Construction of Recombinant Bacillus subtilis Strains Producing Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid finds expanding application in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, resulting in an increasing need for the high-quality substance. The main production processes to obtain hyaluronic acid in commercial quantities are extraction from animal tissues and bacterial fermentation using opportunistic Streptococcus strains. The production by recombinant bacteria that are safe for humans seems to be an efficient and economically viable way to obtain hyaluronic acid. The recombinant producer strains constructed on the basis of the Bacillus subtilis platform make it possible to obtain the yield and quality of the product comparable to those of commercially developed Streptococcus strains. By varying genetic, biochemical, and biotechnological factors, it becomes possible to obtain products with different target molecular weights. Despite the results achieved, the potential of the B. subtilis platform for the construction of recombinant hyaluronic acid producer strains has not been exhausted.