Biosynthesis and Characterization of Polyhydroxyalkanoate Copolyesters in Ralstonia eutropha PHB−4 Harboring a Low-Substrate-Specificity PHA Synthase PhaC2Ps from Pseudomonas stutzeri 1317

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) as Biomaterials in Tissue Engineering: Production, Isolation, Characterization

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable and biocompatible biopolymers. These biomaterials have grown in importance in the fields of tissue engineering and tissue reconstruction for structural applications where tissue morphology is critical, such as bone, cartilage, blood vessels, and skin, among others. Furthermore, they can be used to accelerate the regeneration in combination with drugs, as drug delivery systems, thus reducing microbial infections. When cells are cultured under stress conditions, a wide variety of microorganisms produce them as a store of intracellular energy in the form of homo- and copolymers of [R]—hydroxyalkanoic acids, depending on the carbon source used for microorganism growth. This paper gives an overview of PHAs, their biosynthetic pathways, producing microorganisms, cultivation bioprocess, isolation, purification and characterization to obtain biomaterials with medical applications such as tissue engineering.

Bioconversion of fish solid waste into PHB using Bacillus subtilis based submerged fermentation process

Currently, one of the major problem affecting the world is solid waste management, predominantly petroleum-based plastic and fish solid waste (FSW). However, it is very difficult to reduce the consumption of plastic as well as fish products, but it is promising to convert FSW to biopolymer to reduce eco-pollution. On account of that, the bioconversion of FSW extract to polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) was undertaken by using Bacillus subtilis (KP172548). Under optimized conditions, 1.62 g/L of PHB has been produced by the bacterium. The purified compound was further characterized by advanced analytical technologies to elucidate its chemical structure. Results indicated that the biopolymer was found to be PHB, the most common homopolymer of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). This is the first report demonstrating the efficacy of B. subtilis to utilize FSW extract to produce biopolymer. The biocompatibility of the PHB against murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7 demonstrated that, it was comparatively less toxic, favourable for surface attachment and proliferation in comparison with poly-lactic acid (PLA) and commercially available PHB. Thus, further exploration is highly indispensable to use FSW extract as a substrate for production of PHB at pilot scale.

Pseudomonas putida KT2442 as a platform for the biosynthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates with adjustable monomer contents and compositions

The β-oxidation weakened Pseudomonas putida were established as a platform for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) with adjustable monomer compositions and micro-structures. When mutant P. putida KTOYO6ΔC (phaPCJA.c) was cultivated on mixtures of sodium butyrate and sodium hexanoate (C4:C6), random copolymers of P(3HB-co-3HHx) consisting of 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB), 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx), were accumulated with 3HHx content ranged from 19 mol% to 75 mol%. While recombinant P. putida KTQQ20 grown on mixtures of sodium hexanoate and decanoic acid (C6:C10), produced random copolymers of P(3HHx-co-3HD) consisting of 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) and 3-hydroxydecanoate (3HD), the monomer fraction of 3HHx ranged from 16 mol% to 63 mol%. The comonomer compositions were easily regulated by varying the fatty acid concentrations. P. putida KTQQ20 produced a novel diblock copolymer P3HHx-b-P(3HD-co-3HDD) consisting of 49 mol% P3HHx and 51 mol% P(3HD-co-3HDD) [35.25 mol% 3HDD (3-hydroxydodecanoate)], which was characterized by (13)C NMR, HMBC NMR, DSC, GPC and universal testing machine.

Production and characterization of homopolymer poly(3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHV) accumulated by wild type and recombinant Aeromonas hydrophila strain 4AK4

Aeromonas hydrophila 4AK4 normally produces copolyesters (PHBHHx) consisting of 3-hydroxybutyrate (C4) and 3-hydroxyhexanoate (C6). Wild type and recombinant A. hydrophila 4AK4 (pSXW02) expressing vgb and fadD genes encoding Vitreoscilla haemoglobin and Escherichia coli acyl-CoA synthase respectively, were found able to produce homopolyester poly(3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHV) (C5) on undecanoic acid as a single carbon source. The recombinant grew to 5.59 g/L cell dry weight (CDW) containing 47.74 wt% PHV in shake flasks when growth was conducted in LB medium and PHV production in undecanoic acid. The cells grew to 47.12 g/L CDW containing 60.08 wt% PHV in a 6 L fermentor study. Physical characterization of PHV produced by recombinant A. hydrophila 4AK4 (pSXW02) in fermentor showed a weight average molecular weight (M(w)) of 230,000 Da, a polydispersity of 3.52, a melting temperature of 103 degrees C and a glass transition temperature of -15.8 degrees C. The degradation temperature at 5% weight loss of the PHV was around 258 degrees C.