presence provided us with a more tangible understanding of microbial environmental adaptability.
The process of collecting samples felt more like a dialogue with nature. We seemed to be listening to nature's melody, where each microorganism was a unique note in this "song of nature," narrating their stories of survival in extreme environments.
To gain a more comprehensive understanding of the industry landscape and public perceptions of synthetic biology, we designed a detailed questionnaire survey. The survey content covered multiple aspects, including the public's level of understanding of synthetic biology, awareness of microbial fermentation products, and expectations for biotechnology development. We distributed the questionnaire through a combination of online and offline methods, collecting a total of 265 valid responses.
Survey results indicate that over 70% of respondents are unfamiliar with the concept of synthetic biology, with only those working in related industries or studying relevant disciplines able to accurately describe its definition and application areas. Regarding awareness of microbial fermentation products, most people are only familiar with common items like alcoholic beverages and yogurt, while having limited knowledge of fermentation products in fields such as pharmaceuticals and new materials. In terms of expectations for synthetic biology technology development, the majority hope biotechnology will play a greater role in improving product quality, reducing production costs, and minimizing environmental pollution. We also note the public's significant concern about safety issues related to synthetic biology.
The findings of this survey have made us realize that we must not only address the technical challenges of industrial fermentation but also strengthen public outreach on synthetic biology to enhance public awareness. Additionally, the survey explored preferred formats for synthetic biology outreach. Data indicates the public favors animated educational content, while also showing significant interest in lab open houses and interactive educational games. Some respondents suggested alternative formats like lectures in the open-ended section, providing valuable insights for our team's future outreach strategies.
Subsequently, through our senior classmate Li Yaxin, we made contact with Xinjiang Fufeng Company and proceeded to conduct preliminary research at their microbial production facility in Xinjiang. Guided by the plant manager, we toured multiple production sections including the fermentation workshop, extraction workshop, and finished product inspection workshop. In the fermentation workshop, we observed rows of massive fermentation tanks arranged in orderly formation. Inside each tank, fermentation broth churned continuously under the action of stirring paddles, while the air carried the distinctive odor of microbial metabolic byproducts.
The engineer explained that to ensure fermentation process stability, parameters such as temperature, humidity, and pH within the workshop must be strictly controlled. Any deviation in these parameters requires immediate adjustment, as failure to do so would adversely affect microbial growth and product synthesis. In the extraction workshop, we learned that the product extraction process is complex, involving multiple stages, with some steps being particularly energy-intensive. Through this investigation, we gained a deeper understanding of the challenges facing the microbial fermentation industry and strengthened our resolve to address these issues through research on plasmids from extreme environment microorganisms.
Meeting Minutes: Guided by company staff, our team entered the fermentation production area. Through on-site observation, we gained a more intuitive and in-depth understanding of the industrial fermentation process. In the fermentation equipment control area, we saw that parameters such as temperature, pressure, pH level, and agitator motor speed were all monitored in real time via computer systems. Should any value exceed safety thresholds, an automatic alarm would trigger. This automated control system significantly enhances production stability.
We also noted that fermentation tanks were designed independently, each requiring separate inoculation with seed culture to implement single-batch fermentation per tank. The inoculation process for seed tanks remained manual, highlighting the contrast between automated laboratory inoculation and industrial manual inoculation.
Regarding material flow and sampling, we learned that post-fermentation, the fermented liquid is conveyed via dedicated pipelines to subsequent processes, ensuring continuous production. Dedicated sampling ports at the tank bottoms allow pressure-assisted discharge for sampling. Staff periodically send samples to the laboratory for testing. This real-time monitoring model provided us with new insights into the precision management of the production process.
Subsequently, we toured fermentation tanks of various specifications, each offering valuable insights into their functions and application scenarios. Small tanks, primarily used for experimentation, feature compact volumes and structures similar to laboratory fermenters while retaining core functionality. Their purpose is to conduct pilot-scale trials before full-scale production, thereby avoiding the high risks associated with direct trial runs in large tanks—which can incur costs ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands per batch.
This demonstrated the company's rigorous approach to cost control. Semi-automated tanks are equipped with automatic valves and solenoid valves, enabling exhaust gas monitoring. Fully automated tanks achieve end-to-end automation for sterilization, pipeline cleaning, discharge, and filtration. They require only parameter setup to initiate operation. Feed-through fermentation is controlled by machine-regulated flow rates. However, the company noted that “on-demand feeding” (precision replenishment upon detecting material loss) remains technically unfeasible domestically, highlighting a key industry challenge.
Regarding detection equipment, each fermenter is equipped with dissolved oxygen electrodes, pH electrodes, thermometers, and other components to provide hardware support for parameter monitoring. During our on-site discussion with the company, we also explored the reliability of OD values. Technical personnel indicated that due to factors like feed supplementation, evaporation, and ingredient variations, OD values serve only as a reference. For precise monitoring of microbial growth, domestic Raman spectroscopy solutions exist but require extensive experimental data for modeling, limiting their current practicality. This insight provides crucial reference for our subsequent technology selection.
Our team's exchange visit aimed to gain in-depth understanding of the company's actual production needs, ensuring our research outcomes are implemented rather than remaining theoretical. Throughout the exchange, our team maintained an open and pragmatic attitude, engaging in thorough discussions with the company on integrating strain plasmid research with industrial applications. Communication flowed smoothly, with both parties demonstrating strong willingness to collaborate. This exchange and visit not only provided us with crucial insights into bridging technology with production but also established a solid foundation for collaboration with Fufeng Company. It has accumulated invaluable experience for our subsequent research and competitions.