Synthesis of poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) by mutant and recombinant Pseudomonas strains

We have studied the accumulation kinetics and physical characteristics of the poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) (PHAs) formed by several Pseudomonas strains, mutants and recombinants. Although PHA synthesis generally begins only after an essential nutrient such as N, P, S or Mg becomes limiting, we have identified at least one strain (P. putida KT2442) that begins producing PHA during the exponential growth phase. This PHA is chemically and physically identical to that produced by P. oleovorans GPol, the strain in which we first identified PHA. Analysis of the PHA formed by a mutant strain defective in PHA degradation (P. oleovorans GPo500) revealed that the molecular mass (M_w), the monomer composition and thermal characteristics were similar to that of the PHA of the wild-type parent strain P. oleovorans GPo1. The pha locus of P. oleovorans encodes enzymes that are involved in PHA biosynthesis and degradation. It has been subcloned to study the two PHA polymerases separately in a PHA^– mutant (GPp104) derived from P. putida KT2442. The recombinant strains accumulated lower PHA levels than the wild-type strains, and the M_w of these polymers were lower than those produced by the wild-type P. oleovorans and parent strain. The monomer composition of the two PHAs formed by the two PHA polymerases differed, indicating that the PHA polymerases have different substrate specificities for the incorporation of 3-hydroxyoctanoate and 3-hydroxyhexanoate monomers into PHA. Despite these differences, the PHAs formed were essentially indistinguishable from wild-type PHAs with respect to their thermal characteristics.Correspondence to: B. Witholt     

Formation of Polyesters by Pseudomonas oleovorans: Effect of Substrates on Formation and Composition of Poly-(R)-3-Hydroxyalkanoates and Poly-(R)-3-Hydroxyalkenoates

Pseudomonas oleovorans grows on C₆ to C₁₂n-alkanes and 1-alkenes. These substrates are oxidized to the corresponding fatty acids, which are oxidized further via the β-oxidation pathway, yielding shorter fatty acids which have lost one or more C₂ units. P. oleovorans normally utilizes β-oxidation pathway intermediates for growth, but in this paper we show that the intermediate 3-hydroxy fatty acids can also be polymerized to intracellular poly-(R)-3-hydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) when the medium contains limiting amounts of essential elements, such as nitrogen. The monomer composition of these polyesters is a reflection of the substrates used for growth of P. oleovorans. The largest monomer found in PHAs always contained as many C atoms as did the n-alkane used as a substrate. Monomers which were shorter by one or more C₂ units were also observed. Thus, for C-even substrates, only C-even monomers were found, the smallest being (R)-3-hydroxyhexanoate. For C-odd substrates, only C-odd monomers were found, with (R)-3-hydroxyheptanoate as the smallest monomer. 1-Alkenes were also incorporated into PHAs, albeit less efficiently and with lower yields than n-alkanes. These PHAs contained both saturated and unsaturated monomers, apparently because the 1-alkene substrates could be oxidized to carboxylic acids at either the saturated or the unsaturated ends. Up to 55% of the PHA monomers contained terminal double bonds when P. oleovorans was grown on 1-alkenes. The degree of unsaturation of PHAs could be modulated by varying the ratio of alkenes to alkanes in the growth medium. Since 1-alkenes were also shortened before being polymerized, as was the case for n-alkanes, copolymers which varied with respect to both monomer chain length and the percentage of terminal double bonds were formed during nitrogen-limited growth of P. oleovorans on 1-alkenes. Such polymers are expected to be useful for future chemical modifications.     

PHAMCL biosynthesis systems in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas putida strains show differences on monomer specificities

The production of PHA from plant oils by Pseudomonas species soil isolated from a sugarcane crop was evaluated. Out of 22 bacterial strains three were able to use efficiently plant oils to grow and to accumulate PHA. Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains produced PHA presenting differences on monomer composition compatible with variability on monomer specificity of their PHA biosynthesis system. The molar fraction of 3-hydroxydodecanoate detected in the PHA was linearly correlated to the oleic acid supplied. A non-linear relationship between the molar fractions of 3-hydroxy-6-dodecenoate (3HDdΔ₆) detected in PHA and the linoleic acid supplied was observed, compatible with saturation in the biosynthesis system capability to channel intermediate of β-oxidation to PHA synthesis. Although P. putida showed a higher 3HDdΔ₆ yield from linoleic acid when compared to P. aeruginosa, in both species it was less than 10% of the maximum theoretical value. These results contribute to the knowledge about the biosynthesis of PHA with a controlled composition from plant oils allowing in the future establishing the production of these polyesters as tailor-made polymers.     

Coexpression of Genetically Engineered 3-Ketoacyl-ACP Synthase III (fabH) and Polyhydroxyalkanoate Synthase (phaC) Genes Leads to Short-Chain-Length-Medium-Chain-Length Polyhydroxyalkanoate Copolymer Production from Glucose in Escherichia coli JM109

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) can be divided into three main types based on the sizes of the monomers incorporated into the polymer. Short-chain-length (SCL) PHAs consist of monomer units of C₃ to C₅, medium-chain-length (MCL) PHAs consist of monomer units of C₆ to C₁₄, and SCL-MCL PHAs consist of monomers ranging in size from C₄ to C₁₄. Although previous studies using recombinant Escherichia coli have shown that either SCL or MCL PHA polymers could be produced from glucose, this study presents the first evidence that an SCL-MCL PHA copolymer can be made from glucose in recombinant E. coli. The 3-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthase III gene (fabH) from E. coli was modified by saturation point mutagenesis at the codon encoding amino acid 87 of the FabH protein sequence, and the resulting plasmids were cotransformed with either the pAPAC plasmid, which harbors the Aeromonas caviae PHA synthase gene (phaC), or the pPPAC plasmid, which harbors the Pseudomonas sp. strain 61-3 PHA synthase gene (phaC1), and the abilities of these strains to accumulate PHA from glucose were assessed. It was found that overexpression of several of the mutant fabH genes enabled recombinant E. coli to induce the production of monomers of C₄ to C₁₀ and subsequently to produce unusual PHA copolymers containing SCL and MCL units. The results indicate that the composition of PHA copolymers may be controlled by the monomer-supplying enzyme and further reinforce the idea that fatty acid biosynthesis may be used to supply monomers for PHA production.     

Engineering Native and Synthetic Pathways in Pseudomonas putida for the Production of Tailored Polyhydroxyalkanoates

Growing environmental concern sparks renewed interest in the sustainable production of (bio)materials that can replace oil-derived goods. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are isotactic polymers that play a critical role in the central metabolism of producer bacteria, as they act as dynamic reservoirs of carbon and reducing equivalents. PHAs continue to attract industrial attention as a starting point toward renewable, biodegradable, biocompatible, and versatile thermoplastic and elastomeric materials. Pseudomonas species have been known for long as efficient biopolymer producers, especially for medium-chain-length PHAs. The surge of synthetic biology and metabolic engineering approaches in recent years offers the possibility of exploiting the untapped potential of Pseudomonas cell factories for the production of tailored PHAs. In this article, an overview of the metabolic and regulatory circuits that rule PHA accumulation in Pseudomonas putida is provided, and approaches leading to the biosynthesis of novel polymers (e.g., PHAs including nonbiological chemical elements in their structures) are discussed. The potential of novel PHAs to disrupt existing and future market segments is closer to realization than ever before. The review is concluded by pinpointing challenges that currently hinder the wide adoption of bio-based PHAs, and strategies toward programmable polymer biosynthesis from alternative substrates in engineered P. putida strains are proposed.     

Intracellular degradation of two structurally different polyhydroxyalkanoic acids accumulated in Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas citronellolis from mixtures of octanoic acid and 5-phenylvaleric acid

From a set of mixed carbon sources, 5-phenylvaleric acid (PV) and octanoic acid (OA), polyhydroxyalkanoic acid (PHA) was separately accumulated in the two pseudomonads Pseudomonas putida BM01 and Pseudomonas citronellolis (ATCC 13674) to investigate any structural difference between the two PHA accumulated under a similar culture condition using one-step culture technique. The resulting polymers were isolated by chloroform solvent extraction and characterized by fractional precipitation and differential scanning calorimetry. The solvent fractionation analysis showed that the PHA synthesized by P. putida was separated into two fractions, 3-hydroxy-5-phenylvalerate (3HPV))-rich PHA fraction in the precipitate phase and 3-hydroxyoctanoate (3HO)-rich PHA fraction in the solution phase whereas the PHA produced by P. citronellolis exhibited a rather little compositional separation into the two phases. According to the thermal analysis, the P. putida PHA exhibited two glass transitions indicative of the PHA not being homogeneous whereas the P. citronellolis PHA exhibited only one glass transition. It was found that the structural heterogeneity of the P. putida PHA was caused by a significant difference in the assimilation rate between PV and OA. The structural heterogeneity present in the P. putida PHA was also confirmed by a first order degradation kinetics analysis of the PHA in the cells. The two different first-order degradation rate constants (k₁), 0.087 and 0.015/h for 3HO- and 3HPV-unit, respectively, were observed in a polymer system over the first 20 h of degradation. In the later degradation period, the disappearance rate of 3HO-unit was calculated to be 0.020 h. The k₁ value of 0.083/h, almost the same as for the 3HO-unit in the P. putida PHA, was obtained for the P(3HO) accumulated in P. putida BM01 grown on OA as the only carbon source. In addition, the k₁ value of 0.015/h for the 3HPV-unit in the P. putida PHA, was also close to 0.019/h for the P(3HPV) homopolymer accumulated in P. putida BM01 grown on PV plus butyric acid. On the contrary, the k₁ values for the P. citronellolis PHA were determined to be 0.035 and 0.029/h for 3HO- and 3HPV-unit, respectively, thus these two relatively close values implying a random copolymer nature of the P. citronellolis PHA. In addition, the faster degradation of P(3HO) than P(3HPV) by the intracellular P. putida PHA depolymerase indicates that the enzyme is more specific against the aliphatic PHA than the aromatic PHA.     

Poly‐3‐hydroxyalkanoate synthases from Pseudomonas putida U: substrate specificity and ultrastructural studies

The substrate specificity of the two polymerases (PhaC1 and PhaC2) involved in the biosynthesis of medium‐chain‐length poly‐hydroxyalkanoates (mcl PHAs) in Pseudomonas putida U has been studied in vivo. For these kind of experiments, two recombinant strains derived from a genetically engineered mutant in which the whole pha locus had been deleted (P. putida U Δpha) were employed. These bacteria, which expresses only phaC1 (P. putida U Δpha pMC‐phaC1) or only phaC2 (P. putida U Δpha pMC‐phaC2), accumulated different PHAs in function of the precursor supplemented to the culture broth. Thus, the P. putida U Δpha pMC‐phaC1 strain was able to synthesize several aliphatic and aromatic PHAs when hexanoic, heptanoic, octanoic decanoic, 5‐phenylvaleric, 6‐phenylhexanoic, 7‐phenylheptanoic, 8‐phenyloctanoic or 9‐phenylnonanoic acid were used as precursors; the highest accumulation of polymers was observed when the precursor used were decanoic acid (aliphatic PHAs) or 6‐phenylhexanoic acid (aromatic PHAs). However, although it synthesizes similar aliphatic PHAs (the highest accumulation was observed when hexanoic acid was the precursor) the other recombinant strain (P. putida U Δpha pMC‐phaC2) only accumulated aromatic PHAs when the monomer to be polymerized was 3‐hydroxy‐5‐phenylvaleryl‐CoA. The possible influence of the putative three‐dimensional structures on the different catalytic behaviour of PhaC1 and PhaC2 is discussed.     

Physiological Characterization and Genetic Engineering of Pseudomonas corrugata for Medium-Chain-Length Polyhydroxyalkanoates Synthesis from Triacylglycerols

Pseudomonas belonging to the rRNA-DNA homology group I produce medium-chain-length (mcl)-polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). We show that P. corrugata, a member of this group, accumulates 0.5–1.0 g of mcl-PHA/L of culture when grown on glucose (Gl) or oleic acid (Ol). The predominant monomers of Gl-PHA and Ol-PHA are β-hydroxydecanoate and β-hydroxyoctanoate, respectively. The molecular masses and polydispersity of P. corrugata PHAs are higher than those typically found with other Pseudomonas. We electrotransformed P. corrugata with a plasmid pCN51lip-1 carrying Pseudomonas lipase genes to generate strain III111-1. The recombinant strain grew on intact triacylglycerols (TAGs) to 1.9–2.7 g of cell-dry-weight/L of culture. The yields and the predominant repeat-units of PHAs obtained from the lard- and tallow-grown III111-1 were similar to those of Ol-PHA from wild-type cells. In contrast to other Pseudomonas species, P. corrugata III111-1 grown on TAGs at temperatures up to 36°C was not significantly affected with regard to cell yields, amounts of PHA produced, and the repeat unit compositions of the polymer. Received: 29 May 2001 / Accepted: 2 July 2001     

Cometabolic biosynthesis of copolyesters consisting of 3-hydroxyvalerate and medium-chain-length 3-hydroxyalkanoates by Pseudomonas sp. DSY-82

A newly isolated strain, designated as Pseudomonas sp. DSY-82, synthesized medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoate (MCL-PHA) copolyesters when grown on alkanoates from hexanoate to undecanoate as the sole carbon source. When used alone, butyrate and valerate supported the growth of the isolate but not PHA production. However, unusual polyesters containing 3-hydroxyvalerate, as well as various MCL 3-hydroxyalkanoate monomeric units, were synthesized when valerate was cofed with either nonanoate or 10-undecenoate, suggesting the formation of monomer units from both substrates. Concentrations of 3-hydroxyvalerate, 3-hydroxyoctanoate, and 3-hydroxydecanoate in the PHAs produced were significantly elevated by the addition of valerate, indicating that the incorporation of these monomer units to PHA occurred primarily through cometabolism. The total amount of these monomer units in the PHAs reached up to 30%. The PHAs produced in this study were most likely random copolyesters as determined by differential scanning calorimetric analysis. This is the first case of microbial synthesis of copolyesters consisting of 3-hydroxyvalerate and MCL 3-hydroxyalkanoate monomer units through cometabolism.     

Biosynthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoate homopolymers by Pseudomonas putida

Pseudomonas putida KT2442 has been a well-studied producer of medium-chain-length (mcl) polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) copolymers containing C6 ~ C14 monomer units. A mutant was constructed from P. putida KT2442 by deleting its phaG gene encoding R-3-hydroxyacyl-ACP-CoA transacylase and several other β-oxidation related genes including fadB, fadA, fadB2x, and fadAx. This mutant termed P. putida KTHH03 synthesized mcl homopolymers including poly(3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHHx) and poly(3-hydroxyheptanoate) (PHHp), together with a near homopolymer poly(3-hydroxyoctanoate-co-2 mol% 3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHO*) in presence of hexanoate, heptanoate, and octanoate, respectively. When deleted with its mcl PHA synthase genes phaC1 and phaC2, the recombinant mutant termed P. putida KTHH08 harboring pZWJ4-31 containing PHA synthesis operon phaPCJ from Aeromonas hydrophila 4AK4 accumulated homopolymer poly(3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHV) when valerate was used as carbon source. The phaC deleted recombinant mutant termed P. putida KTHH06 harboring pBHH01 holding PHA synthase PhbC from Ralstonia eutropha produced homopolymers poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly(4-hydroxybutyrate) using γ-butyrolactone was added as precursor. All the homopolymers were physically characterized. Their weight average molecular weights ranged from 1.8 × 10⁵ to 1.6 × 10⁶, their thermal stability changed with side chain lengths. The derivatives of P. putida KT2442 have been developed into a platform for production of various PHA homopolymers.     

Inactivation of Isocitrate Lyase Leads to Increased Production of Medium-Chain-Length Poly(3-Hydroxyalkanoates) in Pseudomonas putida

Medium-chain-length (mcl) poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) (PHAs) are storage polymers that are produced from various substrates and accumulate in Pseudomonas strains belonging to rRNA homology group I. In experiments aimed at increasing PHA production in Pseudomonas strains, we generated an mcl PHA-overproducing mutant of Pseudomonas putida KT2442 by transposon mutagenesis, in which the aceA gene was knocked out. This mutation inactivated the glyoxylate shunt and reduced the in vitro activity of isocitrate dehydrogenase, a rate-limiting enzyme of the citric acid cycle. The genotype of the mutant was confirmed by DNA sequencing, and the phenotype was confirmed by biochemical experiments. The aceA mutant was not able to grow on acetate as a sole carbon source due to disruption of the glyoxylate bypass and exhibited two- to fivefold lower isocitrate dehydrogenase activity than the wild type. During growth on gluconate, the difference between the mean PHA accumulation in the mutant and the mean PHA accumulation in the wild-type strain was 52%, which resulted in a significant increase in the amount of mcl PHA at the end of the exponential phase in the mutant P. putida KT217. On the basis of a stoichiometric flux analysis we predicted that knockout of the glyoxylate pathway in addition to reduced flux through isocitrate dehydrogenase should lead to increased flux into the fatty acid synthesis pathway. Therefore, enhanced carbon flow towards the fatty acid synthesis pathway increased the amount of mcl PHA that could be accumulated by the mutant.     

Pseudomonas oleovorans subsp. lubricantis subsp. nov., and Reclassification of Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes ATCC 17440T as Later Synonym of Pseudomonas oleovorans ATCC 8062T

Isolate RS1^T isolated from used metalworking fluid was found to be a Gram-negative, motile, and non-spore forming rod. Based on phylogenetic analyses with 16S rRNA, isolate RS1^T was placed into the mendocina sublineage of Pseudomonas. The major whole cell fatty acids were C_18:1ω7c (32.6%), C_16:0 (25.5%), and C_15:0 ISO 2OH/C_16:1ω7c (14.4%). The sequence similarities of isolate RS1^T based on gyrB and rpoD genes were 98.9 and 98.0% with Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes, and 98.5 and 98.1% with Pseudomonas oleovorans, respectively. The ribotyping pattern showed a 0.60 similarity with P. oleovorans ATCC 8062^T and 0.63 with P. pseudoalcaligenes ATCC17440^T. The DNA G + C content of isolate RS1^T was 62.2 mol.%. The DNA–DNA relatedness was 73.0% with P. oleovorans ATCC 8062^T and 79.1% with P. pseudoalcaligenes ATCC 17440^T. On the basis of morphological, biochemical, and molecular studies, isolate RS1^T is considered to represent a new subspecies of P. oleovorans. Furthermore, based on the DNA–DNA relatedness (>70%), chemotaxonomic, and molecular profile, P. pseudoalcaligenes ATCC 17440^T and P. oleovorans ATCC 8062^T should be united under the same name; according to the rules of priority, P. oleovorans, the first described species, is the earlier synonym and P. pseudoalcaligenes is the later synonym. As a consequence, the division of the species P. oleovorans into two novel subspecies is proposed: P. oleovorans subsp. oleovorans subsp. nov. (type strain ATCC 8062^T = DSM 1045^T = NCIB 6576^T), P. oleovorans subsp. lubricantis subsp. nov. (type strain RS1^T = ATCC BAA-1494^T = DSM 21016^T).     

Production of 3-hydroxy-n-phenylalkanoic acids by a genetically engineered strain of Pseudomonas putida

Overexpression of the gene encoding the poly-3-hydroxy-n-phenylalkanoate (PHPhA) depolymerase (phaZ) in Pseudomonas putida U avoids the accumulation of these polymers as storage granules. In this recombinant strain, the 3-OH-acyl-CoA derivatives released from the different aliphatic or aromatic poly-3-hydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are catabolized through the -oxidation pathway and transformed into general metabolites (acetyl-CoA, succinyl-CoA, phenylacetyl-CoA) or into non-metabolizable end-products (cinnamoyl-CoA). Taking into account the biochemical, pharmaceutical and industrial interest of some PHA catabolites (i.e., 3-OH-PhAs), we designed a genetically engineered strain of P. putida U (P. putida U fadBA-phaZ) that efficiently bioconverts (more than 80%) different n-phenylalkanoic acids into their 3-hydroxyderivatives and excretes these compounds into the culture broth.     

Staining method of poly(3-hydroxyalkanoic acids) producing bacteria by nile blue

Summary Using an ethanol solution of nile blue, we have developed an efficient method to detect the colonies of poly(3-hydroxyalkanoic acids) (PHA) producing bacteria on the agar plate. When the bacterial colonies with PHA granules were stained with nile blue, the stained colonies fluoresced bright orange on the irradiation of UV light. In the fluoresce emission spectra, fluorescence intensity increased with an increase in the PHA content of bacterial cells.Alcaligenes eutrophus andA.latus colonies with poly(3-hydroxybutyric acid) (PHB) homopolymer exhibited an emission maximum at 580nm on the excitation at 490nm. On the other hand,Pseudomonas oleovorans andP.putida with medium-chain-length (mcl-) PHA copolymers of C6, C8 and C10 units exhibited an emission maximum at 570nm.     

Genetic Characterization of Accumulation of Polyhydroxyalkanoate from Styrene in Pseudomonas putida CA-3

Pseudomonas putida CA-3 is capable of accumulating medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates (MCL-PHAs) when growing on the toxic pollutant styrene as the sole source of carbon and energy. In this study, we report on the molecular characterization of the metabolic pathways involved in this novel bioconversion. With a mini-Tn5 random mutagenesis approach, acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA) was identified as the end product of styrene metabolism in P. putida CA-3. Amplified flanking-region PCR was used to clone functionally expressed phenylacetyl-CoA catabolon genes upstream from the sty operon in P. putida CA-3, previously reported to generate acetyl-CoA moieties from the styrene catabolic intermediate, phenylacetyl-CoA. However, the essential involvement of a (non-phenylacetyl-CoA) catabolon-encoded 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase is also reported. The link between de novo fatty acid synthesis and PHA monomer accumulation was investigated, and a functionally expressed 3-hydroxyacyl-acyl carrier protein-CoA transacylase (phaG) gene in P. putida CA-3 was identified. The deduced PhaG amino acid sequence shared >99% identity with a transacylase from P. putida KT2440, involved in 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA MCL-PHA monomer sequestration from de novo fatty acid synthesis under inorganic nutrient-limited conditions. Similarly, with P. putida CA-3, maximal phaG expression was observed only under nitrogen limitation, with concomitant PHA accumulation. Thus, β-oxidation and fatty acid de novo synthesis appear to converge in the generation of MCL-PHA monomers from styrene in P. putida CA-3. Cloning and functional characterization of the pha locus, responsible for PHA polymerization/depolymerization is also reported and the significance and future prospects of this novel bioconversion are discussed.     

Production of two monomer structures containing medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates by β-oxidation-impaired mutant of Pseudomonas putida KT2442

Pseudomonas putida KT2442 produces medium-chain-length (MCL) polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) from fatty acids. When gene encoding 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase which catalyzes long-chain-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA to 3-ketoacyl-CoA, was partially or completely deleted in P. putida KTOY08, the PHA accumulated was shown to contain only two different monomer structures dominated by a monomer of the same chain length as that of the fatty acids fed and another monomer two carbon atoms shorter. Among the PHA copolymers, P(44% 3HD-co-3HDD) containing 44% 3HD and 56% 3HDD was demonstrated to have a melting temperature T_m, an apparent heat of fusion △H_m and a Young’s modulus E of 75 °C, 51 J g^?1 and 2.0 MPa, respectively, the highest among all the MCL PHA studied.     

Development of a bioprocess to convert PET derived terephthalic acid and biodiesel derived glycerol to medium chain length polyhydroxyalkanoate

Sodium terephthalate (TA) produced from a PET pyrolysis product and waste glycerol (WG) from biodiesel manufacture were supplied to Pseudomonas putida GO16 in a fed-batch bioreactor. Six feeding strategies were employed by altering the sequence of TA and WG feeding. P. putida GO16 reached 8.70 g/l cell dry weight (CDW) and 2.61 g/l PHA in 48 h when grown on TA alone. When TA and WG were supplied in combination, biomass productivity (g/l/h) was increased between 1.3- and 1.7-fold and PHA productivity (g/l/h) was increased 1.8- to 2.2-fold compared to TA supplied alone. The monomer composition of the PHA accumulated from TA or WG was predominantly composed of 3-hydroxydecanoic acid. PHA monomers 3-hydroxytetradeeanoic acid and 3-hydroxytetradecenoic acid were not present in PHA accumulated from TA alone but were present when WG was supplied to the fermentation. When WG was either the sole carbon source or the predominant carbon source supplied to the fermentation the molecular weight of PHA accumulated was lower compared to PHA accumulated when TA was supplied as the sole substrate. Despite similarities in data for the properties of the polymers, PHAs produced with WG present in the PHA accumulation phase were tacky while PHA produced where TA was the sole carbon substrate in the polymer accumulation phase exhibited little or no tackiness at room temperature. The co-feeding of WG to fermentations allows for increased utilisation of TA. The order of feeding of WG and TA has an effect on TA utilisation and polymer properties.     

Expression of 3-Ketoacyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Reductase (fabG) Genes Enhances Production of Polyhydroxyalkanoate Copolymer from Glucose in Recombinant Escherichia coli JM109

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biologically produced polyesters that have potential application as biodegradable plastics. Especially important are the short-chain-length-medium-chain-length (SCL-MCL) PHA copolymers, which have properties ranging from thermoplastic to elastomeric, depending on the ratio of SCL to MCL monomers incorporated into the copolymer. Because of the potential wide range of applications for SCL-MCL PHA copolymers, it is important to develop and characterize metabolic pathways for SCL-MCL PHA production. In previous studies, coexpression of PHA synthase genes and the 3-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein reductase gene (fabG) in recombinant Escherichia coli has been shown to enhance PHA production from related carbon sources such as fatty acids. In this study, a new fabG gene from Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 was cloned and its gene product characterized. Results indicate that the Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 and E. coli FabG proteins have different substrate specificities in vitro. The current study also presents the first evidence that coexpression of fabG genes from either E. coli or Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 with fabH(F87T) and PHA synthase genes can enhance the production of SCL-MCL PHA copolymers from nonrelated carbon sources. Differences in the substrate specificities of the FabG proteins were reflected in the monomer composition of the polymers produced by recombinant E. coli. SCL-MCL PHA copolymer isolated from a recombinant E. coli strain had improved physical properties compared to the SCL homopolymer poly-3-hydroxybutyrate. This study defines a pathway to produce SCL-MCL PHA copolymer from the fatty acid biosynthesis that may impact on PHA production in recombinant organisms.     

Engineering the Monomer Composition of Polyhydroxyalkanoates Synthesized in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) have received considerable interest as renewable-resource-based, biodegradable, and biocompatible plastics with a wide range of potential applications. We have engineered the synthesis of PHA polymers composed of monomers ranging from 4 to 14 carbon atoms in either the cytosol or the peroxisome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by harnessing intermediates of fatty acid metabolism. Cytosolic PHA production was supported by establishing in the cytosol critical β-oxidation chemistries which are found natively in peroxisomes. This platform was utilized to supply medium-chain (C₆ to C₁₄) PHA precursors from both fatty acid degradation and synthesis to a cytosolically expressed medium-chain-length (mcl) polymerase from Pseudomonas oleovorans. Synthesis of short-chain-length PHAs (scl-PHAs) was established in the peroxisome of a wild-type yeast strain by targeting the Ralstonia eutropha scl polymerase to the peroxisome. This strain, harboring a peroxisomally targeted scl-PHA synthase, accumulated PHA up to approximately 7% of its cell dry weight. These results indicate (i) that S. cerevisiae expressing a cytosolic mcl-PHA polymerase or a peroxisomal scl-PHA synthase can use the 3-hydroxyacyl coenzyme A intermediates from fatty acid metabolism to synthesize PHAs and (ii) that fatty acid degradation is also possible in the cytosol as β-oxidation might not be confined only to the peroxisomes. Polymers of even-numbered, odd-numbered, or a combination of even- and odd-numbered monomers can be controlled by feeding the appropriate substrates. This ability should permit the rational design and synthesis of polymers with desired material properties.