Strain improvement and development involves manipulating microbial strains to enhance their metabolic capacities for biotechnology applications. Targets of improvement include rapid growth, genetic stability, non-toxicity, large cell size, ability to use cheaper substrates, increased productivity, and reduced cultivation costs. Methods for optimization include modifying environmental conditions, nutrition, mutagenesis, transduction, conjugation, transformation, and genetic engineering. Common industrial microorganisms improved include Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.